bachelor thesis quality management

Ensuring bachelor’s thesis assessment quality: a case study at one Dutch research university

Higher Education Evaluation and Development

ISSN : 2514-5789

Article publication date: 30 May 2023

In the Netherlands, thesis assessment quality is a growing concern for the national accreditation organization due to increasing student numbers and supervisor workload. However, the accreditation framework lacks guidance on how to meet quality standards. This study aims to address these issues by sharing our experience, identifying problems and proposing guidelines for quality assurance for a thesis assessment system.

Design/methodology/approach

This study has two parts. The first part is a narrative literature review conducted to derive guidelines for thesis assessment based on observations made at four Dutch universities. The second part is a case study conducted in one bachelor’s psychology-related program, where the assessment practitioners and the vice program director analyzed the assessment documents based on the guidelines developed from the literature review.

The findings of this study include a list of guidelines based on the four standards. The case study results showed that the program meets most of the guidelines, as it has a comprehensive set of thesis learning outcomes, peer coaching for novice supervisors, clear and complete assessment information and procedures for both examiners and students, and a concise assessment form.

Originality/value

This study is original in that it demonstrates how to holistically ensure the quality of thesis assessments by considering the context of the program and paying more attention to validity (e.g. program curriculum and assessment design), transparency (e.g. integrating assessment into the supervision process) and the assessment expertise of teaching staff.

• Quality assurance
• Accreditation
• Thesis assessment

Hsiao, Y.-P.(A). , van de Watering, G. , Heitbrink, M. , Vlas, H. and Chiu, M.-S. (2023), "Ensuring bachelor’s thesis assessment quality: a case study at one Dutch research university", Higher Education Evaluation and Development , Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/HEED-08-2022-0033

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2023, Ya-Ping (Amy) Hsiao, Gerard van de Watering, Marthe Heitbrink, Helma Vlas and Mei-Shiu Chiu

Published in Higher Education Evaluation and Development . Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http:// creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode

Introduction

According to data from the universities of the Netherlands, the number of bachelor’s students at Dutch research universities has been steadily increasing from 2015 to 2021 [1] , leading to increased workload for teaching staff due to the need for greater supervision of students [2] . This increased supervision is particularly evident in the supervision of students’ final projects. In the Netherlands, students can begin working on their final projects in the final year of their program’s curriculum once they pass the first-year diploma (the so-called Propaedeutic phase based on a positive binding study advice, BSA), earn a required number of European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) credits and meet other requirements. A bachelor’s degree is awarded when a student has “demonstrated by the results of tests, the final projects, and the performance of graduates in actual practice or in postgraduate programmes” (The Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders [Nederlands-Vlaamse Accreditatieorganisatie], hereinafter abbreviated as the NVAO, 2018 , p. 34).

The Bachelor’s thesis is the culmination of the Bachelor’s programme. A Bachelor’s thesis is carried out in the form of a research project within a department. It is an opportunity to put the knowledge learned during the programme into practice. The Bachelor’s thesis is used to assess the student’s initiative and their ability to plan, report and present a project. The difficulty level of the thesis is described by the attainment targets of the programme and the modules followed up until that moment. Students work independently on a Bachelor’s thesis or Individual Assignment (IOO) under the guidance of a supervisor.

This definition highlights the pedagogical value of the thesis (i.e. the opportunity to carry out an independent project) and the purpose of thesis assessment (i.e. to determine the extent to which the intended learning outcomes have been achieved). While this definition acknowledges the importance of a bachelor’s thesis, relatively little research has been done on examining the quality of undergraduate thesis assessment ( Hand and Clewes, 2000 ; Shay, 2005 ; Webster et al ., 2000 ; Todd et al ., 2004 ), let alone in the Dutch context where thesis supervisors and examiners of bachelor’s students are experiencing an increasing workload.

In recent years, the Dutch government has placed increasing emphasis on assessment quality in higher education ( Inspectorate of Education [Inspectie van het Onderwijs], 2016 ). The NVAO has established the Assessment Framework for the Higher Education Accreditation System of the Netherlands (hereinafter abbreviated as the Framework, NVAO, 2018 ). The standards for the accreditation of initial and existing study programs emphasize whether a program has established an adequate student assessment system that appropriately assesses the intended learning outcomes ( NVAO, 2018 ). According to the quality standards of the Framework, thesis assessment should be valid, reliable, transparent and independent. Assessment literature in the higher education context has defined these criteria as follows (e.g. Biggs and Tang, 2007 ; Bloxham and Boyd, 2007 ). Validity refers to the extent to which an assessment accurately measures what it is intended to measure. Reliability refers to the consistency of the assessment results, or how well they accurately reflect a student’s actual achievement level. Transparency is the clarity and specificity with which assessment information is communicated to both students and examiners. Independency is a necessary condition for ensuring the validity and reliability of an assessment, as it requires that examiners remain objective in the assessment process.

Despite the inclusion of these standards in the Framework ( NVAO, 2008 ), official guidance on establishing a quality system of assessing graduation projects that test achievement of the exit level of a study program at Dutch research universities is limited. As assessment practitioners (the first four authors of this article), we have found that it is often unclear for a program’s curriculum and/or management team to establish appropriate thesis assessment procedures at the undergraduate level that meet the NVAO’s quality standards. We hope that our experience can provide valuable insights and guidance for programs seeking to ensure quality assurance for thesis assessment.

Aims and research questions

The purpose of this study is to share our experience and the challenges we faced during internal and external quality assurance processes of thesis assessment. Based on these challenges, we conducted a narrative literature review to develop a set of guidelines for ensuring thesis assessment quality that aligns with the four standards outlined in the Framework ( NVAO, 2018 ): (1) intended learning outcomes, (2) teaching and learning environment, (3) assessment and (4) achieved learning outcomes. To illustrate the application of these guidelines, we present a case study of bachelor’s thesis assessment practices at one Dutch research university.

What are the guidelines for ensuring the quality of thesis assessment procedures that meet the standards specified in the Framework?

How can these guidelines be applied to evaluate the quality of thesis assessment in a study program?

It is important to note that this study is limited to the context of four Dutch research universities, where we encountered common issues during internal quality assurance processes of thesis assessment. Our goal is to share our experience and offer insights that could be useful to other institutions seeking to ensure the quality of thesis assessment. We do not intend to assume that these problems are present at all Dutch research universities.

Problems and guidelines in meeting the four standards

According to the didactic principle of constructive alignment ( Biggs and Tang, 2007 ), which is commonly used in Dutch higher education, the three education processes, teaching, learning and assessment, should be aligned with the intended learning outcomes. We begin with Standards 1 and 2, which set out the conditions under which thesis assessment takes place, and then we place more emphasis on Standards 3 and 4, which focus on the quality criteria for thesis assessment.

Standard 1: intended learning outcomes

To ensure that a study program meets Standard 1 of the Dutch Qualification Framework ( NLQF, 2008 ), the intended learning outcomes for graduates in specific subject areas and qualifications are typically developed using the Dublin Descriptors ( Bologna Working Group, 2005 ), which provide generic statements of competencies and attributes. However, it is often assumed that a thesis should assess all of these program learning outcomes (PLOs) since it is intended to evaluate the achieved learning outcomes at the exit level. Unfortunately, these PLOs can be global and unclear, which can confuse and hinder students from trying to understand the expectations for thesis assessment. Our observation is that programs often utilize PLOs as thesis learning outcomes (TLOs), although a thesis is not equivalent to the entire program curriculum.

According to Biggs and Tang (2007) , it is important for teachers to first clearly define the learning outcomes before designing instructional activities to guide students toward achieving them. In addition, the outcomes at the program and course levels (i.e. a thesis is also a course) should also be constructively aligned, and the course-level outcomes should be specific to the context of the course. Therefore, to design effective thesis activities (such as supervision) and develop assessment criteria, it would be more pedagogically valuable to formulate thesis-specific learning outcomes and explain how they contribute to the PLOs and Dublin Descriptors, rather than directly using the PLOs for thesis assessment.

In addition, a thesis course often involves most of the teaching staff in the program. Therefore, it is important to establish clear and specific expectations for what students should achieve at the end of a bachelor’s thesis course ( Willison and O'Regan, 2006 ; Todd et al ., 2004 ), such as the scope and type of research (e.g. scaffolded or self-initiated), integrating disciplinary knowledge and research skills from earlier program curriculum, demonstrating critical thinking through well-supported arguments and developing independent learning skills for future work ( Willison and O'Regan, 2006 ).

Standard 2: teaching-learning environment

According to Standard 2 of the Dutch Qualification Framework ( NLQF, 2008 ), the quality of the teaching and learning environment should be designed to help students achieve the intended learning outcomes of the program curriculum. However, our experience has revealed problems in this area. In informal discussions with thesis supervisors, we have found that students often report a lack of preparedness for a bachelor’s thesis, as they have not been adequately taught or practiced certain academic and research skills such as communication, information seeking and methodologies. Conversely, many teachers in the program believe they have covered these skills in their courses. Furthermore, during thesis calibration sessions, we have observed that novice examiners lack expertise due to insufficient experience in research education, a lack of training as thesis examiners, and unclear instructions on thesis assessment procedures.

To meet Standard 2, we recommend the following two guidelines. First, as suggested by research on curriculum alignment ( Wijngaards-de Meij and Merx, 2018 ) and research skills development ( Willison, 2012 ; Reguant et al ., 2018 ), the program-level curriculum design should arrange domain-specific subjects in a logical order and gradually develop students’ research, communication and independent learning skills so that they are well prepared to work on the thesis. At the same time, universities should focus on converting teaching staff’s research experience into research education expertise ( Maxwell and Smyth, 2011 ) for the long term.

Second, the program should ensure the quality of the teaching staff because examiners’ practices are crucial for the quality of thesis assessment ( Golding et al ., 2014 ; Kiley and Mullins, 2004 ; Mullins and Kiley, 2002 ). According to the literature, thesis examiners should receive sufficient instructions and training on how to grade a thesis ( Hand and Clewes, 2000 ; Kiley and Mullins, 2004 ). In addition, the university should provide teaching staff with written instructions to regulate and communicate thesis assessment procedures for supervisors, examiners and students, as well as assessment training on using the assessment forms and holding calibration sessions to achieve consistency in interpreting criteria and grade points. The literature on how supporting teaching staff in assessment practices contributes to consistency is discussed further in the section on Reliability.

Standards 3 and 4: student assessment and achieved learning outcomes

Ensuring validity starts with clearly defining what the assessment is intended to measure. According to the definition of validity and principle of constructive alignment ( Biggs and Tang, 2007 ), thesis assessment should be aligned with learning outcomes.

We have identified two problems in this regard. The first problem is the use of a generic assessment form with a set of uniform criteria across different programs within the same department or school. We believe this practice does not follow the principle of constructive alignment ( Biggs and Tang, 2007 ). In particular, the same assessment form cannot be used directly for different degrees (i.e. Bachelor, Master and PhD) based on the Dublin Descriptors. It would be difficult for a generic assessment form to assess the different levels of cognitive demand and skills required at each degree level. For example, the concept of “originality” is defined very differently at each degree level and this should be reflected in the assessment criteria.

The second problem is the quality of the assessment form itself. We have observed the following issues: (1) some criteria are not always directly relevant to the TLOs, (2) the assessment form only lists the names of criteria without defining them or providing specific indicators for each criterion, (3) it is unclear whether different criteria are given equal weight and (4) it is unclear how the final grade is determined (e.g. whether each criterion must be “sufficient” or “passing”).

To address these problems, we recommend the following guidelines. The assessment criteria listed in the form should align with the TLOs and should describe the characteristics of student work that provide relevant, representative and important evidence of their attainment of the learning outcomes ( Brookhart, 2013 , 2018 ; Walvoord and Anderson, 2011 ). In addition to aligning the criteria with the outcomes, the quality of the criteria also affects what is actually being assessed. The criteria should avoid vagueness that leads to multiple interpretations of quality indicators ( Biggs and Tang, 2007 ; Bloxham et al ., 2011 ; Hand and Clewes, 2000 ; Webster et al ., 2000 ). To ensure that the assessment measures what it is intended to measure, the criteria should meet the following five criteria ( Brookhart, 2013 , 2018 ; Walvoord and Anderson, 2011 ): they should be definable, observable, distinct from one another, complete and able to support descriptions along a continuum of quality.

Another important aspect of validity is the weighting of multiple assessment criteria. The weighting should reflect the relative importance of the criteria based on the disciplinary focus of the study program. For example, the criterion of “method and data analysis” might carry more weight in psychology than it would in philosophy.

