Master's thesis at the Faculty of Arts

During the second semester of your Master’s degree programme, you should start defining the topic you are interested in writing about in your Master’s thesis.

You also need to start thinking about who you would like as your thesis supervisor, as most students at Arts need to apply for a supervisor by the end of the second semester. 

You can find the relevant deadlines for your thesis process here.

It is a good idea to start looking for material well in advance to ensure that you have it when you need it in the thesis process. At the AU libraries and the Royal Danish Library, you can get help when searching for information.

The Student Guidance and Information service also arranges courses and workshops which can help you to plan your thesis process.

How do I find a supervisor?

The procedure for appointing supervisors varies from degree programme to degree programme.
Read more about the degree programme-specific procedures for applying for thesis supervisors

When should I submit my application - and when will I receive an answer?

In the overview of deadlines you can see when you (if you have applied on time) can expect an answer to your application for a thesis supervisor.

Please note: Thesis supervisors must be members of department staff (a professor, associate professor or assistant professor).

Special information for group theses

If you write Master's thesis together with one or more other students, you must complete the application for a supervisor together. Please note that you can only write together if you have the same submission deadline.

Application forms

• For students at the School of Communication and Culture: Application for thesis supervisor
• For students at the School of Culture and Society: Application for thesis supervisor
• For students at the Danish School of Education: Application for thesis supervisor

Once a supervisor has been assigned to you, you can start the supervision process.

It is a good idea to discuss your topic and working title with your thesis supervisor as soon as you have submitted your application for this supervisor.

Your supervisor is a key figure during the production of your thesis because he/she can assess whether your topic has been delimited sufficiently, and whether it can be produced within the timeframe and academic framework stated in the academic regulations.

Balancing your expectations

It is also a good idea to discuss the supervision process and agree on how, where and when you will meet and the kind of supervision that will be provided.

You and you supervisor should also discuss your expectations and wishes in more general and personal terms. It is important to balance your expectations because the supervision process often varies a great deal.

Remember to use your supervision plan

You and your supervisor need to draw up a supervision plan. This is a general plan for producing your thesis – including the topic area and the plan for the supervision process.

It is a good idea to start with this plan at your first meeting because it can help you to remember the points mentioned above.

The plan does not have to be finalised and submitted until the end of the third semester.

For inspiration on points to discuss, see 'Good advice for the first meeting with your supervisor'.

1. Arrange a meeting with your supervisor
   You fill out the supervision plan form in collaboration with your supervisor.
   Together, you discuss your thesis statement and prepare supervision plan, which must be included in the form.
   Your thesis statement is preliminary and can be adjusted during the thesis process.
2. You and your supervisor fill out and sign the supervision plan
   • Supervision plan for the 1st exam attempt
   • Supervision plan for additional exam attempts
3. Upload the signed supervision plan
   The supervision plan must be uploaded as a PDF file. Please note that you must receive an email receipt.
   • Upload your supervision plan (Students at CC)
   • Upload your supervision plan (students at CAS)
   • Upload your supervision plan (students at EDU)
4. Approval of your supervision plan
   Your supervision plan must be approved by a head of department/thesis coordinator. The administration collects the approval, and you will receive an answer, when your supervision plan has been approved.
   You will receive an answer on your AU-mail when your supervision plan has been approved. 
5. Save the supervision plan so that you can upload it together with your thesis
   See more under point 7.
   If your supervision plan is neither uploaded via the Study Portal nor attached when you submit it, we cannot assess your thesis and you use an exam attempt.

Especially for group theses
If you are a group writing a thesis together, one of you must fill out a joint supervision plan and write the AU-e-mail addresses of the remaining members in the form. Only the person who sends the supervision plan receives a receipt. Please note that you can only write together if you have the same submission deadline.

During this period you work on your thesis.
You should keep in touch with your supervisor along the way.
See Inspiration for your thesis if you need additional support and supervision during the process.

