Graduation from the study programme

Here you can find information relating to the administrative work timeframe of your bachelor, master and diploma study program from the completion of the 1. period of study to your graduation ceremony.

Collection of your final certifications

What do I have to do to receive a bachelor, master or diploma examination certification

Following documents must be submitted to the secretary's office of the respective institute - Students of Environmental Systems Sciences VWL and BWL as well as Global Studies, submit their degree to the URBi Examination Office.
Completed protocols (available on the homepages of the Urbi Faculty or the Institute for Geography and Spatial Research and the Institute for Education and Educational Sciences)in.
Current, complete proof of academic achievement (UGO printout is sufficient)
Possible contributions and approvals-notifications
Possible subject examination and internship certificates
If a final examination by a board of examiners is provided for in the respective curriculum, you will only receive the Master's degree certificate after successfully passing this examination.
The processing time is 3 to 4 weeks.

Where can I collect the bachelor, master or diploma examination certification?

The Bachelor's, Master's or diploma examination certificates have been sent by mail with an official signature since April 2020.

What do I have to do if I lose the bachelor, master or diploma examination certification?

Duplicates can be requested by application (pdf) at the Examinations Office. An official report of loss must be enclosed and a fee of € 1.50 per certificate must be paid in the bookkeeping/cashier's office (Halbärthgasse 8). If the lost certificate was issued before 01.01.2001, then the stamp fee of € 13.20 per certificate must also be paid at the bookkeeping/cashier's office.

Announcement of the topic and the supervisor of the diploma and master thesis respectively

How and where do I have to announce the topic and the supervisor of my diploma and master thesis respectively?
When do I have to announce the topic and supervisor of my diploma or master thesis respectively?
Where do I acquire a topic?
Who can supervise a diploma or master thesis?
Can the topic of the diploma or master thesis be changed?
Can the supervisor of a diploma or master thesis be changed?
Can the diploma or master thesis be written jointly?

Submission of the diploma or master thesis

What do I have to consider when writing a diploma or master thesis?
Where and how can I submit the diploma or master thesis?
Which deadlines must I keep in mind?

Registration for the final examination by commission

When can I register for the final examination by commission?
Who can assess?
Where and how can I register for the final examination by commission?

Graduation ceremony

When can I register for the graduation ceremony?
Where can I register for the final ceremony?

What do I have to do to receive a bachelor, master or diploma examination certification (also for teacher education study programmes)?

The following documents must be submitted to the secretary of the respective institute – students of the fields of study of USW-Economics and Business Administration submit the final period of study in the URBi-examination office:
Latest record of academic progress
Filled in protocols (obtainable at the homepage of the URBi-Faculty) here and here
Latest, complete certificate of successful course completion (obtainable at the study and examination office) – for the fields of study of education and sport, the course certification must also be submitted to the institute
Recognition and approval notifications (when applicable)
Subject examination and internship certifications (when applicable)
If a final examination via commission is stipulated within the respective study plan, you receive the master and diploma examination certification after positive absolving of this examination
The waiting period lasts 3 to 4 weeks.

Where can I collect the bachelor, master or diploma examination certification?

The bachelor, master or diploma examination certification can be collected at the examination office. More information (office hours etc.) can be found here.

Who can collect bachelor, master or diploma examination certifications?

When collecting your certifications personally, you must present a valid photo ID.
If students cannot collect their certifications personally, a written authorisation must be presented; this person has to identify her/himself also with a photo ID.
Bachelor, master or diploma examination certification can be sent to a domestic address on request via RSb (return letter).

What do I have to do if I lose the bachelor, master or diploma examination certification?

Duplicates can be requested via application (pdf) in the examination office. An official report of loss has to be added and the amount of € 1,50 per certification has to paid to the accounting department (Halbärthgasse 8). If a lost certification before 01.01.2001 has to be issued, an additional stamp fee of € 13,20 per certification has to be paid at the accounting department.