Reliability and independency

Reliability is a necessary condition for validity and refers to the consistency of assessment results. Reliability is important because it allows us to confidently interpret and determine students’ true performance on a thesis.

Independency between examiners is necessary to ensure the reliability (or objectivity) of the assessment process, as it helps prevent influence on each other’s judgment. Independent grading is often specified in the Education and Examination Regulations of an institution.

Intra-rater reliability refers to the consistency of a single examiner’s grading process over time. Inconsistencies may occur due to internal influences rather than true differences in student performance. We have observed inconsistencies in completed assessment forms, including discrepancies between comments and scores given by the same examiner across different student theses.

Analytical: Examiners assign a rating to each criterion and then determine a thesis grade based on the grading guidelines.

Analytical and then holistic: Examiners assign a rating to each criterion and then determine a thesis grade based on the grading guidelines. If the thesis grade does not match the holistic judgment, examiners adjust the ratings of the criteria.

Holistic and then analytical: Examiners hold an initial grade (in their mind) based on holistic judgment. Next, examiners assign a rating to each criterion and determine a thesis grade based on the grading guidelines. If the thesis grade is different from the initial grade, examiners adjust the ratings of the criteria to make sure that these two grades are the same.

To ensure intra-rater reliability, it is essential to clearly define each criterion to prevent multiple interpretations by examiners. Additionally, examiners should be provided with bias-reduction training ( Wylie and Szpara, 2004 ) to make them aware of potential biases, such as supervisor bias ( Bettany-Saltikov et al ., 2009 ; McQuade et al ., 2020 ; Nyamapfene, 2012 ), and to take actions to prevent them. During the grading process, examiners should also consistently revisit the established criteria and level descriptors to maintain consistency.

To improve inter-rater reliability, the literature suggests establishing standard assessment procedures and improving examiners’ assessment practices ( Hand and Clewes, 2000 ; Kiley and Mullins, 2004 ; Pathirage et al ., 2007 ). Standard assessment procedures should clearly outline the process for considering the relative importance of multiple criteria and the relative importance of various indicators within a criterion ( Hand and Clewes, 2000 ; Bloxham et al ., 2016a ; Pathirage et al ., 2007 ; Webster et al ., 2000 ). To improve examiners’ assessment practices, common approaches include providing examiners with the following three processes ( Sadler, 2013 ):

Prior to grading, to ensure consistent grading, examiners should have a shared understanding of the expectations for each criterion and score level. This can be achieved through the use of anchor or exemplar theses, which are previously graded theses that illustrate the characteristics of each score level ( Osborn Popp et al ., 2009 ). Examiners can refer to these anchor theses as they grade to ensure that they are accurately distinguishing between the different score levels. It should also be clear to examiners how to complete the grading form and whether they are allowed to discuss with other examiners during the grading process ( Pathirage et al ., 2007 ; Dierick et al ., 2002 ).

During the grading process, moderation refers to the process of two examiners arriving at a collective thesis grade ( Bloxham et al ., 2016b ). It is important to have clear instructions on how to control evaluative judgments and stay within reasonable limits during the moderation process. Examiners should also be informed of score resolution methods in case of large discrepancies between their scores, as averaging the scores may not be sufficient in such cases ( Johnson et al ., 2005 ; Sadler, 2013 ). If a third examiner is involved in the moderation process, it should be clear who is qualified for this task and how their results are used to determine the final thesis grade ( Johnson et al ., 2005 ).

As a “post-judgment” process, calibration is the act of ensuring that examiners grade student work against the agreed quality criteria and “how a particular level of quality should be represented” ( Sadler, 2013 , p. 6). It can be helpful to think of calibration as similar to checking the accuracy of a weighing scale by comparing it to a standard and making adjustments to bring it into alignment. In a similar vein, the thesis assessment form (including criteria and score-level descriptors) and examiners’ assessment practices should be calibrated, particularly when there are significant changes in thesis assessment procedures. As noted by Sadler (2013) , high-quality evaluative judgments also require the development of “calibrated” academics who serve not only as custodians of quality criteria and level standards but also as consultants for novice and short-term examiners. Calibration can be implemented alongside the normal grading period as part of an internal quality assurance system ( Andriessen and Manders, 2013 ; Bergwerff and Klaren, 2016 ).

Transparency

Transparency in assessment has received increasing attention in higher education in recent years ( Bamber, 2015 ; Bell et al ., 2013 ; O'Donovan et al ., 2004 ; Price, 2005 ). It refers to making the perceptions and expectations of assessors, including requirements, standards and assessment criteria, known and understood by all participants, particularly students ( O'Donovan et al ., 2004 ).

To ensure transparency in thesis assessment, it’s not enough to only provide students with assessment forms and instructions on assessment procedures. Our observations indicate that without discussing the deeper meaning of criteria and standards, there is a risk of different interpretations by examiners and students.

To address this issue, it is important to foster shared understanding and promote assessment for learning and feedback on progress. This can be achieved by helping students develop their understanding of the quality criteria and standards through observation, discussion and imitation of good-quality theses ( Malcolm, 2020 ). Using anchor theses ( Orsmond et al ., 2002 ; Sadler, 1987 ) and involving students in peer review and grading of each other’s theses using the criteria ( O'Donovan et al ., 2004 ; Rust et al ., 2003 ) can be effective ways to do this.

To ensure transparency, supervisors should use the assessment form not only for thesis examination but also during supervising activities, and should clearly explain the criteria and score levels to their students using anchor theses for illustration ( O'Donovan et al ., 2004 ; Rust et al ., 2003 ).

Overview of guidelines

Formulate program-specific TLOs.

Thesis assessment should be appropriate for the program curriculum and assessment plan.

The program should ensure examiners’ assessment expertise by providing training or instructions.

Standards 3 and 4 – student assessment and achieved learning outcomes

TLOs, thesis supervision and thesis assessment should be constructively aligned.

The assessment criteria should be clearly defined and meet quality requirements. The weighting of multiple criteria should reflect the relative importance of TLOs.

Intra-rater reliability: Examiners should revisit the established criteria to ensure consistency and strive to prevent any possible assessor bias.

○ The program should make assessment procedures consistent across examiners.

○ The program should improve examiners’ assessment practices through the use of anchor or exemplary theses, moderation prior to and during assessment practices, and calibration after thesis assessment.

The program should inform students of what is expected of them and how their thesis will be assessed.

The program should instruct supervisors to explicitly use the criteria during supervising activities.

To illustrate the application of these guidelines, we present a case study of a psychology-related bachelor’s program at a Dutch research university. We chose to focus on this program because all of the authors have experience in quality assurance at various psychology programs. The documents for this case study were provided by one of the co-authors, who played a significant role in the quality assurance of assessment at the program. These documents include the program’s learning outcomes, a thesis handbook, a thesis assessment form, grading instructions for examiners and a self-assessment report (which includes reflections on the four standards of the Framework and is required to be submitted to the NVAO before a site visit).

Four of the authors and the vice program director (as a self-reflection exercise) examined these documents and answered open-ended questions derived from the guidelines in Box 1 . The findings were then structured based on the guidelines in Box 1 .

Motivation for participating in this study

Improving the quality of the assessment criteria to prevent multiple interpretations by examiners.

Clearly defining the roles, tasks and responsibilities of supervisors (as the first examiner) and the second examiner.

The vice program director indicated that the assessment form is still in development and that it is a dynamic improvement process, based on examiners’ accumulated experience and feedback from supervisors, examiners, students and assessment specialists.

Brief course descriptions of the Bachelor’s thesis

In this thesis course, students perform a study that covers the entire empirical research cycle, from developing a specific research question to using theory to answer the question and testing the theory through data collection. They integrate knowledge from various disciplines and practice conducting research on a technology-related problem. Students may collaborate in groups for literature search or data collection, but they must formulate a specific question to be answered in their individually written bachelor’s thesis.

Standard 1 – intended learning outcomes

PLO1 – Competent in scientific disciplines

PLO2 – Competent in doing research

PLO3 – Competent in designing

PLO4 – Use of a scientific approach

PLO5 – Basic intellectual skills

PLO6 – Competent in cooperating and communicating

PLO7 – Take into account the temporal, technological and social context.

TLO1 – formulate a research question fitted to the problem and relevant scholarly literature (PLO1,2)

TLO2 – conduct a literature search (PLO1,2,3,4,6)

TLO3 – apply and modify relevant scientific theory in order to solve a technology-related problem (PLO1,2,4,5,7)

TLO4 – make an adequate research design for empirical research (PLO2,3,4)

TLO5 – apply relevant scientific methods for empirical research (PLO1,2,3,4,5)

TLO6 – relate interpretation of data to theory and to design and/or policy recommendations (PLO1,2,3,4,5,7)

TLO7 – individually write a scientific report (PLO5,6)

TLO8 – reflect and think systematically (PLO5,6,7)

We conclude that TLOs contribute to the development of all seven competences outlined in the PLOs, as well as the five components of the Dublin Descriptors.

Standard 2 – teaching-learning environment

The bachelor’s thesis builds upon the knowledge and skills developed in previous courses. According to the curriculum and program assessment plan, student skills progress from year 1 to 3 and are assessed through various types of assessment, such as presentations, reports and reflective writing. However, there is no specific learning trajectory for academic and research skills available.

To ensure student readiness for working independently on their thesis, students must have passed the propaedeutic phase and obtained a required number of ECTS upon enrolment in the bachelor’s thesis course. They must also have passed the two methods courses.

Written instructions, including a detailed explanation of assessment procedures, criteria and rubrics, are provided in a thesis handbook for supervisors, examiners and students.

The program requires novice examiners to go through an “examiner internship” with senior examiners (mentors). They are guided and monitored by their mentors when assessing graduation theses in their first year of practice. They can directly approach mentors when encountering problems during supervision and assessment.

C1 – Abstract (TLO7,8)

C2 – Introduction/Theory (TLO1,2,3,8)

C3 – Method and results (TLO2,4,5,6)

C4 – Discussion (TLO1,2,3,6,8)

C5 – Writing style (TLO7)

C6 – Process/Work attitude (TLO7,8)

Each criterion on the assessment form includes a short definition and a number of indicators, which are graded using a five-point rating scale (Poor–Insufficient–Sufficient–Good–Very good). It is required that qualitative comments be added to all of the criteria.

It is not clear how each criterion is weighted.

It is not clear how the ratings of multiple indicators and criteria are aggregated to determine the total grade.

Although a rating scale is provided, score-level descriptors are not available. It is not clear whether the indicators describe the “Very good” or “Sufficient” score level.

These issues correspond to areas that the program is currently working to improve, as mentioned at the beginning of this section.

Reliability

New examiners receive a one-day training, in which they practice assessing theses based on the rubric, and discuss their practice results with senior examiners. They also receive guidance on how to use the criteria during the supervision process.

The first and second examiners assess the thesis independently by using the same rubric and register their initial grading results separately to the administration system.

It is obligatory for both examiners to hold a moderation meeting in order to arrive at collective grading results. In this meeting, they go through each criterion and discuss the differences. Then they register the collective results in the administration system, which generates the thesis grade.

When the discrepancies between two examiners cannot be moderated during the meeting, both examiners register these in the administration system. Next, a subcommittee from the Examination Board is informed, which carries out additional grading. The members of the subcommittee are senior examiners who are often mentors assigned to the novice examiners during the examiner internship.

There are no institution-wide guidelines on the moderation and calibration process. These quality assurance processes are organized by study programs. How they are implemented depends on the available resources, assessment expertise and time per study program.

Although no calibration procedure is established, the subcommittee regularly regrades a sample of the borderline theses around the fail/pass grade, the theses with a resit, and theses for which the two examiners differ substantially in their initial grading. In addition, this subcommittee holds a regular plenary meeting to discuss their assessment practices and report their findings regularly to the Examination Board.

After the assessment, both examiners and students are asked to fill out a survey to evaluate the use of rubric and the assessment procedures. The results are used for improving the quality of rubric.

These procedures are in line with most of our guidelines. Still, we suggest that the subcommittee systematically analyses their findings of regrading practices and acts on the improvements in order to complete the quality assurance cycle. In addition, as lessons learned from one university, we highly recommend the Examination Board or the program to carry out a regular review of the completed assessment forms to detect whether there is any assessor bias in order to safeguard intra-rater reliability.

The program has established clear guidelines on how to ensure transparency. At the beginning of the final project, an information session is organized to explain the supervision and assessment procedures and rules to students. It is made clear what the role tasks and responsibilities of supervisor, examiner and student are, in what way the thesis is assessed, and what is assessed (i.e. the criteria in the rubric). The criteria and indicators per criterion are explained in detail in this information session.