Specifically for students of Journalism (cand.public.)
If you choose a thesis with a journalistic product (exam form 3), and if you want to produce something that is not a printed article, the design and scope must be discussed with the journalistic co-supervisor and is subject to the final approval of the academic supervisor.

In order for us to be able to find an external co-examiner for your thesis, it is important that you submit the form for appointing an external co-examiner 6 weeks before your submission deadline.

If we do not receive the form in time, we have a limited chance for finding an external co-examiner and ensuring that your thesis is assessed within the deadline.

When we have received the form, we will prepare your thesis for submission and make your thesis visible in Digital Exam. You will be able to submit your thesis one week before your submission deadline.
 

• Submission on your scheduled deadline
  You can find deadlines for the thesis process here.
   
• Submission before your scheduled deadline
  If you plan to submit your thesis (significantly) earlier than your scheduled deadline, you must put your planned submission deadline in the form for appointing an external co-examiner and submit it 6 weeks before you plan to submit your thesis. Please note that on your 2nd or 3rd exam attempt, your earliest submission deadline can be the day on which your thesis period begins. This means that you cannot submit your thesis during the 14 days in which you must prepare and submit a revised supervision plan and topic formulation.
  You do not use an exam attempt before you have exceeded your official submission deadline.
   
• If you do not wish to submit your thesis on the scheduled deadline
  If you do not wish to submit your thesis on the scheduled deadline, you should not submit the form for appointing an external co-examiner.
  Find more information here: If the thesis is not submitted on time
   

Forms

• For students at the School of Communication and Culture:
  Form for appointing an external co-examiner - CC (formerly: Thesis submission statement)
• For students at the School of Culture and Society: 
  Form for appointing an external co-examiner - CAS (formerly: Thesis submission statement)
• For students at the School of Education:
  Form for appointing an external co-examiner - School of Education (formerly: Thesis submission statement)
   

Receipt

You will get a receipt when you have submitted the form for appointing an external co-examiner. If you have written your e-mail address correctly and still do not get a receipt, contact Study Centre Arts.
 

Special information for group theses

If you are a group writing your thesis together, only one of you must submit the form for appointing an external co-examiner and write the names, study numbers and AU e-mail addresses of the other students in the form. At the top of the form you must mark ”group thesis”. Only the student submitting the form will get a receipt. Please note that it is only possible to write your thesis together if you have the same submission deadline.

Your thesis is to be submitted in our digital examination system.
We recommend that you read the 'Guide to Digital Exams for students', and that you start uploading your thesis well before the deadline.
Digital Exam: Submission procedure, guidelines and login

The Master’s thesis must be submitted by the relevant deadline
Please note that your Master's thesis must be uploaded and submitted by 14.00 on the submission date.  

• 1 June for students enrolled on a two-year Master’s degree programme starting in the summer
• 2 January for students enrolled on a Master’s degree programme starting in the winter or with an extension.

See also: Information about deadlines in connection with the thesis

Please note: If the submission deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, the deadline is automatically extended to the next working day.

The submitted thesis cannot be edited
You should also be aware that the submission of your thesis is final. This means that the submitted thesis is locked when you have submitted it, and that you cannot edit the thesis after having submitted it. 

Formal requirements for the master's thesis

Your Master's thesis will be rejected and you will use a examination attempt if your Master's thesis does not comply with the formalities or if you do not enclose your supervision plan as an appendix (and have not previously submitted it via the study portal).

Publication of your thesis

If you want your thesis to be published in the AU Project Library, you must state this in the digital exams system in connection with the submission of your thesis.

Read here about things you need to be aware of before you publish your final paper: Publish i AU's project library

Once you have completed the form, the thesis will be published when it has been assessed with a pass grade.

Submitting a product thesis

If your Master's thesis includes a physical product which cannot be submitted digitally, the physical product must be submitted to Study Centre Arts during opening hours. If you wish to submit outside opening hours, you must contact study Centre Arts, so that you can instead submit the physical product in the Arts Studies administration (Tåsingegade 3, building 1442). All other parts of your thesis must be submitted via Digital exam.