How and where to I have to announce the topic and the supervisor of my diploma or master thesis?

With this form (pdf) at the examination office. More information (office hours, etc) can be found here.
This form must be filled in three month before the submission of the scientific work (at the latest) and must be submitted at the examination office of the URBi-Faculty (Merangasse 18/EG) signed by yourself and your supervisor. The topic will be approved by the dean of studies/vice-dean of studies afterwards. The original remains in the examination office; a copy will be sent to the institute.

6. When do I have to announce the topic and supervisor of my diploma or master thesis?

In principle, you must announce the topic and supervisor of your diploma or master thesis to the director of studies, before beginning the work, in written form (earliest; after completion of the 1. period of study, latest; three month before submission of the diploma or master thesis). The topic and the supervisor are seen as accepted if the dean of studies/vice-dean of studies does not declare otherwise within one month after submission of the announcement with a notification. Until the submission of the master or diploma thesis, a change in supervisor is possible.

7. Where do I acquire a topic?

Information about the study law regulation can be found in the statute § 26 (1) and (2)
The topic of a master or diploma thesis is stipulated in the examination subjects within the curriculum, or is connected to one of these subjects in a reasonable way. You are allowed to suggest a topic or can choose one out from a number of suggestions provided by your supervisor.

8. Who can supervise a diploma or master thesis?

Information about the study law regulation can be found in the statute § 26 (3) and (4)
In principle, members of the university with a licence to teach; if needed the dean of studies/vice-dean of studies can entrust appropriated scientific staff or external staff who do not have the licence to teach with the supervision of the assessment of master and diploma theses.

9. Can the topic of the diploma or master thesis be changed?

The topic can be changed after approval granted by the supervisor but must be announced with a new application (pdf) submitted at the examination office.

10. Can the supervisor of a diploma or master thesis be changed?

Until the submission of the diploma or master thesis, the changing of the supervisor is possible, but must be announced with a new application (pdf) submitted at the examination office.

11. Can a diploma or master thesis be written jointly?

A number of students may jointly address a topic provided that the performance of individual students can be assessed and distinguished from one another. (§ 81 (2) UG 2002)

12. What do I have to consider writing a diploma or master thesis?

The information on your work as well as abstract shall be gathered on the business card under “final works” in UNIGRAZonline. If the input of the abstract in German and English is not managed before the submission of the work at the examination office, the master or diploma thesis cannot be accepted.
Since 01.10.2009, a further compulsory field is also added for a plagiarism check, as the abstract of the work must be written in German and English. This is compulsory since 01.20.2009 at the URBi-Faculty.

Each student is obliged to write an abstract in German and English before the submission of the final work. View of the students in UNIGRAZonline

At the business card under “Abschlussarbeiten/Neue Arbeit” you must fill in (save) the organisation, the study field and the time of publication;
Afterwards you have to fill (save) in the title of the final work, the abstract (maximum of 2000 characters each) and key words;
Under “Buch” you have to fill in the year;
Under “Autor” you have to select (save) the supervisor: “Neue Person hinzufügen”
Under “Kooperationspartner” you have to select (save) yes/no;
Update the last point (as soon as a green point appears, you can submit the final work to the examination office)

Please inform your supervisor about your completion of this process!

You receive concrete information about the requirements concerning content, structure and length of the work from your supervisor. Please take notice of formal conventions (e.g. referencing techniques, correct citation etc.).
The work has to be numbered until the last printed page – see plagiarism check
Example for the front page of the diploma thesis education (doc)
Example for the front page of the master thesis (social pedagogy/further education) (doc)
Example for the front page of the master thesis inclusive education WS11 (doc)
Example for the front page of the master thesis social pedagogy WS11 (doc)
Example for the front page of the diploma thesis sports science (doc)
Example for the front page of the master thesis sports science (doc)
Example for the front page of the master thesis USW geography (doc)
Example for the front page of the master thesis USW Business Administration/Economics (doc)
Example for the frontpage of the master thesis geography (pdf)
Extract from ÖNorm (pdf)