The program also makes it clear that the criteria should be used from the beginning and during the supervision activities, as well as in the assessment process. Supervisors are instructed to formulate feedback based on the criteria.

To sum up, this case study shows that their thesis assessment practices apply most of the guidelines suggested in this study.

Conclusion and discussion

This study presents problems encountered from a practitioner’s perspective and derives guidelines from the literature to address these issues. These guidelines cover the entire education process, taking the context of the program into account. They not only explain how to meet the quality criteria of validity, reliability, transparency and independence but also include the conditions that increase the likelihood of meeting these criteria, such as the importance of examiners’ assessment expertise and how the institution should facilitate their development in this area. The case study demonstrates how these guidelines are applied to examine thesis assessment practices at a bachelor’s psychology-related program at a Dutch academic university.

Our experience highlights the importance of applying the didactic principle of constructive alignment at the exit level, as it is not always clear to teaching staff what this means in the context of thesis assessment (despite its widespread use at the course level for instructional design) and how it can be used to ensure the four standards of the Framework. This has led to a focus on reliability, as noted by Webster et al . (2000) , such as revising thesis assessment forms and ensuring consistency among examiners. Our study aims to draw the attention of program teams to validity by considering the program’s curriculum and assessment design and the didactic purpose of using a thesis as a graduation project.

While other studies have focused on specific thesis assessment quality criteria such as reliability (e.g. Pathirage et al ., 2007 ), transparency (e.g. Malcolm, 2020 ) and independence ( Todd et al ., 2004 ; e.g. Nyamapfene, 2012 ), our case study shows how to ensure all of these criteria and carry out a complete quality assurance process. This does not mean that a program needs to address all of them at the same time. Instead, we want to emphasize the importance of research education in a bachelor’s program and recommend that the program align its thesis assessment design with its curriculum design for research education (i.e. as a learning trajectory) and its overall assessment design. Improving thesis assessment alone is not sufficient for students to achieve the intended learning outcomes of the program.

A final, and perhaps the most important, aspect to consider is how to effectively use limited resources to improve teaching staff’s assessment expertise so that they can continuously contribute to the improvement of thesis assessment practices. The guidelines presented in this study can be further developed or adapted as training materials for teaching staff.

Limitations

We would like to acknowledge two limitations of this study. First, unlike more traditional research methods such as surveys and interviews, the problems we reported here were compiled from various sources at four Dutch research universities. Without a more rigorous synthesis of these sources, it is possible that there may be some subjectivity and selection bias present. Second, the guidelines we derived from a narrative review of these problem topics may not include all relevant references.

It is important to note that our use of only one psychology-related bachelor’s program for the case study does not allow us to generalize our findings to all bachelor’s psychology programs at other Dutch academic universities. Rather, our aim is to share our experience and research-informed guidelines, and to examine thesis assessment quality from a practitioner perspective. In line with the goals of Koris and Pello’s (2022) article, our aim is to gradually find solutions that are appropriate for our context through several subsequent iterations in the future.

https://www.universiteitenvannederland.nl/en_GB/f_c_ingeschreven_studenten.html

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the reviewers for their thorough review and valuable feedback, which allowed the authors to improve the quality of the manuscript. The authors appreciate the time and effort they put into the review process.

Funding: This work was supported by National Chengchi University (DZ15-B4). The funder only provides financial support and does not substantially influence the entire research process, from study design to submission. The authors are fully responsible for the content of the paper.

Corresponding author

About the authors.

Ya-Ping (Amy) Hsiao is an assessment specialist and teacher trainer at Tilburg University. Her current research focuses on the reflection, portfolio and performance assessment of the graduation projects.

Gerard van de Watering is a policy advisor at Eindhoven University of Technology. His research and development interest focus on assessment and evaluation, student-centered learning environments, independent learning and study skills. He is also the founder of a network of assessment specialists in academic higher education in the Netherlands.

Marthe Heitbrink is a testing and assessment coordinator at the Psychology department of the University of Amsterdam.

Helma Vlas is an educational consultant, teacher trainer/assessor and assessment specialist at the University of Twente. She is stationed at the Centre of Expertise in Learning and Teaching. She is coordinator of the Senior Examination Qualification trajectory at the University of Twente.

Mei-Shiu Chiu is a full professor of Education at National Chengchi University in Taiwan. Her research interests focus on interactions between emotion/affect, cognition and culture for diverse knowledge domains (e.g. mathematics, science and energy) in relation to teaching, assessment and large-scale databases.

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Bachelor of Manufacturing Management in Quality Management

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• Cost $441.50 per credit before fees
• Total Credits 120
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The Bachelor of Manufacturing Management in Quality Management is ideal for technical and community college graduates in the industrial and business fields who have experience in a manufacturing or other processing environment, particularly working adults who would like to become part of a management team. The degree covers business operations, product functions, quality and cost analysis, consumer expectations, and profitability.

All admission materials must be submitted to the Office of Admissions no later than 4:30 p.m. Central Standard Time on the deadlines noted.

Sample Courses

• BM 3007 – Metrology (3 cr)
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This degree will prepare students for employment in the private sector as well as state and federal regulatory agencies. Job titles may include:

• Client service quality assurance (QA) manager
• Food QA manager
• QA project manager
• QA test manager
• QA sanitation manager
• Quality control (QC) supervisor
• QA/QC manager
• Senior product manager
• Software QA manager
• Technical QA project manager

Salary Ranges for Quality Management Graduates*

• Quality assurance analyst: $50,000−$80,000
• Quality control lab manager: $55,000−$75,000
• Quality control manager: $60,000−$70,000
• Quality control manager (ASME - ISO - pressure vessels): $90,000−$110,000
• Quality manager/quality assurance, food inspection, HACCP: $65,000−$95,000
• QA specialist: $25,000−$40,000
• Quality assurance tester: $75,000−$100,000
• Quality assurance manager: $55,000−$80,000
• Production manager: $84,000−$92,000
• Materials planner: $63,000−$70,000
• Materials manager: $97,000−$110,000
• Manufacturing, Six Sigma: $70,000−$130,000
• Manufacturing and production management: $35,000−$42,000
• Manufacturing leader: $55,000−$65,000

*  Occupational Outlook Handbook

Transferring Credits

Want to know how your previous college credits will transfer before you apply? Request an unofficial evaluation of your transcripts by one of our professional advisors. Fill out the form below with your major, semester you'd like to start, and attach your transcripts. Please allow 5-7 business days for your transfer evaluation. UMC accepts all transfer credits that come from a regionally accredited college or University.

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UMC Financial Aid Office Phone: 800-862-6466 ext 8569; 218-218-8550 Fax: 218-281-8579 Email: [email protected]

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Originally from the Philippines, Rebecca Cowles found value in Crookston's “Small Campus, Big Degree” atmosphere and the flexibility of earning a degree online. Today, she's an Inspector Technician in the quality department at Collins Aerospace in Burnsville, Minnesota.

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The program aims to develop quality and management professionals who can plan, coordinate, design, implement, and control the quality function in manufacturing and service companies to increase productivity, optimize resources, decrease waste, and improve product quality.

Course offerings and research are available in quality assurance, six sigma, lean manufacturing, project management, and reliability.

Graduates of the program are very successful and often are promoted to upper management positions within their companies.

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Program Requirements

Candidates for this program must be accepted by the Graduate School and the School of Applied Engineering and Technology. The online M.S. in Quality Engineering and Management program requires a bachelor’s degree with a major in a technical area and a GPA of no less than 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Conditional admission is possible for candidates with a lower GPA.

Curricular Options

The program has thesis and non-thesis curricular options. For the non-thesis option, graduate students must complete a total of 30 semester hours of graduate-level credit of which 15 hours must be at the 500 level. The thesis option requires a minimum of 30 semester hours of acceptable graduate credit and includes 12 semester hours of quality engineering and management core courses, 12 semester hours of approved elective courses, and the completion of a master’s thesis, consisting of 6 semester hours of thesis (QEM 599) credit.

Accelerated Masters

Our Accelerated Master’s program allows our top students to complete the Quality Engineering and Management (QEM) program in about a year. IMAE students with senior standing and a GPA of 3.5 are eligible for the Accelerated Master's program.

Students pursuing their Master’s degree in QEM after completing their Bachelor’s degree in IMAE will be able to apply up to 9 hours of approved IMAE coursework towards the QEM degree.

Online Degree

The online M.S. in QEM provides excellent preparation for graduates who pursue careers in technical disciplines such as lean manufacturing, project management, Six Sigma, and reliability. Throughout the program, students are trained in the use of technical tools and methodologies that will equip them with the necessary skills to drive continuous improvement within the organizations they are employed with. Due to the broad nature of the curriculum, our graduates are successfully employed in a wide variety of sectors from manufacturing to service to healthcare.

At the core of the QEM Program is Six Sigma, a set of techniques and tools for process improvement. By incorporating Six Sigma methodology into our program, our graduates are equipped to lead continuous improvement efforts to remove causes of errors and reduce variation in products and services.

Registered Student Organizations

American Society for Quality (now, ASQ Global) is the world's leading membership organization devoted to quality. ASQ at SIUC is a student chapter for ASQ’s St. Louis Region. The objective as a professional association is to advance learning in the areas of quality improvement, exchange knowledge with experts in the area, and to share ideas with industry peers.

Scholarships/Funding

Teaching or research assistantships and fellowships are available for qualified applicants. Several other means of financial assistance are available through the Graduate School and can be accessed from the SIU Graduate School webpage .

Student loans and student work opportunities are also available for graduate students through SIU's Office of Financial Aid .

Contact Information

Julie Dunston Director Engineering D105 1230 Lincoln Dr. Carbondale, IL 62901 618-536-3396 [email protected]

Tomas Velasco Graduate Program Director Engineering D112C 1230 Lincoln Drive Carbondale, IL 62901 618-453-7842 [email protected]

Career Opportunities

Graduate of the program have gone onto fulfilling careers with job titles such as Quality Engineer, Lean Six Sigma Project Manager, Six Sigma Black Belt, Reliability Engineer, Quality Systems Engineer, Quality Assurance Engineer, and Supplier Quality Specialist.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Total quality management'

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Muskat, Birgit. "Total Quality Management im Tourismus." Wiesbaden : Dt. Univ.-Verl, 2007. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-8350-5413-4.

吳偉倫 and Wai-lun James Ng. "Total Quality Management in China." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1997. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31268250.

Lundahl, Carl Gustav. "Total quality management in sawmills /." Luleå : Division of Wood Science and Technology, LTU Skellefteå, Luleå University of Technology, 2009. http://pure.ltu.se/ws/fbspretrieve/3018479.

Ng, Wai-lun James. "Total Quality Management in China /." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1997. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B18831217.

Waddington, Michael E. "Total Quality Management : the development, application and analysis of a Total Quality Management paradigm in healthcare." Thesis, University of Huddersfield, 1995. http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/4875/.

Beckwith, Paul D. "Total Quality Management a management philosophy for providing high quality construction /." Thesis, Baltimore, Maryland : University of Maryland, 1992. http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA252743.

Cheong, Shu-keung Frankie, and 張樹強. "Implementing total quality management in estate management company." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1999. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31968557.

Cheong, Shu-keung Frankie. "Implementing total quality management in estate management company." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1999. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B22360049.

Wang, Xu. "An integrated total quality management framework." Thesis, University of Sussex, 2008. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.489031.

Wong, Shiu Ho. "Total quality of supply chain management." Thesis, Sheffield Hallam University, 2000. http://shura.shu.ac.uk/20560/.

Choisne, Franck R. (Franck Remi Didier) Carleton University Dissertation Management Studies. ""Performance measurement for total quality management."." Ottawa, 1994.

Alazemi, Waleed. "Total quality management within the construction industry of Kuwait : the role of Total Quality Management and its usage." Thesis, Loughborough University, 2013. https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/2134/12654.

Ridgeway, Graeme Mansel. "Introducing total quality management : a change in management ideology." Thesis, Sheffield Hallam University, 1997. http://shura.shu.ac.uk/3182/.

Sherif, Khaled F. "Total quality management and construction project management in Libya." Thesis, University of Plymouth, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10026.1/2510.

Chow, Chi-yang David, and 周志揚. "Total quality management in Hong Kong bank." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1998. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31268717.

Yip, Man-shan Tammy, and 葉文珊. "Total quality management for the accounting profession." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1998. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31269515.

