Recommendations

• If students feel that they do not possess the necessary skills and competencies for a thesis project, it is highly recommendable that they take courses in foundations of scientific research (e.g., managing and organizing literature, quantitative/qualitative methods, etc.) and academic writing (e.g., paragraphing, meta-communication, etc.) prior to embarking on their thesis projects.

• We expect students to fully comply with academic standards in regards to citing and referencing relevant literature. Acts of plagiarism are taken very seriously and entail consequences. For additional information, please refer to the  WU Directive on plagiarism.

• We understand the emergence of AI and ChatGPT within higher education.  However, we request that students follow the WU recommendations and guidance on the use of chat GPT.  There should be clear indication where ChatGPT has been used as part of the assignment process. You also should be aware that plagiarism software detects AI and ChatGPT use, and often what AI or ChatGPT generates is not factually correct. (Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien: AI and ChatGPT in teaching - Information for Teachers - Staff (wu.ac.at).

• We require research underpinned theses, which is why a sufficient review of relevant academic literature is foundational prior to the submission of a thesis proposal. This is the case for both research-oriented and practice-oriented theses. The RSGB-I faculty own research and works provide a starting point for reviewing relevant literature.

• Bachelor students should complete a first full thesis draft after three months. Master students should complete a first full thesis draft after six months. Students are required to meet these time frames and to plan their workload accordingly. NB: The thesis supervisors may decide to terminate supervisions if students unreasonably exceed these time frames. It is the students’ responsibility to plan ahead and to manage time in order to submit their theses in a timely manner so that additional deadlines (e.g., completion of studies, CEMS Graduation Ceremony) can be met. Therefore, it is important that students consider in their planning the time required for feedback by the thesis supervisors as well as the time needed for the final evaluation. After the final submission of the thesis on learn@WU is completed, the evaluation process can take up to one month for a bachelor and two months for a master thesis.

• The RSGB-I does not define per se specific formatting requirements in terms of font type or citation style for thesis proposals or theses. However, it is recommended that students choose a commonly applied style guide (e.g., APA7, AOM) and use it consistently throughout their entire works. As for language, it is advisable to have English native speakers and those with a good command of academic English proofread texts prior to final submissions.

Responsibilities of Accepted Students

After a thesis proposal is accepted, it is the students’ responsibility to ensure that all WU requirements regarding proper procedure, formality, and completion related to Bachelor and Master theses are met.

The RSGB-I wishes all students under the supervision of their members the best of luck for a successful completion of their thesis projects, and hope that they will benefit from this experience.