Diploma / Master's thesis

Students of all business- and management-related master and diploma programs can apply for supervision of their thesis at our institute. The master's or diploma thesis serves as proof of the ability to work on a scientific task independently and rigorously.

Because of limited resources, an application for supervision is necessary; yet, we prioritize students enrolled in the Competence Area Digital Transformation: Leadership, Human Resource Management and Change. 

To apply, please send an email to  ipv(at)jku.at with the subject "Application Master Thesis - Your Last Name" and the following documents:

1. Latest overview of grades for all completed courses.
2. Completed application form of the institute, which can be downloaded here, opens a file.

Getting a Supervisor

We decide on applications for supervision twice a year (on February 1 and September 1). Therefore, submit your applications before these dates to ensure they can be considered within the respective decision round. We will contact all applicants only after considering the batch of applications.

Whether an application is accepted depends on the supervisor’s available capacity, your academic achievements, the topical fit with the research focus of your supervisor, and the originality and quality of the idea presented in the application form.

Registering the Thesis

Once you have been contacted by your supervisor, you will need to follow your supervisor’s indications (e.g., provide a written research design) to kick off your thesis.

Once your supervisor has finally accepted you under his/her guidance, you will be asked to register your diploma or master's thesis topic at the Examination and Recognition Services of JKU. This registration is necessary to complete your thesis and to officially book your supervisor’s time.

Do not worry, the title of the thesis can always be changed. But the registration of the thesis must come soon.

We commit to supervise closely your thesis for six months and we recommend three individual meetings. After that, it will depend on your supervisor’s discretion how much and how often your work will be monitored until it’s completion. Tip: complete your thesis quickly.

Master’s Thesis Seminar

Once you have been assigned a supervisor and you work on your thesis, you are expected to attend the Institute’s Master's Thesis Seminar.

Choosing a Topic and the Supervisor

Students are free to present a topic of their interest in the application form. However, we recommend that topics are aligned with the research focus of our institute (see competence centers) or those of its members (see staff profiles). It is also possible to propose topics outside this framework, but they must be justified in a comprehensible way (e.g., based on concrete empirical access).

We also offer a variety of topic suggestions here, opens an external URL in a new window.

Formal Requirements

Master’s theses have to be written in English, using consistently one citation style (we invite you to use reference management software such as Zotero or Mendeley).

The Master's or Diploma thesis can be submitted only after 1) the thesis has been registered, and 2) you have received a grade in the Master’s Thesis Seminar.