Poon, Kai-jee Edward, and 潘啓智. "Total quality management in the constructed project." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1989. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B42128353.

Leonard, Denis Thomas Patrick. "The strategic dynamics of Total Quality Management." Thesis, University of Ulster, 2000. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.393771.

McAdam, Rodney. "Tracing the loci of total quality management." Thesis, University of Ulster, 2002. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.393486.

McPherson, Aaron F. (Aaron Francis). "Total quality management at AT&T." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/11525.

Kramer, Miriam. "The human factor in Total Quality Management." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/50154.

Flores-Molina, Jose C. "A Total Quality Management Methodology for Universities." FIU Digital Commons, 2011. http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/375.

Poon, Kai-jee Edward. "Total quality management in the constructed project." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 1989. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B42128353.

Etienne, Michele. "Total-Quality-Management im Spital erfolgreich gestalten /." Bern : Haupt, 2000. http://bvbr.bib-bvb.de:8991/F?func=service&doc_library=BVB01&doc_number=008939726&line_number=0001&func_code=DB_RECORDS&service_type=MEDIA.

Yip, Man-shan Tammy. "Total quality management for the accounting profession /." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1998. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B19872215.

Chow, Chi-yang David. "Total quality management in Hong Kong bank /." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1998. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B19876634.

DeFazio, Mary Beth. "Total Quality Management and the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award /." Online version of thesis, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/1850/11577.

Zhang, Zigang. "Quality management for Chinese construction." Thesis, University of Salford, 2000. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.366064.

Tung, Chi-kin Steve. "Total quality management a key to success on providing quality property management in Hong Kong /." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 2001. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B3196901X.

Chan, Chi-chung. "Quality management issues facing a testing laboratory /." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1998. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B19876695.

董志堅 and Chi-kin Steve Tung. "Total quality management: a key to success onproviding quality property management in Hong Kong." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2001. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B3196901X.

Radtke, Philipp. "Ganzheitliches Modell zur Umsetzung von Total-quality-Management /." Berlin : IPK, 1997. http://bvbr.bib-bvb.de:8991/F?func=service&doc_library=BVB01&doc_number=007843495&line_number=0001&func_code=DB_RECORDS&service_type=MEDIA.

Wilson, Marya L. "Total quality management (TQM) at the University Centers." Menomonie, WI : University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2006. http://www.uwstout.edu/lib/thesis/2006/2006wilsonm.pdf.

Sou, On Peng. "How ISO 9000 approach to total quality management." Thesis, University of Macau, 2000. http://umaclib3.umac.mo/record=b1636773.

Weißmann, Sven. "Total Quality Management für Industriebetriebe : Praktiken zur Leistungssteigerung /." Wiesbaden : Dt. Univ.-Verl, 2002. http://www.gbv.de/dms/bs/toc/338084436.pdf.

Black, S. A. "Measuring the critical factors of Total Quality Management." Thesis, University of Bradford, 1993. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.539126.

Rampa, SH. "A customised total quality management framework for schools." University of South Africa Press, 2010. http://encore.tut.ac.za/iii/cpro/DigitalItemViewPage.external?sp=1001183.

Shi, Ji. "The implementation of total quality management in China." Thesis, This resource online, 1993. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-01242009-063130/.

Lewis, Cynthia J. "Implementing total quality management in the public sector." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 1995. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/1106.

Parish, David Houston Jr. "Total quality management: A handbook for business leaders." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 1997. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/1415.

Negrón, Naldos Luis Alfredo. "Relationship between quality management practices, performance and maturity quality management, a contingency approach." Doctoral thesis, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12404/16755.

Tsang, Lai-shuen, and 曾麗旋. "Quality in residential property management: an evaluation of total quality management in private propertymanagement sector." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2009. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B44402107.

Adebanjo, A. Oludotun. "A framework for total quality culture development." Thesis, University of Liverpool, 1997. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.246737.

Baškarada, Saša Koronios Andy. "Information quality management capability maturity model." Wiesbaden : Vieweg + Teubner Research, 2009. http://site.ebrary.com/id/10382617.

Baškarada, Saša. "Information quality management capability maturity model." Wiesbaden [Germany] : Vieweg+Teubner Research, 2009. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-8348-9634-6.

De, Bruyn Phillipus Petrus. "A management strategy for the improvement of the effectiveness of secondary schools through total quality management / Phillipus Petrus de Bruyn." Thesis, Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/10394/10099.

Cheuk, Wing-chong Karen, and 卓穎莊. "An analysis of the quality culture of Hong Kong companies." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1994. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B30431827.

Zwet, Aisha. "Total quality management : a framework for quality improvement in Arab manufacturing companies." Thesis, University of East London, 2017. http://roar.uel.ac.uk/7305/.

Yip, Wai-leung. "The influence of Chinese cultural values on successful housing management in China and Hong Kong." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 2002. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B31969288.

Magwaza, Lungile Thokozile. "Educators' views on total quality management in secondary schools in Eshowe circuit." Thesis, University of Zululand, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10530/1133.

Bachelor's thesis

With the bachelor thesis, students work independently on a topic from business administration. It aims to enable the student to identify a problem within a given period of time and with limited resources on the basis of basic subject-related knowledge with the current scientific methods of the subject, to independently find ways to a solution and to present the solution in an appropriate linguistic and formal manner.

Information about the bachelor's thesis

Topic allocation procedure, step 1: assignment to the chair of marketing & innovation.

The examination committee allocates every student to a chair that will supervise his/ her bachelor's thesis. In order for the examination committee to be able to allocate all students, they have to apply online. Please see the information of the examination board on ILIAS for the current schedule and procedure for your assignment to a chair for your Bachelor's thesis.

Step 2: Allocation of Topics

If the examination committee allocated you to our chair, we will provide you with a list of the bachelor's thesis topics available at our chair.

Then you will be asked to submit a list ranking the topics in accordance with your preferences.

Subsequently our team will allocate you to a topic taking your preferences into account as possible. The bachelor's thesis can be written in English or German.

Subject areas for the bachelor's thesis

• Service Marketing
• Innovation Management
• Business Model Innovation
• Brand Management
• Communication Management
• Consumer Behavior
• Price Management
• Marketing Theory
• Marketing Strategy
• Sales Management
• International Marketing
• Digital Marketing

Topics of completed bachelor's theses

• I go with my gut – Feelings as Information in Purchase Decisions Ich höre auf mein Bauchgefühl – Gefühle als Informationen bei Kaufentscheidungen
• Social status and conspicuous consumption: A literature-based review Sozialer Status und Geltungskonsum: Eine literaturbasierte Analyse
• Made in Europe versus made in India – The Coutry-of-Origin effect and its' consequences for global marketing Made in Europe versus made in India – Der Country-of-Origin Effekt und seine Konsequenzen für globales Marketing
• Do it yourself – Implications of consumers' effort investment for marketing management Marketing-Implikationen des Do-it-yourself-Effekts
• What makes a successful firm’s innovation culture? – A literature review Was macht die erfolgreiche Innovationskultur einer Firma aus? – Ein Literaturüberblick
• Innovation through networks – Opportunities and barriers of interorganizational integration Innovation in Netzwerken – Chancen und Barrieren der interorganisationalen Integration

Informationen about Scientific Writing

Please find the guidelines for the form and content of scientific papers at the Chair of Marketing & Innovation here, as well as the guidelines for the use of AI-tools in the Area Marketing & Sales. Please use the reference style of the American Marketing Association / Journal of Marketing in all scientific papers and presentations at our Chair.

• Guidelines regarding the form, content and language of academic papers
• Guidelines for the Use of AI-Tools in the Area Marketing & Sales
• AMA Reference List Style

Alexander Rupertus, M.Sc.

Contact person for bachelor's theses

For further information please contact Alexander Rupertus .

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Detailed Thesis

You will be required to complete 1 detailed thesis on your selected topic. Unlike the other doctorate degree (PhD), your PhD thesis will focus on highly specialized scholarly research topic and on the development of new theory & research rather than the application of theory.

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You will be required to submit 5 short theses on topics related to your final thesis topic.

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Qualitative And Quantitative Research

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Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences - Process Management and Information Systems

Bachelor and master thesis.

General Information

Our team offers bachelor and master thesis topics as well as student projects to be written in English.

Concerning the theses, there are two application windows in a year in which new topics are available. The first window is open from February 1st until April 1st. The second window is open from July 1st until October 1st. During these windows students can express their interest in a topic by sending an email Dr. Saimir Bala (firstname[dot]lastname[at]hu-berlin.de).

There are biannually  info sessions  where we explain the process of writing a thesis with our team. The next info session is scheduled for Februray 21 st , 2024 [zoom link we be available soon].

The last info session took place on September 28th, 2023. Here you can find the slides ( part I ,  part II ) and recordings ( part I ,  part II ) of previous info sessions . 

Furthermore, find below a summary of guidelines for working on your thesis with us.

Process Overview

• There are two main time windows in which the team proposes new topics: Feb 1st ­– Apr 1st and Jul 1st – Oct 1st
• Within these windows students can apply for an open topic (see list of open topics below)
• Application is done by sending an email to Dr. Saimir Bala (firstname[dot]lastname[at]hu-berlin.de).
• We collect your applications and make a topic-student assignment in two rounds. First round on March, second round after the deadline.
• Once a student has been matched to a supervisor, a meeting is scheduled to scope the topic.
• Then, students must submit a research proposal to the supervisor within a month.
• If the proposal is graded as passed, the supervision is officially registered
• Once the thesis work is concluded, the thesis defense is scheduled within a dedicated defense slot.

Important Dates

09.02.2024: New topics released. Students can express their interest.

21.02.2024: Info session at 12:00 [Zoom link here ]

01.03.2024: Topic assignment (1st round)

01.04.2024: Expression of interest deadline

08.04.2024: Topic assignment (2nd round)

08.05.2024: Research proposal submission

15.05.2024: Official start (if proposal sufficient)

Please consider the following hints and guidelines for working on your thesis:

• Templates for thesis and proposal: https://www.informatik.hu-berlin.de/de/studium/formulare/vorlagen
• Page limits are as follows
• page limit is for Bachelor Informatik 40 pages and for Kombibachelor Lehramt Informatik 30 pages
• page limit is for Master Informatik 80 pages and for Master Information Systems 60 pages
• The limits do not include cover, table of content, references, and appendices.

Prerequisites

The candidate is expected to be familiar with the general rules of writing a scientific paper. Some general references are helpful for framing any thesis, no matter which topic:

• Wil van der Aalst:  How to Write Beautiful Process and Data Science Papers?  Archive Report (2022).
• Jan Recker:  Scientific Research in Information Systems: A Beginner's Guide  . Springer, Heidelberg, Germany (2021).
• Jan Mendling, Benoit Depaire, Henrik Leopold: Methodology of Algorithm Engineering . Archive Report (2023).
• Claes Wohlin, Pär Runeson, Martin Höst, Magnus Ohlsson, Björn Regnell, Anders Wesslén  Experimentation in software engineering  . Springer Science & Business Media (2012).
• Ken Peffers, Tuure Tuunanen, Marcus A. Rothenberger, Samir Chatterjee:  A Design Science Research Methodology for Information Systems Research  . J of Management Information Systems 24(3): 45-77 (2008).
• Barbara Kitchenham, Rialette Pretorius, David Budgen, Pearl Brereton, Mark Turner, Mahmood Niazi, Stephen G. Linkman:  Systematic literature reviews in software engineering - A tertiary study  . Information & Software Technology 52(8): 792-805 (2010).
• Lagendijk, Ad.  Survival Guide for Scientists: Writing, Presentation, Email  . Amsterdam University Press (2008).
• Adam LeBrocq: Journal of the Association for Information Systems Style Guide.  https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/cais_style_guide.pdf

In agreement with the supervisor an individual list of expected readings should be studied by the student in preparation of the actual work on the thesis.

The grading of the thesis takes various criteria into account, relating both to the thesis as a product and the process of establishing its content. These include, but are not limited to:

• Correctness of spelling and grammar
• Aesthetic appeal of documents and figures
• Compliance with formal rules
• Appropriateness of thesis structure
• Coverage of relevant literature
• Appropriateness of research question and method
• Diligence of own research work
• Significance of research results
• Punctuality of work progress
• Proactiveness of handling research progress

Recent Topics

If you are interested in one of the following topics, please send an email expressing your interest to Dr. Saimir Bala (firstname[dot]lastname[at]hu-berlin.de).  Please explain  why this topic is interesting for you and how it fits your prior studies. Also explain what are your strengths in your studies and in which semester of your studies you are.

