Bachelor's thesis in Biology

The Bachelor’s thesis is assessed by two referees, one of whom is the supervisor and first referee. As a rule, the function of supervisor is performed by the first referee, but not always: This means that “supervisor” and “referee” are not always the same person.

As a rule, at least one of the two referees of the Bachelor’s thesis is a professor or Privatdozent [associate professor] of the University of Bremen or professor/Privatdozent of one of its non-university partner institutes.

Upon application to the Biology Examination Board, it is possible that a research associate with at least three years post-doctoral experience in research and academic teaching at the abovementioned institutions or at external institutes or scientific institutions may act as referee, provided the other referee is a professor.

In the event you wish to choose a referee belonging to an external institute or the University of Bremen who is not a professor or associate professor, please include with your registration for the Bachelor’s Examination board an informal application to allow this person to act as referee. Furthermore, in the event the person you name is not already known to the Examinations Office, please attach their curriculum vitae together with a list of publications.

Especially in the case of a Bachelor’s thesis completed outside the University or one of the University’s formal partner institutes, you must provide written confirmation on the part of a professor that the Bachelor’s thesis is technically feasible.

Please note that in the event of external referees coming from abroad the University of Bremen is not able to cover any travel or associated costs connected with the referee taking part in the viva. In such cases, when submitting your thesis you must name a third referee who is a member of the University of Bremen and is prepared to act on behalf of the colleague abroad and co-assess the viva. In such cases, you must submit four copies of the Bachelor’s thesis.

• Agree on the theme of the Bachelor’s thesis with the first supervisor
• The Bachelor’s thesis is assessed by two referees who are chosen by the candidate. Fill in the registration forms, and have them signed by both referees
• Submit the signed forms to the Examinations Office Biology, where they will be duly processed and passed on to the chairperson of the Bachelor’s Examination board. If everything is in order, notice of admission and hand-in deadlines will be sent to the examination candidate.
• Personally hand in three bound copies of your Bachelor’s thesis in due time to the Examinations Office Biology together with a digital copy for the first referee. In the case of a referee abroad, four copies must be handed in. To avoid any possible confusion regarding the hand-in deadline, you should submit the copies in person and only as an absolute exception via surface mail.
• Submit in person the copies duly stamped by the Examinations Office to the referees. The referees then receive an email instructing them to return their assessments to the Examinations Office within the following three weeks. The viva should then take place 14 days after receipt of the assessments. The candidate(s) should then in good time agree on an appointment for the viva, which should be as early as possible.
• As soon as all the examination results of bachelor studies are available, a transcript of records will be issued so that the graduate can be admitted to a following master’s program. Certificates, academic records, and Diploma Supplement must be issued by December 31 of same year. Graduates will be informed when the documents are ready to be picked up from the Examinations Office. The date of the examination certificate is the date of the final part of the examination.
• On application, a Bachelor’s thesis assessed to be “insufficient/failed” can be repeated once only with a new topic. The Bachelor’s thesis will be deemed failed definitively in the event the second Bachelor’s thesis is also assessed as “insufficient/failed”.
• On successful completion of bachelor’s studies, the Office of Student Affairs will be notified and the student will be deregistered.
• Students on the Master of Education program or on another master’s program at the University of Bremen who move from a BA to a consecutive master’s program have 14 days time after the start of the winter semester to submit any documents that may still be missing.