13. Where and how can I submit the diploma or master thesis?

The master or diploma thesis shall be submitted with the following forms and documents at the examination office:
2 copies of the diploma or master thesis - … (both copies must be of the same colour – please take care regarding page numbers – see plagiarism check)
Latest record of academic advancement (print-out from UNIGRAZonline)
3 abstracts in German (no more than 2000 characters, unbound, name of the author and title)
3 abstracts in English (no more than 2000 signs, unbound, name of the author and title)
1 Resume (signed)

Since 1.10.2008 NEW: Plagiarism check
After submission of a diploma or master thesis with the required accompanying documents at the examination office, the electronic submission will be activated. At your personal business card in UNIGRAZonline, you can see the section “Einreichen schriftlicher Arbeiten”. The detailed procedure can be found under “Guidelines for electronic submission of scientific works” (pdf). Solely after the plagiarism check, will the work be forwarded to your supervisor.

The declaration of authorship does not(!) have to be included in the thesis, as a corresponding formulation is already included on the form "Submission of the Master's Thesis" listed above.

14. Which deadlines must I keep in mind?

The diploma or master thesis shall be submitted at least two month prior to the desired dated of the final examination via commission since referring to the regulation of the study law within the statute (§ 26 the supervisor has two months’ time to assess the work. Solely after a positive review of the work is given to the examination office, and the other requirements according to the study plan are fulfilled, you can register for the final examination via commission (see regulation of the study law in the statute § 24 (5) and study plan).

Deadlines for the graduation of the study program

According to the resolution of the deans of studies and the director of studies (in force since 01.03.2010), the bound version of the scientific work has to be submitted four weeks before the desired date of examination at the dean’s office. The date of submission is the date of the upload of the plagiarism check.
Additionally the review of the scientific work has to be given to the dean’s office at least two weeks before the desired date. Hence, the form “Registration to the diploma examination via commission” can be completed, at the earliest, two weeks before the planned date. At this point of time all courses according to the study plan have to be completed and submitted to the dean’s office, before the form can be forwarded to the responsible dean of studies.
Concerning the registration to the diploma examination via commission and the submission of the courses; it is recommended that these be submitted approximately two weeks before the planned date, because a signature must be obtained and the examination senate must be notified on time.

15. When can I register for the final examination via commission?

Process for Education and Sports

After positive completion of all needed examinations and performances according to the study plan
After positive assessment of the diploma or master thesis

Process for Geography / USW with the special focus Geography, Business Administration and Economics:

The form “Registration to the diploma examination via commission” can be found here. The secretary of the institute confirms on the form that the requirements to conduct the examination via commission are fulfilled. These are for the completed diploma or master examinations the following:
The positive assessment of the diploma/master thesis (review)
The positive completion of all course examinations (inclusive of electives) and internships
The members of the examination senate confirm the date of the examination by their signature on the form. Thereafter, they bring the form to the URBi examination office. The dean of studies/vice-dean approves the form brought to him/her by the examination senate. The official, written information (information and protocol about the examination by commission) of the examiners is made by the URBi examination office. The institute publishes the information for the examination by commission on the bulletin board.

16. Who can assess?

The student can select the date of the examination and the composition of the examination senate for the completed diploma or master examination by commission. In this connection, one must be aware that the master or diploma examinations principally include habilitated university lecturers. Only in exceptional cases can non-habilitated scientific staff members or other qualified experts be convened.

Information on this topic can be found under the regulation of the study law within the statute § 24 (2) and (3)

17. Where and how can I register for the final examination by commission?

With the form “Registration to the diploma examination by commission” (doc) at the secretary of the respective institute.

18. When can I register for the graduation ceremony?

As soon as the completion of the study programme is shown in UNIGRAZonline on your business card under “Studienstatus”.

19. Where can I register for the final ceremony?

In the study department (Universitätsplatz 3, 1. floor), counter 6