Topic 1: Actionable Recommendation for Learner in Learning Management System based on Process Mining (Bachelor/Master) 

This study explores the advantages of process mining in learning management systems to provide actionable recommendations to learners. By leveraging data-driven insights, it aims to enhance the learning experience by offering personalized guidance and suggestions to learners, ultimately improving their educational outcomes. This research delves into the potential benefits of process mining in the educational context, highlighting its capacity to empower learners on their educational journeys.

Initial References :

• Wambsganss, Thiemo; Schmitt, Anuschka; Mahnig, Thomas; Ott, Anja; Soellner, Sigitai; Ngo, Ngoc Anh; and Geyer-Klingeberg, Jerome, "The Potential of Technology-Mediated Learning Processes: A Taxonomy and Research Agenda for Educational Process Mining" (2021). ICIS 2021 Proceedings. 1. https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2021/diglearn_curricula/diglearn_curricula/1
• AlQaheri, H.; Panda, M. An Education Process Mining Framework: Unveiling Meaningful Information for Understanding Students’ Learning Behavior and Improving Teaching Quality. Information 2022, 13, 29. https://doi.org/10.3390/info13010029
• Bala, S., Revoredo, K., Mendling, J. (2023). Process Mining for Analyzing Open Questions Computer-Aided Examinations. In: Montali, M., Senderovich, A., Weidlich, M. (eds) Process Mining Workshops. ICPM 2022. Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing, vol 468. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-27815-0_41

Supervisor: Rachmadita Andre Swari

Topic 2: Process discovery based on undesirable traces (Bachelor/Master)

Background : Process discovery techniques have been used to automatically learn a process model using observed traces (i.e., event logs). The traces are assumed correct and the final process model is expected to explain all the traces (i.e., desirable fitness of 1). However, the final model may also explain behaviors that are known by the specialist to be undesirable.

Research problem : The core research problem addressed is: How to learn a process model considering undesirable traces?

The aim is to propose a method to process discovery that learns using desirable and undesirable trace data.

Requirements : The candidate must have previous knowledge of process mining and software development. Further desirable requirements are pro-activity and self-organization. Initial Reference

• Revoredo, K.: On the use of domain knowledge for process model repair. Softw. Syst. Model. (2022)

Supervisor: Kate Cerqueira Revoredo

Topic 3: Context-aware process monitoring  (Bachelor/Master)

Background : Business process monitoring is one of the phases of the BPM cycle concerned with extracting insights from the execution of a process. The digitization of the processes of an organisation has made available a vast amount of trace data about the execution of these processes, which allows for the use of data-driven process monitoring techniques. Given that, in many situations, it is not enough to just directly use the activities information present in the trace data of the process to achieve an accurate output, recent approaches have considered other sources of information combined with activities information, such as sensors data, or domain knowledge. However,, in most situations, additional data is used in a non-systematic way.

Research problem : The core research problem addressed is: How can contextual data be used for process monitoring? The aim is to propose a method to process monitoring using contextual data.

Requirements : The candidate must have previous knowledge of process mining and software development. Further desirable requirements are pro-activity and self-organization. Initial References:

• da Cunha Mattos, T., Santoro, F.M., Revoredo, K., Nunes, V.T.: A formal representation for context-aware business processes. Computers in Industry 65(8) (2014) 1193–1214
• Chamorro, A.E.M., Revoredo, K., Resinas, M., del-R ́ıo-Ortega, A., Santoro, F.M., Ruiz-Cort ́es, A.: Context-aware process performance indicator prediction. IEEE Access 8 (2020) 222050–222063
• Bayomie, D., Revoredo, K., Mendling, J.: Multi-perspective process analysis: Mining the association between control flow and data objects. In: CAiSE. Volume 13295 of Lecture Notes in Computer Science., Springer (2022) 72–89

Topics 4: Uses of Models in Agile Software Development (Bachelor/Master)

Motivation & problem : Modeling is a key topic in software engineering. In software development projects, among other aspects, modeling supports the developer in understanding the design by providing an overview and a tool for communication with fellow developers and other stakeholders. The benefits of models for supporting system analysis and design activities have been highlighted regarding their cognitive effectiveness, often in the context of traditional methodologies. However, these benefits have also been discussed in the agile scene, but it is still not clear to what extent models are used in agile software development projects.

Objectives : conduct a systematic review of the literature, identify the uses of models in agile software development, categorize and prioritize them, and propose a framework to support agile software development based on these findings. The findings shall be evaluated according to the perspective of practitioners.

Prerequisites : (1) Basic knowledge of agile software development methodologies; (2) Intermediate knowledge of models used in software development; (3) Pro-activity, self-organization, attention to detail (desirable).

Initial References:

• Ambler, Scott W. The object primer: Agile model-driven development with UML 2.0. Cambridge University Press, 2004.
• Alfraihi, Hessa Abdulrahman A., and Kevin Charles Lano. "The integration of agile development and model driven development: A systematic literature review." The 5th International Confrence on Model-Driven Engineeing and Software Development (2017).
• Wagner, Stefan, Daniel Méndez Fernández, Michael Felderer, Antonio Vetrò, Marcos Kalinowski, Roel Wieringa, Dietmar Pfahl et al. "Status quo in requirements engineering: A theory and a global family of surveys." ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology (TOSEM) 28, no. 2 (2019): 1-48.
• Petre, Marian. "UML in practice." In 2013 35th international conference on software engineering (icse), pp. 722-731. IEEE, 2013.

Supervisor: Cielo González Moyano

Topic 5: Artificial Intelligence in Project Management for Software Development Projects (Master)

Motivation & problem : Artificial intelligence is applied in software engineering management for taking decisions, estimating, managing technical debt, and planning, just to provide some examples. These applications have been widely studied by researchers. However, there is no study that presents a deep overview of how artificial intelligence is used for management activities in software development projects. Given the rising interest in artificial intelligence and the need of optimizing management in software projects, having a holistic overview can potentially be beneficial for practitioners and researchers.

Objectives : conduct a systematic review of the literature to identify the status quo on the topic. The findings shall be evaluated from the perspective of practitioners. The results shall be used to provide a framework that supports project managers of software development projects.

Prerequisites : (1) Basic knowledge of project management for software development projects; (2) Intermediate knowledge of artificial intelligence; (3) Pro-activity, self-organization, attention to detail (desirable).

Initial references:

• Perkusich, Mirko, et al. "Intelligent software engineering in the context of agile software development: A systematic literature review." Information and Software Technology 119 (2020): 106241.
• Kotti, Z., Galanopoulou, R., & Spinellis, D. (2023). Machine learning for software engineering: A tertiary study. ACM Computing Surveys, 55(12), 1-39.
• Fridgeirsson, Thordur Vikingur, et al. "An authoritative study on the near future effect of artificial intelligence on project management knowledge areas." Sustainability 13.4 (2021): 2345.

Topic 6: Literature Review on Business Intelligence and Human Factors (Bachelor or Master in Information Systems)

Motivation & problem : New types of analytical tools fundamentally change the way how process analysts do their work, with the expectation to drastically impact various professional services including auditing or business process management. Recent years have seen an increasing uptake of process mining tools by corporations and by professional services companies, where they are used to support the analysis of business processes. Recent research on the organisational impact of process mining highlights benefits for process awareness and overall value creation, but potential negative effects are hardly understood.

Primary objective : Review the literature on business intelligence and big data analytics and investigate where negative effects as discussed by Sutton et al (2023) and Parasuraman et al (2000) are discussed.

Prerequisites : (1) Basic knowledge of process mining; (2) Basic knowledge of business process management; (3) Interest in human-computer interaction and engineering psychology.

• Sutton, S. G., Arnold, V., & Holt, M. (2023). An extension of the theory of technology dominance: Capturing the underlying causal complexity. International Journal of Accounting Information Systems, 50, 100626.
• Grover, V., Chiang, R. H., Liang, T. P., & Zhang, D. (2018). Creating strategic business value from big data analytics: A research framework. Journal of management information systems, 35(2), 388-423.
• Parasuraman, R., Sheridan, T. B., & Wickens, C. D. (2000). A model for types and levels of human interaction with automation. IEEE Transactions on systems, man, and cybernetics-Part A: Systems and Humans, 30(3), 286-297.
• Zimmermann, L., Zebra, F., & Weber, B. (2023). What makes life for process mining analysts difficult? A reflection of challenges. Software and Systems Modeling, 1-29.

Supervisor: Jan Mendling

Topic 7: Visualizing Cyclic Time Arrangements in Process Graphs (Bachelor/Master)

Time is essential to understanding processes, yet most process mining approaches are limited to depicting time within a process graph as textual cues or color schemes. Adapting the visual appearance of process graphs to various time arrangements may enhance the accessibility for finding bottlenecks or delays. An example is aligning process graphs along a linear timeline [1]. In cases where processes involve repetitive patterns, such as in chronic health care or crop management, a cyclic arrangement may be useful. However, for the latter, an adequate solution in process mining is needed.

This thesis aims to develop and exemplify a design method for a visual solution in process mining that allows for exploring a cyclic time arrangement in a process graph. We will adapt the research objectives to align with the experience and study goals of the student.

• H. Kaur, J. Mendling, C. Rubensson, and T. Kampik, “Timeline-based Process Discovery,” CoRR, abs/2401.04114, 2024. Available: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2401.04114
• A. Yeshchenko and J. Mendling, “A Survey of Approaches for Event Sequence Analysis and Visualization using the ESeVis Framework.,” CoRR, abs/2202.07941, 2022. Available: https://arxiv.org/abs/2202.07941
• W. Aigner, S. Miksch, H. Schumann, and C. Tominski, Visualization of Time-Oriented Data. in Human-Computer Interaction Series. London: Springer London, 2011. Available: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-85729-079-3.

Supervisor: Christoffer Rubensson

Topic 8: Advanced Resource Analysis in Process Mining (Bachelor/Master)

In the last decade, process mining techniques have been developed to study human behavior in event data, such as the strength of collaboration between co-workers or even stress levels at a workplace. Since measuring human behavior is complex, this is a welcoming alternative to more labor-intensive methods like surveys. Still, most techniques are relatively simple but could be improved by applying theoretical frameworks from social science.

This thesis aims to develop a resource analysis approach (e.g., a metric, a concept, or a framework) in process mining grounded in an existing theory from social science. We will adapt the research objectives to align with the experience and study goals of the student.

• J. Nakatumba and W. M. P. van der Aalst, “Analyzing Resource Behavior Using Process Mining,” in Business Process Management Workshops. BPM 2009. Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing, S. Rinderle-Ma, S. Sadiq, and F. Leymann, Eds., Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2010. Available: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-12186-9_8.
• A. Pika, M. Leyer, M. T. Wynn, C. J. Fidge, A. H. M. Ter Hofstede, and W. M. P. Van der Aalst, “Mining Resource Profiles from Event Logs,” in ACM Transactions on Management Information Systems, vol. 8, no. 1, 1:1-30, 2017. Available: https://doi.org/10.1145/3041218.
• Z. Huang, X. Lu, and H. Duan, “Resource behavior measure and application in business process management,” in Expert Systems with Applications, vol. 39, no. 7, 6458–6468, 2012. Available: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2011.12.061.

Topic 9: Anthropomorphic Perceptions of Large Language Models: what is the gender of ChatGPT and its Counterparts? (Bachelor/Master)

Description : In today's digital era, Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT are transforming the way we interact with technology, often blurring the boundaries between machine and human cognition. This thesis delves into the intriguing realm of anthropomorphism, the human tendency to attribute human-like qualities to non-human entities. Specifically, this research aims to uncover laypeople's underlying beliefs and implicit conceptions about ChatGPT and similar models concerning an implicit gender attribution. By designing and conducting a survey, the thesis will gain insights into individuals' perception of these cutting-edge technologies. The findings can potentially illuminate not only our relationship with LLMs but also the broader implications of human-machine interactions in an increasingly AI-driven world.

• Deshpande, A., Rajpurohit, T., Narasimhan, K., & Kalyan, A. (2023). Anthropomorphization of AI: Opportunities and Risks (arXiv:2305.14784). arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2305.14784
• Farina, M., & Lavazza, A. (2023). ChatGPT in society: Emerging issues. Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, 6. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frai.2023.1130913
• Aşkın, G., Saltık, İ., Boz, T. E., & Urgen, B. A. (2023). Gendered Actions with a Genderless Robot: Gender Attribution to Humanoid Robots in Action. International Journal of Social Robotics, 15(11), 1915–1931. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12369-022-00964-0

Supervisor: Jennifer Haase

Topic 10: Process prediction using object-centric event log (Bachelor/Master)

Business process prediction involves forecasting specific details, such as the next activity to be performed, the time remaining for the completion of a process instance, or key process indicators, for an ongoing process instance. Currently, the techniques rely on XES event logs as input data. However, the field of process mining is shifting towards utilizing object-centric event logs, which offer a comprehensive multidimensional view of the data. Despite this advancement, object-centric event logs have been underutilized as input for process prediction.