Submitting a group thesis

Information about that you are writing a group Master's thesis is already registered in the Digital Exams system.

Therefore, you don't need to indicate that you are part of a group, or 'form' a group in the Digital Exams system in connection with or prior to your submission.

• Deadlines in the thesis process

Theses with an oral defence
The oral defence will take place within the assessment period. The grade will be given after the defence.

Advance approval
The university does not support the possibility of applying for advance approval for unemployment insurance.

Feedback
You are entitled to receive feedback on your thesis once it has been assessed. Please arrange when and how to do this with your supervisor. This feedback may be in writing, but it no longer constitutes part of the assessment. You cannot complain about the feedback – only about the grade given.

Thesis with oral defence
The defence takes place within the four week assessment period, which starts on the date where the thesis is submitted.
You will be given your grade after the oral defence.

1. You have used an attempt
   If you fail to submit your Master’s thesis by the specified deadline, you will then have used one of your attempts to pass the exam. You have three attempts in total.
2. Your next attempt starts 14 days after your original submission deadline
   You will be registered automatically for your second attempt to pass the exam. Your new submission deadline is 14 days + three months after your original submission deadline. Immediately after your original submission deadline, you will receive an email with information about the start date and submission deadline for your new attempt.
3. Make a new supervision plan with a revised thesis statement
   You must submit a new submission plan no later than 14 days after your original submission deadline. You prepare the new supervision plan and revised thesis statement in collaboration with your supervisor. Your supervisor will help you to ensure that your thesis statement is revised sufficiently.  
   • You must fill out the ‘Supervision plan for 2nd and 3rd attempt’.
4. Submit the new supervision plan via the link below
   You must submit the new supervision plan no later than 14 days after the original submission deadline.
   The submission plan must be uploaded as a PDF.
   Please note that you only need to obtain the signature of your supervisor. We will obtain the signature of the head of department.
   • Submit your supervision plan:
   • Submit your supervision plan (student at CC)
   • Submit your supervision plan (student at CAS)
   • Submit your supervision plan (student at EDU)
5. Submit the form to appoint an external co-examiner
   You must submit the form used to appoint an external co-examinator no later than six weeks before you plan to submit your thesis.
   If you wish to submit your thesis before the specified deadline, you can see how under ‘special circumstances’. However, the earliest you can submit your thesis is after the 14 days where you must make a new supervision plan and thesis statement.
   • Form for appointing an external co-examiner (student at CC)
   • Form for appointing an external co-examiner (student at CAS)
   • Form for appointing an external co-examiner (student at EDU)
6. Attach your new supervision plan when you submit your thesis
   When you submit your thesis, you must also attach the new supervision plan as an appendix.
   If your supervision plan has not been uploaded via the Study Portal nor has it been attached when you submit, your thesis will not be assessed, and you have used an attempt to pass the exam.  

If you do not submit your thesis in your second attempt

If you fail to submit your thesis before the new submission deadline, this will count as another failed attempt to pass the exam. Your third and final attempt to pass the exam will start automatically according to the same rules that apply to your second attempt to pass the exam.

