Extract

from the Regulation of Studies regarding the Masters Thesis:

8 Registration for the Masters thesis

(1) Registration for the Masters thesis is done with the Examination Board as a rule
before the fourth semester; at the latest by March 1 of the second year after the begin of
studies. The following documents must be enclosed:
a) Study and examination results of at least 60 credit points for the 1st and 2nd
semester, the results for the third semester can be handed in during the fourth semester,
b) The proposal of a topic for the Masters thesis with agreement of the proposed
supervisor.

(2) The Examination Board decides on the registration for the Masters thesis and for the
completion of the programme. The Examination Board can allow late submission of
some study and test results until the completion of the Masters thesis. The Examination
Board specifies the topic and the expected duration (minimally six months) for the
Masters thesis.


9 Masters thesis

(1) The English language Masters thesis should demonstrate that the student is able to
competently and scientifically deal with a problem in psycho-, neuro-, or clinical
linguistics within a fixed period of time.

(2) In well-founded cases, the subject of the Masters thesis can be changed only once
and only within the first 2 months. Upon motivated request of the student (e.g.
incapacitation), the Examination Board can extend the time period for up to three
months.

(3) The student has to assure that (s)he wrote his/her Masters thesis independently and
that (s)he used no other sources and facilities than those indicated.


Suggested steps:

1) Prepare a list of topics you are interested in and find two supervisors (a main and a
second supervisor) in the second semester
2) Attend the seminar on Scientific Writing in the second semester and write a research
proposal by the end of the third semester
3) Register the proposal signed by the two supervisors with the Examination Board
(contacts below) by the end of the third semester at the latest (the earlier the better)
4) Complete the thesis in the fourth semester

Formal requirements and further information:

Examples of previous Masters Theses can be borrowed from Anja Papkes office
The topic can be chosen freely (but should be related to psycho-, neuro- and clinical
linguistic aspects) and in close collaboration with the intended supervisors

A (not yet complete list) of suggested topics plus supervisors can be found at
http://www.emcl-mundus.com/training/thesis.html
In principle, every member of the academic stuff of the partner institutions can
supervise your thesis. Just contact the persons whose scientific interests fit with the
topic of your choice and ask for a supervision
People from outside the consortium cannot be the main supervisor (with the
exception of the invited scholars)
If you want to include a person from outside the consortium, ask for a co-supervision
(in such a case, this person can act as a second supervisor)
The suggested length of the thesis is 50 to 80 pages excluding reference list,
appendices etc. (all formal requirements will be discussed in the Scientific Writing
seminar)
Deadline for finishing the thesis is the end of the fourth semester (i.e., August 31)
The final thesis needs to be turned in to the local representative of the Examination
Board depending on the affiliation of the main supervisor (contacts below)
E-mail submissions are accepted (please set Anja Papke always in CC), but in
addition we need a signed hard-copy which should be sent to Anja Papke
Extensions are possible only as an exception on well-founded grounds (e.g., with
official sick certificates etc.)
Requests for an extension have to be sent to the Examination Board (contacts below)
by June 15 in the fourth semester at the latest
Extensions will be given for the period of 3 months only, tuition fees have to be paid
for that time
Stay abroad: We highly recommend you to come back to your supervisors after data
collection because it is much better to discuss your data / data analysis /
interpretation face-to-face with the supervisors and/or the working group where
your thesis is embedded. You cannot obtain the scholarship to do internships, you
should spend your full time working on your thesis or class work, respectively. You
need to discuss periods of absence during the fourth semester with your supervisors
beforehand.

Contact Examination Board:

Chair: Prof. Wartenburger (isabell.wartenburger@uni-potsdam.de)

Local representatives:
Potsdam: Dr. Burchert (burchert@uni-potsdam.de)
Groningen: Dr. Roel Jonkers (r.jonkers@rug.nl)
Joensuu: Dr. Stefan Werner (stefan.werner@uef.fi)