Research problem:  The core research problem addressed is: How can process prediction benefit from an object-centric event log? The aim is to propose a method to process prediction using object-centric event log.

Requirements:  The candidate must have previous knowledge of process mining and software development. Further desirable requirements are pro-activity and self-organization.

Initial references

• An Empirical Investigation of Different Classifiers, Encoding, and Ensemble Schemes for Next Event Prediction Using Business Process Event Logs. ACM Trans. Intell. Syst. Technol. 11(6): 68:1-68:34 (2020)
• Uncovering Object-Centric Data in Classical Event Logs for the Automated Transformation from XES to OCEL. BPM 2022: 379-396
• Benedikt Knopp, Wil M. P. van der Aalst:Order Management Object-centric Event Log in OCEL 2.0 Standard. Zenodo, 2023

Supervisor: Kate Revoredo

Topic 11: Causation discovery for process prediction (Bachelor/Master)

Business process prediction involves forecasting specific details, such as the next activity to be performed, the time remaining for the completion of a process instance, or key process indicators, for an ongoing process instance. Currently, most techniques rely on the order in which the events happened without considering the cause-effect relation among them.

Research problem : The core research problem addressed is: How can process prediction benefit from the cause-effect relation among the events? The aim is to propose a method to discover the cause relation among events and use this information for process prediction.

Requirements:  The candidate must have previous knowledge of process mining, statistics, and software development. Further desirable requirements are pro-activity and self-organization.

•  An Empirical Investigation of Different Classifiers, Encoding, and Ensemble Schemes for Next Event Prediction Using Business Process Event Logs. ACM Trans. Intell. Syst. Technol. 11(6): 68:1-68:34 (2020)
• Jens Brunk, Matthias Stierle, Leon Papke, Kate Revoredo, Martin Matzner, Jörg Becker: Cause vs. effect in context-sensitive prediction of business process instances. Inf. Syst. 95: 101635 (2021)
• Pearl,J.(2011).Bayesiannetworks.

Topic 12: Literature review on quality characteristics in dashboards, business intelligence systems, balanced scorecards, and other reporting solutions: a study of visualization methods (Bachelor)

This bachelor thesis aims to conduct a comprehensive literature review on quality characteristics in dashboards, business intelligence systems, balanced scorecards, and other reporting solutions. The focus will be on comparing various visualization methods employed in these systems. The study intends to provide insights into the key features that contribute to the effectiveness and user satisfaction of visual reporting tools, helping to guide the selection and implementation of suitable solutions in diverse organizational contexts. Initial references :

• Burstein, F., & Holsapple, C. W. (2008). Handbook on Decision Support Systems 2. https://www.academia.edu/83497312/Handbook_on_Decision_Support_Systems_2
• Trieu, V.-H. (2023). Towards an understanding of actual business intelligence technology use: An individual user perspective. Information Technology & People, 36(1), 409–432.
• Webster, J., & Watson, R. T. (2002). Analyzing the past to prepare for the future: Writing a literature review. MIS Quarterly, xiii–xxiii.

Supervisor: Kristina Schneider

Topic 13: Analysis of theoretical explanations and scientific theories on transitioning from dashboards to decision making in organizational contexts (Bachelor)

This bachelor thesis seeks to analyze theoretical explanations and scientific theories concerning the transition from dashboards to decision-making processes. Dashboards are widely used tools in organizational contexts for decision-making. The study aims to examine the levels of management where dashboards are employed and how they contribute to the decision-making process within organizations. Initial references :

• Maynard, S., Burstein, F., & Arnott, D. (2001). A multi-faceted decision support system evaluation approach. Journal of Decision Systems, 10(3–4), 395–428.
• Mintzberg, H., Raisinghani, D., & Theoret, A. (1976). The Structure of “Unstructured” Decision Processes. Administrative Science Quarterly, 21(2), 246. https://doi.org/10.2307/2392045

Topic 14: Enhancing Student Engagement in Online Learning Environments through Process Mining (Bachelor/Master)

This study investigates how process mining techniques can be leveraged to enhance student engagement within online learning environments. It explores the utilization of data-driven insights to optimize learning pathways, identify patterns of student interaction, and design personalized interventions to foster greater engagement and participation in digital educational platforms.

• Rohani, N., Gal, K., Gallagher, M., Manataki, A. (2023). Discovering Students’ Learning Strategies in a Visual Programming MOOC Through Process Mining Techniques. In: Montali, M., Senderovich, A., Weidlich, M. (eds) Process Mining Workshops. ICPM 2022. Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing, vol 468. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-27815-0_39
• Umer, R., Susnjak, T., Mathrani, A. and Suriadi, S. (2017), "On predicting academic performance with process mining in learning analytics", Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning, Vol. 10 No. 2, pp. 160-176. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIT-09-2017-0022
• Nkomo, L.M., Nat, M. Student Engagement Patterns in a Blended Learning Environment: an Educational Data Mining Approach. TechTrends 65, 808–817 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-021-00638-0

Topic 15: Runtime Prediction of Alignment Construction Algorithms (Bachelor/Master)

Conformance Checking relates a process model to recorded instances of the execution of the process, typically stored in event logs, to determine where expected and actual behaviour deviate from each other. In this context alignment algorithms are regarded as the de facto standard method, due to their interpretability and accuracy in highlighting precise problem areas in the process. Yet, typically run times for alignment construction are prohibitively large, typically caused by a handful of traces in the log, for which the construction of an alignment is especially complex. One possible solution to this problem could lie in predicting the expected runtime of aligning single traces in the log, for instance using regression-based methods and then ignoring traces, that are expected to take long.

In this thesis, the student will:

• derive a methodology for predicting the runtime of alignment construction between event logs and process models
• evaluate the accuracy of the predictor
• assess the factors that influence the runtime of alignments

The student is expected to have knowledge of process mining, conformance checking, and basic knowledge of regression analysis, or willingness to dive deep into these topics.

• Carmona, J., van Dongen, B., Solti, A., & Weidlich, M. (2018). Conformance checking. Switzerland: Springer.
• Backhaus, K., Erichson, B., Weiber, R., Plinke, W. (2016). Regressionsanalyse. In: Multivariate Analysemethoden. Springer Gabler, Berlin, Heidelberg.

Supervisor: Martin Kabierski

Topic 16: Biodiversity-based Saturation for Grounded Theory (Master)

Grounded theory is a research methodology usually applied in qualitative analysis. It involves the collection of data (usually through interviews, surveys, ...), and the deduction of concepts, categories, and ultimately theories that emerge from the collected data. A central question to this iterative data collection-evaluation process is when to stop collecting data. Usually one stops when the categories are saturated, i.e. when no new insights are obtained. Determining when exactly this point has been reached is a topic of discussion and research. Species richness estimators, that estimate the completeness of samples, could be utilized to give saturation estimates that are data-driven and grounded in statistics.

• assess the applicability of species richness estimation for determining saturation in grounded theory
• implement and apply the estimator to qualitative interview data
• evaluate the feasibility of the approach and discuss potential limitations

The student is expected to have a solid understanding of statistics and ideally preliminary experience in the analysis of qualitative data. Note, that the student is not expected to collect data for the thesis. These will be provided by us.

• Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1994). Grounded theory methodology: An overview. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (pp. 273–285). Sage Publications, Inc.
• Saunders, Benjamin, et al. (2018). Saturation in qualitative research: exploring its conceptualization and operationalization. In: Qual Quant 52 (pp. 1893-1907). Springer
• Colwell, Robert K., et al. "Models and estimators linking individual-based and sample-based rarefaction, extrapolation and comparison of assemblages." _Journal of plant ecology_ 5.1 (2012): 3-21

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The Best Final Theses in 2022

March 27, 2023

More than 170 final theses were submitted to the examination office of Munich Business School in 2022. Four of them stood out in particular: They are the best theses of the year and were included in the MBS Outstanding Thesis series. In the blog article, we present the topics of the theses in more detail and let the honorees and their supervisors have their say.

As in the previous year , the best theses of 2022 demonstrate that bachelor’s and master’s theses are not only the icing on the cake on the way to graduation, but can also make a valuable contribution to research on current topics. “Best”, by the way, does not only refer to an outstanding grade; the theses should primarily convince through innovative approaches and methods as well as new findings.

And now, clear the ring for the best theses of 2022!

Mitigating, Managing and Moving Past Burnout: An Organizational Perspective on Mental and Physical Well-Being

Bachelor’s thesis by gavin trudeau.

Gavin Trudeau, graduate of the bachelor’s program International Business at MBS, deals in his bachelor’s thesis with the topic of burnout, which has become more present in society as well as in medicine and the workplace in recent years. On the basis that burnout is not just an isolated feeling of overwhelm, but a syndrome which is experienced after ongoing negative experiences that and poses great dangers to organizations and their employees, Gavin Trudeau discusses causes, symptoms, and prevention strategies. By combining a comprehensive literature review with empirical research consisting of a self-reporting survey and in-depth interviews, the bachelor’s graduate succeeds in painting a “holistic picture” that reveals “not only what causes stress at the workplace but also shows the drivers as well as appropriate measures at the company and their relation to avoid negative impacts” – say the thesis supervisors Prof. Dr. Arnd Albrecht and Evelyn Albrecht-Goepfert.

We asked Gavin Trudeau how he came to address the topic of burnout in his bachelor’s thesis:

“I have always been interested in psychology and the importance of mental health so it was important for me to bring those two elements into my thesis and relate it to current issues I had been witnessing in the business landscape. At the time I started thinking about my topic we were still in the depths of the pandemic, and working from home was still mandatory for most people. I was seeing and hearing so many examples of people from my network experiencing abnormal levels of stress at their jobs and having difficulties adapting to the new way of life and working, which ultimately led me to the topic of burnout prevention, stress reduction and health promotion. I thought these topics were extremely relevant and also forward thinking. The importance of mental health in the workplace is on the rise and starting to be seen as equally important as physical health. My motivation for this research was to be able to provide valuable and insightful data and recommendations so that CEO’s, managers, entrepreneurs and employees can integrate these learnings into their lives to create healthier and more positive work environments.”

You can read the full paper here .

Bootstrapping New Networks – Incentivization Strategies to Leverage Network Effects within Digital Platforms by Using Blockchain Technology

Master’s thesis by philipp wohlfart.

Start-ups must deal with the “cold start” problem and especially for platforms that fight the “chicken and egg” dilemma, building an initial user base is a major challenge. Since new emerging technologies such as blockchain technology have so far received only little attention in research on this topic, although they promise attractive solutions, Philipp Wohlfart addresses this issue in his master’s thesis. The Innovation and Entrepreneurship graduate explores the question of how blockchain technology can help to bootstrap new networks by using token incentives when application utility is still missing. To answer the question, Phillip Wohlfart conducted six semi-structured experts interviews – with the result that token incentives can support in many ways.

“From the factual coverage to the method to the results, a truly outstanding work: logically argued, well researched, and very structured and transparently presented. Phillip Wohlfarts findings have both theoretical and practical implications for stakeholder management and alignment within platforms. They also provide insight into how to create, evaluate or analyze sustainable blockchain-based platform designs.” Prof. Dr. Anne Tryba, supervisor of the thesis and former Professor for Entrepreneurship at MBS

Read the full thesis here .

Analysis of the Impact of Customer Experience Management Among B2B Companies in the Construction Industry

Mba master’s thesis by sarim mehtab hasan.

While B2C companies have been firmly incorporating customer experience management (CXM) strategies into their business models for quite some time and there is accordingly sufficient research on the subject, the relevance of CXM in the B2B context has only recently been repeatedly emphasized. To investigate the importance of CXM in the context of his master’s thesis, Sarim Mehtab Hasan chooses the construction industry, for which the requirement of customer experience is even more vital due to diverse stakeholders. Interviews with senior professionals from construction companies show that the construction industry is still traditional, focuses on short-term returns, which doesn’t align with customer’s needs, and overall lacks awareness of CXM and its benefits. Sarim Hasan uses these – rather sobering – results to derive recommendations as well as short- and long-term implementation strategies for the construction industry in terms of customer experience, which earned his thesis the rating “outstanding”.

