Research Papers and Theses

 

Research papers and projects are a mandatory component of courses of study. Typically, these papers and projects are completed at a research institute in the faculty or faculties offering the course of study. It is possible to complete a paper or project at an external institution.

Acceptable external institutions include all institutions, institutes, universities, and industry companies, that are not part of the faculties offering the course of study. Generally all external work must be approved by the examination board and additionally a chair at Faculty 4 or 8 for students studying business administration and engineering.

The supervising professor is typically a professor or private lecturer for the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering or School of Business and Economics (only business administration and engineering students) at RWTH Aachen. A external faculty supervisor is a supervisor at the site of the external project or paper, e.g. department head, a professor at another faculty. An external faculty supervisor only has the right to recommend a grade, if he or she is a professor or private lecturer at a German scientific university. In all other cases, the internal faculty supervisor isuses the grade alone.

 

Furthermore, the following rules apply within the courses of study:

Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor	Only one of the papers can completed externally.
	Project ranging from six weeks to three months. Bachelor's thesis lasts ten weeks; these periods can be shortened by a maximum of two weeks.
Master	The Master's thesis can be completed externally.
	Master's thesis lasts 22 weeks; this period can be shortened by a maximum of four weeks.

Business Administration and Engineering with a Mechanical Engineering Specialization

Bachelor	The Bachelor's thesis can be completed externally.
	Bachelor's thesis lasts ten weeks; this period can be shortened by a maximum of two weeks.
Master	The Master's thesis can be completed externally.
	Master's thesis lasts 22 weeks; this period can be shortened by a maximum of four weeks.

Computational Engineering Science

Bachelor	The Bachelor thesis and the project could completed externally.
	Project must encompass 150 hours within four months. The Bachelor's thesis lasts twelve weeks: these periods can be shortened by a maximum of two weeks.
Master	The Master's thesis can be completed externally.
	Master's thesis lasts 22 weeks; this period can be shortened by a maximum of four weeks.

Simulation Sciences

Master	The Master's thesis can be completed externally.
	Master's thesis lasts 22 weeks; this period can be shortened by a maximum of four weeks. The supervising professor can be from faculty 1, 4, 5, 6 or 10.

You can find a list of the available projecs at the Faculty 4 chairs and institutes here.

You will find the associated forms in our download area. These must always be completed in full and signed in the order indicated (large numbers in the signature fields). Wirt.-Ing. MB students whose topic for the thesis is purely economic and is issued by a professor of Faculty 8 do not need the approval of the specialization supervisor.

If you are writing your paper externally, approval must be obtained from the Examination Committee in this case. Entry forms of external papers can be submitted by e-mail, sent to the faculty by mail or dropped into the "red mailbox" (Eilfschornsteinstraße 18, 52062 Aachen, first floor). Documents should not be additionally submitted as originals if they have already been sent to the examination board by e-mail. Digitally submitted entry forms must be signed or digitally signed.

After processing by the examination board, the data record sheet will be sent back to you by e-mail. A copy of the document will also be sent directly to the ZPA so that your thesis can be registered in the campus management system and the deadline announced.