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Master's Thesis

The master's thesis gives students the opportunity to work independently on a research question. The work can be carried out in a team, whereby the student must be responsible for clearly defined aspects of the research project. The master's thesis can, but does not have to, take place in the same research group as the research project(s).  
The master's thesis is carried out under the responsibility of one or more persons who are a member of the teaching staff of the Faculty of Science or the teaching staff of the Department of Biomedicine, the Department of Biomedical Engineering, the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, or the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute.


How to find a Master project:
The student discusses the topics and potential research groups together with their assigned advisor from teaching committee. The student will contact the respective host principal investigator (PI), who will coordinate the project. A list of potential supervisors is available. 

Prerequisites:

  • Before commencing the master's thesis, the module “Research Projects” (in German: “Forschungsprojekt-arbeiten”) must be completed. In addition, a total of at least 20 credit points must have been acquired in the modules “Foundations in Physics of Life” and “Electives” (in German: “Wahlbereich”) before starting the master's thesis.
  • The proposed topic for the master's thesis must be approved by the teaching committee before the start of the master's thesis.
  • Learning Contract:  Part I: Agreement (In German: Teil I: Vereinbarung) in the document “Learning Contract for Master’s Thesis” (In German: Studienvertrag für Masterarbeit) must be completed and two copies of this document must be signed by the student, the assessor and - if available - the second assessor. (Download the document here). The two original copies of this document, which are completed and signed in Part I, must then be handed in to the studies secretariat Physics of Life. After the chair of the Physics of Life teaching committee has signed both originals, one copy remains in the studies secretariat Physics of Life, the second copy is returned to the student and must be taken to the oral master's examination.

Project work:
The master's thesis lasts six months of full-time work (30 CP) and an additional two months of full-time work (10 CP) are set aside for the preparation of the master's examination. The time allocation between the practical part, the writing of the master's thesis and the preparation for the oral master's examination is the responsibility of the student in consultation with the master's thesis assessor(s).

Written Report:
The master's thesis must be documented in a written report with the following content: 

  • an introduction to the field of research
  • description of the motivation for the research question
  • a description of the methods used
  • a description of the results obtained
  • a discussion of the results obtained in the context of the specialist literature and the specialist field 
  • outlook for further research 
  • “Declaration on Scientific Integrity” (“Erklärung zur wissenschaftlichen Redlichkeit”), completed and signed, must be included. (Download: https://philnat.unibas.ch/de/studium/master). 

The report on the master's thesis must be submitted to the assessors at least four weeks before the oral examination together with the form “Expert Opinion on Master's Thesis Physics of Life” (“Gutachten zu Masterarbeiten in Physics of Life”) (obtain from studies secretariat Physics of Life). 

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