We asked Sarim Hasan what it means to him that his thesis in the MBA General Management was awarded as MBS Outstanding Thesis:

It was my first time writing a thesis and I learnt a lot during the entire process. Not only was I able to get an extensive understanding of the topic of CXM in the B2B environment but also improve my personal & professional skills. This, combined with the experience I gained from the business projects during my studies at MBS, really elevated my capability to manage projects effectively, which is something I currently apply on a daily basis in my full-time job. Getting this award gave a substantial boost to my confidence levels, especially to take on new risks for a higher reward, and validated the importance of CXM in today’s customer-driven business world. After working for almost 8 months in a customer-facing role post-MBA, I can undoubtedly confirm that my thesis has played a major role in my performance as a Customer Experience Manager at A2MAC1 and I hope that other business students find value in my research and take it even further.

Economic Evaluation of Digitized Health Data for the German Health Care System Using the Example of the Electronic Health Record

Mba master’s thesis by dr. sven grösgen.

Dr. Sven Grösgen dedicates his final thesis to a highly topical and explosively discussed subject: Germany’s plans to introduce of an electronic patient record. Such a digital file promises not only to improve healthcare, but also to have a positive impact on the economy. However, the status quo is that only 1.8% of total annual spending has been devoted to driving digitization in healthcare, while per capita spending continues to rise at the same time. With a general analysis of the electronic patient record and a detailed cost benefit analysis, Sven Grösgen shows that digital storage of health data has potential to counteract inefficiencies in healthcare and that the costs would be offset within the first ten years. In addition, the MBA graduate advocates an “opt-out” instead of an “opt-in” model and provides further impulses on how the implementation of an electronic patient record can be increased and further developed into an electronic health record.

“The author provides a very good and knowledgeable overview of existing literature and discusses all relevant aspects of the topic. At the time of the research, various reservations of both medical practitioners and patients shaped the discourse, so the focus on the economic benefits is particularly enlightening. As the relevance of the topic has recently increased even more, reading this thesis can be recommended to anyone seeking a sound basis on this topic area.” Prof. Dr. Eva Stumpfegger and Prof. Dr. Florian Bartholomae about why they decided to nominate Sven Grösgen’s thesis as MBS Outstanding Thesis

• Bachelor International Business
• Bachelor's Thesis
• Customer Experience
• Digitalization
• Final Thesis
• Health Care Management
• Master Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• Master's Thesis
• MBA General Management
• Mental Health

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Home > Communities > School of Aerospace Sciences > AVI > AVI-GRAD

Aviation Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

Applying Human Error Framework To Explore Prevention Strategies For Wrong Surface Events , William Bowers

United States Coast Guard Aviation Safety Climate Assessment Instrument , James Robert Cooley

Self-Identification From The Professional And Social Perspectives Of Flight , Carly Lane Crockett

Which U.S. Executive Agency Is The Most Practical To Promulgate Space Debris Mitigation Regulations, And How Will The Space Debris Legal Framework Further Develop? , Tate Garvin Few

Jackpot In The Skies: Overcoming Challenges Of How FAA Part 139 Airports And American Indian Tribes Can Cooperate In The Implementation Of Gaming , Noah Reese Gunter

The Impact Of The Authority Gradient Created By Rank Imbalance On The Role Effectiveness Of U.S. Coast Guard Safety Officers , James Bernard Mccormack

The Impact Of Training Disruption On Commercial Certificate Attainment In Collegiate Aviation Programs , Jonathan Pearson

Cognitive Decay And Memory Recall During Long Duration Spaceflight , Terry E. Rector

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Access To Music Among Air Traffic Controllers: Perceptions, Performance, Stress, And Ethics , Vincent Paul Domen

An Exploratory Analysis Of A Time Synchronization Protocol For UAS , Marcos Fernandez-Tous

Analysis Of Safety Event Reporting Behaviors And Attitudes Amongst USCG Aviators , Kevan Patrick Hanson

Incorporating Worker Protections In Collective Bargaining Agreements As A Facilitator For Self-Reporting , Todd Heyne

Is United States (U.S.) Policy Sufficient To Develop Earth-Moon Economic Zone Infrastructures By 2049? , Terry Jaggers

An Evaluation Of The Relationships Between Resilient Safety Culture, Safety Risk Parameters, And Mindfulness In The International Air Show Community , Emmanouil "Manolis" Karachalios

Exploration Of The Handling Qualities Of An Autonomous Unmanned Aircraft System Using A Grounded Theory Methodology Toward The Identification Of Characteristic Traits , Michael Mclean

A Cross-Sectional Exploratory Study On Voluntary Reporting Of Professional Groups In U.S. Commercial Aviation , James Norman

An Indepth Look On Earth-Anchoring Through Architectural Treatments To Mitigate Psychological And Psychosocial Issues During Long-Duration Spaceflight , Skye Elizabeth Schwartz

An Evaluation Of The Relationships Between Safety Management Systems (SMS), Transformational Safety Leadership, Self-Efficacy, And Safety Performance Metrics In A 14 Code Of Federal Regulation (CFR) Part 121 Airline: A Mediation Analysis , Robert John Waltz

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Understanding Decision-Making Styles Of Part 135 Pilots In Remote Settings And Their Impact On Aviation Safety: A Qualitative Enquiry Of Alaskan Operational Environments , Dana Atkins

Open And Fair Skies: A Level Playing Field For American Workers , Shea Byom

Ammonia/Water Thermodynamic Cycle For Lunar Power Applications , Jeremy David Harris

Airframe And Power Plant Certificate Continued Education Requirements And Renewals , Robert Teal

Flight Training For Commercial Remote Pilots , Michael Walach

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Safety Culture In Collegiate Aviation: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Between Multiple Universities , Robert Foster

The Impact Of Safety On Fleet Acquisition And Management In U.S Commercial Airlines , Dinusha Sammani Gunarathna

Pilot Perception Of Automation Use: A Generational Assessment , Ryan Leadens

Preparing Commercial Space For Safety Management System Implementation , Brian Eugene Teske

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

United States Coast Guard Aviation Safety: Relationship Between The Safety Survey And The Extent Of Hazard Reporting , James Cooley

Spectral Variations Of D-Type Asteroids At Different Heliocentric Distances , Gordon M. Gartrelle

Career Change Theory: An Analysis Of Second Career Pilots Pursuing The Aviation Profession , Alex Nikle

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Regional Airline Study: The Impact Of Operational Volume On Performance At Capacity Constrained Airports , Brady Bjerke

A Comparative Analysis Of Manned And Unmanned Aviators's Approach To Safety , Aaron Marlo Dahl

The Impact Of Pre-Entry Attributes And College Experiences On Degree Attainment For Students In A Collegiate Flight Program , Andrew Leonard

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Use of Rounded Base Turns in General Aviation Traffic Patterns: A Quantitative Analysis , Lewis Robert James Archer

Use Of FOQA Data To Estimate The Probability Of Vehicle Upset Or Loss Of Control In-Flight , Shelby Balogh

Female Airline Transport Pilots: The Role of Mentoring , Paul Cline

The Effects of SMS Implementation on Safety Culture Within Helicopter Emergency Medical Services , Ray William Gardner

Spacesuit Integrated Carbon Nanotube Dust Mitigation System For Lunar Exploration , Kavya Kamal Manyapu

Collegiate Training Initiative - Training Methods as a Predictor to Success , Stephen Robello

Pilot Awareness and Preventative Measures of Ultraviolet Radiation Effects at Altitude , Michael Eric Thompson

A Survey Measuring The Efficacy Of Duty And Rest Guidelines In Business Aviation Operations , Timothy Wollmuth

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

An Evaluation of the Relationships Between Safety Management System Intiatives, Transformational Safety Leadership, Self-Efficacy, Safety Behavior and Safety Related Events Mediated by Safety Motivation in Collegiate Aviation , Daniel Kwasi Adjekum

Fatigue Mitigation Effects of En-Route Napping on Commercial Airline Pilots Flying International Routes , Thomas Bunting

A Mixed Method Approach to Collegiate Aviation Risk Assessment for Dual Cross-Country Flights at the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences , Paula Renee Carlson

A Study Evaluating if Targeted Training for Startle Effect can Improve Pilot Reactions in Handling Unexpected Situations in a Flight Simulator , Michael Gillen

Regional Airline Pilot Commute: How Commuting by Air Affects Pilots' Satisfaction with Life , Andrew David Kleinfehn

The Relationship of a Pilot's Educational Background, Aeronautical Experience and Recency of Experience to Performance in Initial Training at a Regional Airline , Nancy Shane

A Review and Application of Aviation Forecasting for Airport Planners , Robert Sims

Measuring Change in PM2.5 Emissions as Nextgen Operational Procedures are Implemented at Large U.S. Airports , Demerise Eileen Tighe

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

The Effect Of Skydiver Experience On High-Performance Landing Fatalities , Gregory Bodensteiner

Factors That Influence Pilot Usage of Flight Following , Jody Barbara Bulger

U.S. Airspace Integration: Perspectives of the FAA UAS Test Site Program , Marian Laura Courtney

General Aviation Maintenance Technician Fatigue and Work/Rest Periods , Blaise Eisenbeil

Enhancing General Aviation Aircraft Safety With Supplemental Angle Of Attack Systems , David E. Kugler

Pilot Perception of Electronic Flight Bags at Part 121 Air Carriers , Donley Lytle

Caffeine Use Within the Safety Sensitive Industry , Cory Austin Mullins

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Factors That Affect The Acceptance Of Unmanned Aircraft Usage Within The United States National Airspace System , Eric Cameron

Effects of Railway Labor Act Election Rule Changes on Voter Participation and Unionization Activity , Michael Elsenrath

Predicting Irregular Flight Operations Using a Binary Machine Learning Approach Based on National Meteorological Data , Martin Hellwig

Privatization of Air Traffic Control Services in the United States: A Comparison of Past Government Privatization Efforts in the United States and Other Countries , Daniel Lindsey

An Analysis of Students' Perceptions to Just Culture in the Aviation Industry: A Study of a Midwest Aviation Training Program (Case Study) , Lazo Akram Mohammad

The Relationship Between Labor Unions and Safety in US Airlines: Is There a "Union Effect?" , Renee Catherine Zapf

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Safety Culture: An Assessment of a Collegiate Aviation Program , Daniel Kwasi Adjekum

Increased Flight Time Requirements of Public Law 111-216: Unnecessary for Collegiate-Trained Aviators? , Eric Hewitt Basile

A Mixed Method Approach to Collegiate Aviation Self-Assessment of G-Load on Landing: Pilot Perception Versus Reality , Karin Louise Hensellek

Delays in Hiring Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) Graduates and the Impact on Their Training Success Rate , Terra Jorgenson

Pilot Supply and Demand: A Quantitative Forecast Examining Changing Industry Dynamics , Nicholas Lounsberry

Self-Reported Emotional States and Air Traffic Controller Operational Error Rates in Advanced Air Traffic Control Students , Aaron Jon Sour

Five Factor Model Personality Profiles of University of North Dakota Unmanned Aircraft Systems Students , Zachary Peter Waller

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Aeronautical Decision Making in Helicopter Emergency Medical Systems (HEMS): The Effect of Mission Orientation and Local Base Finances on the Go/No Go Decision , Paul Cline

Airline Pilot Non-Flight Related Activities During Cruise Flight and Perceptions on Their Safety Effects , Spencer Conklin

Participation in Instrumental Music as a Predictor of Success in a Collegiate Level Aviation Flight Course , Tyson Gresham Jaquez

Participation In Instrumental Music As A Predictor Of Success In A Collegiate Level Aviation Flight Course , Tyson Gresham Jaquez

Employee Work Attitudes Post Merger and Acquisition , Adam Sorenson

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

Modern airline pilots quandary : standard operating procedures -- to comply or not to comply , Carrie Giles

Automatic Dependant Surveillance-Broadcast Training , Andrew Leonard

Airport Solar and Geothermal Power , Raymond Mills

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

Pilot Skills and Aerodynamic Knowledge for Operating Smaller Unmanned Aircraft Systems , Barbara Adams

Air Traffic Controllers: Flying in the Face of Danger? A Look Into the Effects of the Time of Day , Jason Boergerhoff

Applying Additional Self Service Methodologies to Commercial Aviation Baggage Handling: Is A Potential “Win-Win” Being Left on the Table? , Derrick Denny

Handedness as a Predictor of Success in FAR Part 141 Flight Training , Danielle Dracy

