Length
Thesis on Engineering Management MSc should be at least 50 pages (A4).
The number of pages specified does not include appendices. Deviations from the above length requirements are possible with the agreement of the Head of Department (in the case of planning tasks). Page numbering must start at the “Table of contents”.
Recommended structure
Depending on the topic, the thesis should preferably follow the structure outlined below:
- Outer cover (see Appendix 1)
- Cover page (see Appendix 2)
- Thesis topic announcement / Thesis sheet
- Plagiarism declaration (see Appendix 3)
- Abstract (maximum 1 page)
- Table of contents
- If necessary: list of figures, list of tables, explanation of abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1. Literature review
- 2. Material and method
- 3. Results and their evaluation
- 4. Inferences and proposition
- Summary
- Bibliography
- Appendices
Additional documents:
- Results of the plagiarism analysis (which must be uploaded to the e-learning platform).
The above structure also represents the main chapters of the thesis, which must be structured according to the requirements set out in section 4.1. Each main chapter must start on a new page. Each chapter must be numbered with decimal numerals, except for “Table of contents”, “Introduction”, “Summary”, “Bibliography”, and “Appendices”. The main chapters must be numbered with one numeral (1, 2, 3, etc.), the sub-chapters must be numbered with two or three numerals at maximum (1.1., 1.2., or 1.1.1., 1.1.2., etc.).
Content of chapters
It is recommended to prepare the main chapters considering the following:
Table of contents: Unnumbered chapter of the essay. The table of contents must be created as automatic links using the built-in tool in Word, which requires the chapters to be formatted as headings. The table of contents must include the numerals, titles, and page numbers of the main and sub-chapters.
List of figures/ list of tables: Unnumbered chapter of the thesis, not obligatory. These lists are not a bibliography of figures/tables. They only indicate where a figure/table is located within the thesis. The list of figures/tables must be created as automatic links using the built-in tool in Word.
Introduction: Unnumbered chapter of the thesis. The choice of topic must be justified, and its significance and relevance and timeliness must be demonstrated. The general objective of the research must be clearly defined, as well as 3-5 additional detailed objectives (I examine, evaluate, specify, compare, etc.). Length: 1-3 pages.
Literature review: Elaborating on the literature related to the topic. This is intended to demonstrate the student's professional competence. Newspaper articles, non-peer-reviewed conference proceedings, and abstracts are not considered sources. Internet citations must not exceed 20% of the total number of sources, with the exception of Open Access or On-Line peer-reviewed scientific articles/books.
The results presented in the literature must be critically analyzed and evaluated. Where relevant, contradictions/shortcomings in the existing knowledge should be determined, and it must be specified whether the solutions described in the thesis will address them.
The length should preferably be 15-20% of the thesis. The method of referencing is described below.
Material and method: When elaborating on the materials and methods used in studies and monographic analyses, the circumstances of the experiment/study, and the methods of analysis must be described. The chapter must be structured according to the points described in the objectives. The chapter should not exceed 10-15% of the thesis.
Results and their evaluation: This chapter presents the results of the analyses. It must be structured and sequenced according to the points described in the objectives. The results should be summarized in tables, illustrated with diagrams, and their reliability should be verified by mathematical - statistical methods, taking into account the characteristics of the field. It is important for the student to record and explain his/her results accurately, and to compare them clearly with other test results. The chapter should be 40-50% of the thesis.
Inferences and proposition: The student must describe the main conclusions drawn from the results, and suggest practical applications and improvements. The chapter may be merged with the previous chapter with the approval of the internal supervisor. It should preferably be 2-3 pages long.
Summary: Summary of the main points in a maximum of 3 pages. It must briefly describe the circumstances in which the investigations took place and the issues they covered, and to what extent the general objectives were met. The key (quantifiable, if possible) outcomes, findings, and conclusions related to each of the objectives described in the introduction must be described. Concise and clear wording must be sought. Length: 1-3 pages.
Bibliography: The bibliography can only contain the sources cited by the student in the thesis. See chapter 5 for details on the bibliography.
Appendices: Place for larger tables, figures, technical drawings, or source codes that are not feasible or practical to be inserted into the text. In addition, the documents on which the questionnaire survey is based, as well as the basic tables for statistical and mathematical calculations, may be placed here. In some cases, shorter documents (e.g. contracts, legal details) may also be included. This should not exceed 15-20 pages.