Supervision and final theses

PhD supervision

I am open to supervise PhD projects exploring environment-economy relations spanning from green entrepreneurship and the green economy to environmental justice, resource management and case studies of regional and local greening initiatives. I am happy to discuss project ideas and support the development of funding applications. Details on my research expertise can be found under ‚research and projects‘.

Supervision of dissertations (Bachelor and Master) - FAQ

Which topic areas do you cover?

We  cover a broad range of topics within human geography and sustainability but feasilbe dissertation topics always depend on the specific topic and work plan. Areas of expertise include a broad range of economic, urban and political geography perspectives with a specific focus on climate change and sustainability. This may include projects on development strategies, planning initiatives, governance processes and conflicts. Sustainability focused projects may include critical contributions and case studies on climate governance and politics in urban and rural areas, green entrepreneurship, alternative economies (e.g. sharing economy, postgrowth), ressourcement management, environmental activism and political strategies and mechanisms (carbon trading, circular economy). Beyond Hierzu zählen z.B. kritische Arbeiten zu Fallbeispielen der Klimagovernance und -politik in urbanen und ländlichen Räumen (kohlenstoffarme Infrastruktur), nachhaltiges Unternehmertum, alternative Wirtschaftsformen (z.B. Teilwirtschaft, Postwachstum), Ressourcenmanagement, Umweltaktivismus und politische Strategien und Steuerungsmechanismen (z.B. Kohlenstoffhandel, Kreislaufwirtschaft).

What do I do if I am struggling to find a research project or topic myself?

We can are happy to discuss your interests with you and can help you to refine your ideas to develop a suitable project.

What does the supervisory relationship comprise?

The number of meetings depends on individual student needs. It will include a minimum of two individual supervisory meetings. Depending on demand, additional meetings will be scheduled. Before the meetings, you will submit agreed upon documents as basis for discussion and to demonstrate progress. As part of the supervisory arrangements, you will also need to sign up for a dissertation colloquium if this is a compulsory component within your study programme.

What does the dissertation comprise of?

Bachelor dissertations should approximately count 10.000 words (not counting your bibliography, tables, figures and appendix). Depending on your programme requirements, you will present and defend your dissertation as part of a colloquium in front of your (usually two) supervisors (this will be your first supervisor and a second marker). Please check the regulations for your specific programme ahead of time to ensure you know what is expected of you (BSc Angewandte Geographie, MA Angewandte Humangeographie, MSc Environmental Science).

What language can I write my dissertation in?

The languages you can use will be specificed in the programme regulations (see above). Generally speaking, you can submit your dissertation in English or German or another language agreed upon with your supervisor (and second markier). We happily supervise dissertations in German and English.

When should I start looking for supervision for my dissertation project?

You should discuss your project ideas the semester before you plan to apply for your dissertation. Your dissertation topic should be agreed upon with your supervisor. As a basis for discuss, you sould submit an outline proposal. Your dissertation proposal will also be a requirement for us to confirm supervision.

What is a dissertation proposal?

A proposal helps you to develop your research questions and research design. This involves preliminary resaerch to ensure your idea is relevant, feasible (i.e. you can actually implement it) and links to existing work. The proposal is also the basis for first discussions with potential supervisors. The proposal is a central step in the process of your dissertation and you should allocate sufficient time to develop your proposal.

Your proposal should include the following elements (appr. 1-3 pages):

• Thematic relevance (why is this important?)
• Research questions or research objectives
• Relevant discourses in the academic literature (theories, concepts)
• Planned methods
• If applicable, expected results
• Workplan (e.g. a Gantt chart)
• Bibliography

References

Baade, J. et al. (2005) Wissenschaftlich arbeiten. Ein Leitfaden für Studierende der Geographie. Bern, Stuttgart, Wien: UTB.
Karjewski, M. (2013) Lesen Schreiben Denken. Zur wissenschaftlichen Abschlussarbeit in 7 Schritten. Köln: Böhlau.
Parsons, T. & Knight, P.G. (2015) How to do your dissertation in geography and related disciplines. 3rd edition. Routledge.
Scheuermann, U. (2013) Schreibdenken. Schreiben als Denk- und Lernwerkzeut nutzen und vermitteln. Opladen: Budrich.
Wolfsberger, J. (2016) Frei geschrieben: Mut, Freiheit und Strategie für wissenschaftliche Abschlussarbeiten. UTB.