Safety Management System Implementation and Personnel Issues at Small Airports , Kyle Fischer

Flight Instructor Socio-Communicative Orientation and Perceptions of Cockpit Assertiveness , Julie Hall

Effects of Fatigue and Self-reported Countermeasures Used by Regional Airline Pilots Conducting Continuous Duty Overnight , Andrew LaVenture

Examination of Runway Occupancy Times for General Aviation Aircraft , Scott Lookabill

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

Correlating Boredom Proneness With Automation Complacency in Modern Airline Pilots , Hemant Bhana

Alternative Fuels For Ground Support Equipment , Samuel Enlof

Improving Interpersonal Communication Between Generation Y and Management in Flight Service , Jeanette Fischer

Major Airline Pilot Hiring, Low Cost Versus Legacy , Daniel Lang

A Case Study: Third Party Performance-Based Navigation Instrument Flight Procedure Design Regulations at the Federal Aviation Administration, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia, and the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand , Matthew Vacanti

Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008

Degradation of Piloting Skills , Michael Gillen

Evaluating the Influence of Airport Governance Structures on Financial Performance , Marcelo Lima

Air Crew Alcohol and Drug Policies: A Survey of FAR of Part 91 Corporate/Executive Flight Operations , Johnene Vardiman

Theses/Dissertations from 2007 2007

A Comparative Analysis of Scenario Based Training and Maneuver Based Training in a 14 CFR part 141 Private Pilot Certification Course , Jered Lease

Theses/Dissertations from 2006 2006

The Effect of Airline Scheduling on Airport Delays , Craig Carlson

Theses/Dissertations from 2005 2005

The Financial Effect of 9-11 on Airports' Profit Margins , Lars Aasvestad

An Industry Assessment: Are Aircraft Dispatchers in a Holding Pattern? , Georgiann Sailer

Theses/Dissertations from 2004 2004

Flight Observations for Initial Flight Students: Are They Worthwhile? , Tammy Jo Schwarz

Factors Which Decrease the Search Time of an Aircraft Crash , Ryan Wallace

Theses/Dissertations from 1996 1996

Identifying Indicators of Program Quality in U.S. Baccalaureate Aviation Programs , Paul Douglas Lindseth

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25 Best Universities In Moscow For International Students 2024

Moscow is surely one of the places you should be considering if you’re looking to study in Russia . This location has a lot to offer for international students, including world-class universities and exciting student experiences. With more than 59 universities and colleges in Moscow, you’ll surely have a wide range of choices.

Out of 59 universities in Moscow , RUDN University and Moscow State University are the top-performing schools in Moscow. This list covers both public and private institutions in Moscow.

To help you narrow down your school options, we’ve compiled the best universities in Moscow. We based our rankings on academic reputations from reputable sources and the number of international students. By doing this, you’ll have an efficient way of comparing your target universities and choose your host university in Moscow.

How do I get admission to the best universities in Moscow?

Applying to the universities in Moscow involves submitting requirements and following specific admissions procedures set by your chosen university. The requirements often include a student visa, application packages, and language scores. Check out our guide for international students who want to study in Moscow to learn more about applying for admission in this country’s universities!

How much are the tuition fees at the best universities in Moscow?

Tuition fees at Moscow’s universities can vary depending on which university, degree, and program you will be enrolling in. Generally, tuition fees for the bachelor’s level range from 0 RUB to 730,000 RUB , while tuition fees for the master’s level range from 0 RUB to 870,000 RUB. If you are interested, check out the affordable universities in Moscow !

As we cover the best universities in Moscow for international students, feel free to check out the university’s information on Admission, Tuition, Courses, and Language Requirements by looking at the individual university pages.

Top Universities in Moscow for International Students

1 rudn university.

RUDN University is one of the best universities in the capital city of Russia and is known as The People’s Friendship University of Russia. This higher education institution is mostly known for the high number of international students attracted to this university’s high ranking. The university is ranked among the world’s top 500 universities, which speaks volumes about the level of study this university provides.

2 Moscow State University

Moscow State University is one of the largest public universities in Moscow, Russia. This university is the cornerstone of formal higher education, and it provides education to close to 40,000 students. Some of the most attended programs are in the fields of economics, politics, and finance, where students gain real-world experience that may help them in their careers.

3 National Research Nuclear University MEPhI

The National Research Nuclear University MEPhI is one of the world’s most prestigious universities in its field and the perfect place for candidates that would like to specialize in nuclear technology. It focuses on fostering innovation, creativity, and internationalization. The university is known for its wide and highly specialized degree offer and its outstanding research performance. It has multiple institutes that develop studies in areas like nanoengineering, cyber-physical systems, and plasma technologies. These projects are completed in state-of-the-art facilities that include a research nuclear reactor and an accelerator.

4 National Research University Higher School of Economics

The National Research University Higher School of Economics, or otherwise known as HSE University, is one of the best universities of higher education in the capital city of Russia. This institution has one of the largest campuses in the country that houses approximately 50,000 students and can provide them with all the necessary equipment for them to have the best possible experience.

5 National University of Science and Technology MISIS

The National University of Science and Technology MISIS started as a mining academy and then became a steel institute. Over time, it expanded its course offer and modernized its facilities, but it’s still widely known for its programs in metallurgy and mining. Nowadays, the university has six campuses, 8 academic colleges, and multiple research institutes. They also have cutting-edge specialized laboratories in fields such as nanomaterials, cryoelectronic systems, biophysics, casting technologies, and much more!

6 I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University

I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University or usually referred to as Sechenov University was founded in 1758, making it the oldest medical school in Russia. It was initially the medical faculty of the Imperial Moscow University and eventually became independent in 1930. At present, the university has more than 18,000 total enrollment and offers undergraduate to Ph.D. programs in Medicine, Sciences, and Professional Education.

7 Plekhanov Russian University of Economics

The Plekhanov Russian University of Economics is a public university with over a century’s history of world-class economics and management education. Programs at the university are strongly focused on practical learning and provide opportunities for students to gain professional and international experience with its numerous partner employers around the world. The university also conducts several initiatives and projects that aim to address different educational, industrial, and social issues. 

8 Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration

The Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration is a very young institution of higher education located in the capital city of Russia. This university has grown in popularity in the region, and it now has over 46,000 students studying in various fields. Despite its youth, this university is ranked among the top 801 universities in the world by the prestigious QS World University Rankings.

9 Bauman University

Bauman University is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Russia. It specializes in education and research in applied sciences and engineering. The university boasts excellent programs for all levels of higher education and is home to some of the most advanced scientific laboratories and facilities in the country.

10 Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation

Ranked among the best universities in Russia and the world, the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation is a specialized institution that aims at contributing to the country’s economic development and financial transformation. This is a prestigious university known for being the educational home of many important Russian figures including prominent politicians, millionaires, and CEOs of important companies. It focuses on providing hands-on learning and encouraging critical thinking by using methods like case studies, discussions, and financial projects. It also has partnerships with governmental bodies and major businesses in order to offer workshops, academic collaborations, and internship opportunities.

11 N.R.U. Moscow Power Engineering Institute

N.R.U. Moscow Power Engineering Institute is a public technical university in Moscow with a prominent reputation for producing outstanding scientists and engineers for more than 90. It is also one of the most sought-after universities for aspiring engineers from around the world. The university also has numerous cooperation agreements with foreign universities and companies for its students and faculty to participate in different international programs and activities. 

12 Moscow State Pedagogical University

Moscow State Pedagogical University is a Russian higher education institute that offers Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral programs. It was established as the Women’s Courses of Higher Education in 1872 and underwent a transformative journey to what it is now. The university is well-recognized with International Partners across the globe, such as the University College of Teacher Education Vienna in Austria, the University of Pardubice in the Czech Republic, and the CY Cergy Paris University in France. Accessibility is a forefront advocacy with dedicated institutes for it, such as the Center for Student Disability Services and Psychological Assistance Center.

13 Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia

The Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia is the largest institution that offers education, training, and research in chemical technology in the country. The university was established in 1898 and is dedicated to raising future engineers and specialists who can formulate solutions to the most pressing scientific, industrial, and societal problems. It is also the alma mater of several notable individuals with significant contributions to different branches of science and chemistry.  

14 Russian National Research Medical University

Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University (RSMU) is a private university specializing in medicine located in Moscow, Russia. It was founded in 1906 as the Higher Medical Course for Women. Among the programs available at the university are general medicine, pediatrics, biochemistry, dentistry, pharmacy, social work, psychology, neuroscience, and radiology.

15 Moscow State Institute of International Relations

The Moscow State Institute of International Relations is one of the most prestigious and elite universities in Russia and the world, making it the perfect place for studying anything related to diplomacy, economics, international affairs, or languages. This institution strives for internationalization, which is why it has partnerships with multiple universities worldwide with which it offers dozens of double and triple degrees. It has different research institutes that develop studies in diplomacy, governance, energy policy, and global matters. Additionally, it constantly collaborates with international organizations and local governmental bodies.

16 Moscow Aviation Institute

Moscow Aviation Institute is an aviation school that offers Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Postgraduate level programs. Both the Russian and English languages are used as mediums of instruction. Aside from these university programs, Pre-university and Professional training programs are also offered. Nine dormitory options filled with quality service facilities are present for student residents. Three Metro stations are also near the campus, providing sufficient access for students with no personal vehicles.

17 Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas

The Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas is a specialized institution of higher education. This institution mostly focuses on developments in the field of oil and gas extraction and the safety of this direction. The main attraction for students is the affordable tuition prices for top-of-the-crop programs that are taught by experts in the relevant fields.

18 Russian State Social University

The Russian State Social University is a distinguished university in the country of Russia because it provides all levels of study to both domestic and international students with the opportunity to gain various financial aid through university or state-funded scholarships. This university is located in Moscow and was founded in 1991, but it is making its way slowly toward the ranking of the best universities in Russia.

19 Moscow Polytechnic University

Established in 1865, Moscow Polytechnic University, or Moscow Poly, is one of Russia’s educational institutions that provide technology-related programs. Currently, they deliver education to more than 16,000 local and international students. As they provide top-quality education and research in various fields, they also have various activities on campus to foster diversity.

20 Synergy University

Synergy University was established in 1988 and is one of the top business schools in Russia. The university’s programs are focused on providing strong fundamental knowledge of different principles, theories, and concepts and combining it with experiential learning to develop its students’ skill sets, thereby preparing them for the professional world. Synergy University has a student population of over 65,000 and has international campuses and branches in Dubai, London, United Arab Emirates, and New York.

21 National Research University of Electronic Technology

The National Research University of Electronic Technology is a public university that offers undergraduate and graduate-level education. In total, there are 40 Bachelor’s programs and 42 Master’s programs. It was founded in 1965 and was only officially renamed to its current title in 2011. Annual enrolment is estimated to be 4500 students, and over 600 academic staff are present to handle them. Not only do other universities partner with the National Research University of Electronic Technology, but over 131 corporations also cooperate with it.

22 Russian State University of Physical Culture, Sport and Tourism

Russian State University of Physical Culture, Sport, and Tourism is a leading sports university in Russia. It was established in 1918 and is known for producing over 200 outstanding athletes that have made their marks in prestigious international competitions such as the Olympics. The academic and research programs at the university are conducted by highly qualified and reputable coaches, experts, and scientists to further enhance athlete training and prepare future sports champions and professionals. 

23 Moscow City Teachers’ Training University

Moscow City Teachers’ Training University is a public university in Moscow, Russia. The Ministry of Education established it in 1995 as a pedagogical university, with only 1300 students in its first year. The university currently has over 18,000 students and offers degree programs in the humanities, natural sciences, sports technology, law, business, and language studies.

24 New Economic School

The New Economic School (NES) is a private institution located in Moscow that focuses on teaching and research in the field of economics. It takes pride in having a faculty made up of established professionals from the field, most of them holding a Ph.D. NES aims to train students who will be able to make valuable contributions to the growth of Russian society and business.

25 State University of Management

The State University of Management has been a frontrunner in providing management education in Russia for over 100 years. The university offers practice-oriented management education and training in different specializations such as business informatics, hotel management, and advertising. The State University of Management also conducts intensive research and innovative projects aimed at improving its academic programs and responding to the needs of the country’s economy. 

We know that choosing your dream school in Moscow not an easy task. After all, you need to consider other factors like the cost of your education, school background, and population, as it can be overwhelming on your part.

So, to help you out further in weighing your school options for studying in Moscow , make sure to visit our list of the best public and private universities in Moscow! These articles will surely help you in deciding your next study destination!