1. You have used an attempt to pass the exam
   If you submit a thesis that fails, you have used an attempt to pass the exam. You have three attempts to pass the exam. After the assessment has been registered, it will appear in your study overview at mystudies.au.dk. You will receive an email with information about the start date and submission deadline for the new attempt.
2. Your new attempt starts automatically
   Your next attempt will be registered to you automatically. Your new submission deadline is 14 days + three months after your assessment has been registered.
3. Make a new supervision plan with a revised thesis statement
   Together with your supervisor you must sign a new supervision plan for the second or third attempt no later than 14 days after you have received your assessment. It must contain a revised thesis statement, though it must stay within the same subject area as the original thesis statement. Please note that you only need to obtain the signature of your supervisor. We will obtain the signature of the head of department.
   • Fill out the ’Supervision plan for 2nd and 3rd attempt’.
4. Submit the new supervision plan via the link below
   The supervision plan must be uploaded as a PDF.
   • Submit your supervision plan (student at CC)
   • Submit your supervision plan (student at CAS)
   • Submit your supervision plan (student at EDU)
5. Submit the form to appoint an external co-examiner
   You must submit the form used to appoint an external co-examinator no later than 6 weeks before you plan to submit your thesis.
   • Form for appointing an external co-examiner (student at CC)
   • Form for appointing an external co-examiner (student at CAS)
   • Form for appointing an external co-examiner (student at EDU)
6. Attach your new supervision plan when you submit the thesis
   When you submit your thesis you must also attach the new supervision plan as an appendix.
   If your supervision plan has not been uploaded via the Study Portal nor has it been attached when you submit, your thesis will not be assessed, and you will use an attempt to pass the exam.

Special information about July

If your thesis is assessed with a non-pass grade between 1 July – 31 July, the period before your next examination attempt (if you have one or more attempts left) starts will be extended. The extension gives you the opportunity to prepare a new supervision plan in collaboration with your supervisor, who will typically be on holiday in July. Your new examination attempt will start on 15 August, which gives you 14 days from 1 – 14 August to prepare and submit the supervision plan. Your submission deadline will be three months later. After 1 August you will receive an information email about your new examination attempt on your master's thesis.

If you wish to submit your thesis before the deadline

If you do not need the full thesis period, you are welcome to submit your thesis earlier. You must still submit the form "Acknowledgement of submission of the thesis" at least six weeks before you wish to submit your thesis. Please note that at your 2nd or 3rd examination attempt, you will not be able to submit your Master's thesis during the 14 days in which you must prepare and submit a revised supervision plan and thesis formulation.

Exemption from the submission deadline rule

If exceptional circumstances prevent you from working on your thesis (illness for instance), the board of studies may grant you exemption from the submission deadline rule.

It is important that you apply for exemption at the time an exceptional circumstances arise and before the deadline for the examination attempt, you are working on. The Board of Studies see each of the three exam attempts isolated, and can therefore only grant an exemption from the deadline for submission if exceptional circumstances have affected the specific examination attempt, you are working on.

To assess whether the exceptional circumstances have affected the specific attempt, you must apply for an exemption and attach a medical certificate confirming your illness.

• Read more about applying for exemption.  

Maternity/paternity leave and pregnancy

If you become a parent during your Master's thesis process, you have the opportunity to go on parental leave from your studies. You can read more about your options on the page on exemption and parental leave.

You cannot be in a Master's thesis group if you go on parental leave from your studies in the Master's thesis semester, because you will not have the same submission deadline as the other members of the Master's thesis group.

If you want to dissolve a Master's thesis group

If exceptional circumstances cause that you will not continue in your Master's thesis group, you must contact your supervisor and get a confirmation (by email) that you are breaking the group up.

You must also notify administrative officer/Master's thesis Coordinator:

• Students at the School of Communication and Culture and the School of Culture and Society, please contact the Head of Department
• Students at the Danish School of Education, please contact the Master's thesis Coordinator

And you must send an email to the Study centre Arts, where you attach the confirmation email from your supervisor.

Changing supervisor

You can only change your supervisor in exceptional circumstances, and you must submit an application to do this.

• Students at the School of Communication and Culture and the School of Culture and Society, please contact the Head of Department
• Students at the Danish School of Education, please contact the Master's thesis Coordinator

If your application is approved, you must send an email to Study Center Arts - with an approval email from the Head of Appartment/Master's thesis Coordinator attached - to Study Centre Arts

Your supervision plan will be adjusted. However, the original deadline for submission will remain unchanged.

If your supervisor becomes ill

Leave of absence during the thesis period

The general leave of absence rules apply during the thesis period, which means that students may apply for leave of absence with the result that the submission date is postponed by a period equivalent to the duration of the leave. During periods of leave, students cannot receive supervision or the government student grant.