1 Extent: 

For a term paper in a bachelor's degree programme: 25,000 to 40,000 characters (including spaces and notes), (approx. 12–15 pages).

For a bachelor's thesis: 70,000 to 120,000 characters (approx. 60 A4 pages)

2.  Time frame / Deadlines

Assignments such as term papers, project work, or presentations: 
Typically, 2–12 weeks after registration, maximum by the end of the semester.

Presentations, internship reports, portfolios: 1–12 weeks from registration.

The latest submission date is generally the end of the semester, i.e., 30 September or 31 March, regardless of the registration date.

Extensions are only possible in special cases upon application to the Examination Office. The registration of all work must be agreed in advance with the respective examiners. Otherwise, the work may not be accepted.

A paper should only be registered if it is actually written during the semester. Failure to submit the paper will result in a failed attempt (5.0) being recorded.

The most important information about bachelor's and master's degrees and term papers is provided by the Examination Office as a handout available for download: Application forms and handouts

 Frequently asked questions about procedures and deadlines can be found in the FAQ section of the Examination Office at: FAQ Examination Office

1   Extend

For a master's term paper, project work, etc.: 33,000 to 50,000 characters (approx. 15-20 pages).

For a master's thesis: 120,000–240,000 characters (approx. 60–120 pages).

2.  Time frame / Deadlines

Assignments such as term papers, project work or presentations:  Typically, 2–12 weeks after registration, maximum by the end of the semester.

Presentations, internship reports, portfolios: 1–12 weeks from registration.

The latest submission date is generally the end of the semester, i.e., 30 September or 31 March, regardless of the registration date.

Extensions are only possible in special cases upon application to the Examination Office. The registration of all assignments must be agreed in advance with the respective examiners. Otherwise, the assignment may not be accepted. An assignment should only be registered if it is actually written during the semester. Failure to submit an assignment will result in a failed attempt (5.0).

The most important information about bachelor's and master's degrees and term papers is available for download from the Examination Office: Application forms and handouts.

Frequently asked questions about procedures and deadlines can be found in the FAQ section of the Examination Office at: Exam FAQ

1. The department prefers the ‘Harvard citation style’ (author year: page number).

• Example of a direct quotation: “Quoted text” (Imperiale 2017: 36).
• Example of an indirect quotation: A previous study has shown that … (cf. Imperiale 2017: 36).
• Example with two authors: “Quoted text” (Imperiale and Müller 2017: 36).
• Example with three or more authors: A previous study has shown that … (cf. Imperiale et al. 2017: 36).
• If the same source is cited repeatedly in succession:  the abbreviation (ibid.) (= ibidem) may be used.

Important: Maintain a consistent, uniform format. Avoid changing citation styles or unclear formats.

                   Online sources (websites) must also be cited correctly according to the Harvard referencing style, including author, year, title, URL, and date of access.

More information and exercises can be found on eCampus in the writing portal:  Schreibportal. Please note: this service may not be available in English.

2. Avoid plagiarism

Any ideas, terms, text passages, or paraphrases taken from other works must be correctly cited. Secondary citations (i.e., citations that come from a source that has itself been cited) should be avoided. Only if the original source is not available may ‘quoted from’ be used, with clear identification. If the structure of the argument is also taken over, this must be indicated. : Deception and Plagiarism

3. Attachments and visualisation

Images, diagrams, etc. can either be inserted directly into the text (with captions) or included as a list of figures in the attachments — both are acceptable. The attachments will have their own table of contents with page numbering.

For submission: The appendix and the thesis must usually be submitted digitally as a PDF file.

If the file size is large, we recommend using a cloud service (e.g., Hochschulcloud or WeTransfer).

The current declaration of independence in German and English can be found at the Examination Office: Downloads and guidelines 

Please note:  The Form may not be available on the English webpage. If that is the case, please download it from the German site Downloads und Handreichungen. The Document is called; Vorlage für die Selbstständigkeitserklärung in German, and it contains a German and English version in itself.