Bachelor Thesis

Winter Semester 2025/2026

Applications for a Bachelor thesis to be written in WS 25/26 at the Chair of Economics and Social Policy are expected to be accepted from late July until September 12, 2025. Relevant information for the WS 25/26 will be provided on this page. If you have questions, please contact Michael Göschl, M.Sc.

The Chair of Economics and Social Policy supervises Bachelor and Master theses with a focus on:

Social Policy
Housing Policy
Regional and Urban Economics
Pension System / Old-age Provision
Tax Policy
Cooperatives
Political Economy

Individual proposals related to these topics are generally welcome. In addition, the chair provides concrete thesis topics that are announced each semester on this page. The thesis can be written in German or English.

Prerequisites

Empirical analysis, literature reviews, and model-based theses are possible, but require suitable existing knowledge.

The prerequisite for working on an empirical topic is proof of appropriate prior knowledge (e.g., good experience with Stata/R and multivariate regression analysis). Students who are interested in one of our listed empirical topics should directly contact the topic supervisor for a short conversation before submitting their application to our administrative office. The conversation is meant to clarify the student’s existing knowledge and interest, and to possibly reserve the empirical topic for the student.

Individual proposed topics in the areas of housing policy, cooperatives, urban economics, old-age provision, and political economy can also be discussed.

Bachelor Thesis Topics for Summer Semester 2025 (Topics for the upcoming WS 25/26 will be posted here in the near future):

Application Process

Applications to complete a Bachelor thesis in Winter Semester 2025/26 at the Chair of Economics and Social Policy are due no later than September 12, 2025. To apply, send your completed Application Form WS25/26 and your current FAU grade transcript to our administrative office via email to: wiso-sozialpolitik-office(at)fau.de.
If you are interested in one of the empirical topics offered by our chair, you should first have a short conversation directly with the topic supervisor prior to submitting your application to our administrative office. This conversation is meant to clarify a student’s existing knowledge and interest, and also to possibly reserve the empirical topic for a student.
For a non-empirical Bachelor thesis, please include at least 2 preferred topics on your application form.
We will respond to applicants after the application deadline has passed.
If you are assigned and accept a thesis topic at the Chair of Social Policy, the official registration for the Bachelor Thesis Seminar will be completed via the Chair with the WiSo Examinations Office after the start of the semester.

If you have any questions, please contact Michael Göschl, M.Sc.

Bachelor Thesis Seminar

The requirements of the Bachelor Seminar within the context of the Bachelor thesis include the submittal of a written exposé and giving both an interim and a final presentation.

An approximately 2-page exposé is to be prepared after the preliminary discussion with your thesis supervisor at the beginning of the thesis work period.
An approximately 15-minute interim presentation on the research question and structure is to be held about 3 weeks after the start of the thesis work period. The interim presentation is followed by a discussion.
A final presentation on the research question, structure, and results is to be held upon submitting the written Bachelor thesis. The final presentation is followed by a discussion.

Some guidelines for seminar presentations at the Chair of Economics and Social Policy can be found here.

Format of Bachelor Thesis

You can find our academic writing guidelines as well as information regarding the formal documentation of empirical analyses here.

The Bachelor thesis should be 25-30 pages in length (without tables and figures). It is possible to write a Bachelor thesis in either English or German.

Submission of Bachelor Thesis

The completed thesis must be submitted to the Examinations Office (Prüfungsamt) by the specified deadline in both printed form (2 bound copies) and digital form (1 USB stick).

The open hours and address of the FAU WiSo Examinations Office can be found here.

Questions?

If you have questions, please contact Michael Göschl, M.Sc. or your Bachelor thesis supervisor.