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Thesis Defense - Content and Procedure

A Thesis Defense is an oral examination in which a student presents their research using a prepared slide deck and answers questions from the Examination Board to demonstrate the quality and their understanding of the work. It is the final step of the degree program and, together with the grade for the written Thesis, determines the final Thesis result.

The Thesis Defenses take place online and lasts for approx. 60 minutes. It is divided into three parts:

PART 1: 20-minute Visual Presentation of the Thesis

Students deliver a visual presentation that reflects the core content of their Thesis. The presentation may be customized, but it must address the following elements:

  • Research objective/research question
  • Course of the investigation/methodology
  • Research results
  • Transfer to practice or transfer guide

Notes on presentation:

  • Applicable visualization formats include PowerPoint, Mural, Prezi, etc.
  • The written Thesis itself (e.g., displaying a PDF) is not considered sufficient visualization.
  • A purely verbal presentation of the Thesis does not meet the visualization requirement.
  • The presentation must be delivered as a free-flowing oral presentation. Reading from a separate script or to a significant extent from the slides is not allowed.
  • Students who need to deviate from these regulations due to physical or technical limitations must inform the Examination Board in advance to obtain prior approval.

If the presentation requirements are not met, the Examination Board may cancel the defense, and the examination attempt will be considered failed.

PART 2: 20-minute Discussion

The Examination Board engages in a structured discussion with the student. Typical questions may relate to:

  • The justification of the chosen research method

  • Hypotheses or research questions
  • Theoretical foundations
  • Interpretation of findings
  • The practical transfer of research results

PART 3: Closing

After the presentation and discussion, the Examination Board:

  1. Awards the grade for the Thesis Defense

  2. If the defense is passed, announces the overall Thesis grade, which is calculated from:
    • the grade for the written Thesis, and
    • the grade for the Thesis Defense