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Psychology Undergraduate Program

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• Past & Current Theses

Current Approved Thesis Proposals

2024-25 Approved Thesis Proposals

2025-26 Approved Thesis Proposals

Lists of Past Theses

Class of 2024 /  2023 /  2022 /  2021 /  2020  / 2019  /  2018 /  2017 /  2016 /  2015 /  2014 2013 /  2012  /  2011  /  2010  /  2009 /  2008 /  2007 /  2006  /  2005  /  2004   2003  /  2002  /  2001  (PDF)/  2000  (PDF) /  1999  (PDF) List of Prize-Winning Theses, 2001 - Present

Reading Sample Theses

As you prepare for your thesis, you might want to get a sense of what you can accomplish in your finished product. Reading past theses can show you the scope and nature of well-done undergraduate projects. Because theses in different areas of psychology often look quite different, it will help you to examine several in the same general area you plan to conduct your research in.

The Psychology Undergraduate Office has hard copies of several prize-winning theses from the past five years that you may sign out to see what the best undergraduate work looks like. Above, you can browse the titles of past undergraduate theses to give you an idea of the topics of theses students typically write.

Only hard copies of recent prize-winning theses are currently available.

Please note: Recent theses stored in the Social Relations Library (which recently closed) are unavailable. Inquirers needing a thesis that is not listed in HOLLIS should contact the authors of theses directly to attempt to obtain a copy.  

Table of Contents

• 2025 February Thesis Deadlines
• 2025 May Thesis Deadlines
• 2026 February Thesis Deadlines
• 2026 May Thesis Deadlines

Psychology Afstudeerweb/ graduation web

Welcome to the graduation website for the bachelor’s and master’s programme in Psychology.

Here you can find information about the bachelor’s and master’s thesis, such as a step-by-step plan, contacts, forms and links. If you have questions about the information on this website please contact the study advisers .

• Bachelor thesis overview
• 1. Preparing your thesis project
• 2. Starting your thesis
• 3. Formal arrangements (Mobility Online & Ethics approval)
• 4. Working on your thesis
• 5. Assessment bachelor's thesis
• 6. Finalizing your bachelor's thesis
• Forms and links
• Master thesis overview
• 5. Assessment thesis
• 6. Finalising the master's examination
• After graduation

• Social psychology /
• Bachelor theses at the Chair o...

Bachelor theses at the Chair of Social Psychology

Informationen on the supervision of Bachelor theses

The Bachelor's thesis comprises the independent processing of a generally empirically-oriented research question as well as the written documentation of this work in accordance with the rules of the subject.

The following types of Bachelor's theses can be completed at the Department of Social Psychology:

Literature thesis

The literature thesis comprises an independent summary of the state of research in a thematically defined area on the basis of a systematic review of the relevant theoretical and empirical research literature. The candidate provides an overview of the historical development of research; he/she identifies different positions in the research field and demarcates current trends. The strengths and weaknesses of different theoretical and methodological approaches (including their empirical validity) are systematically worked out on the basis of original literature and evaluated using scientific criteria. Conclusions are drawn with regard to research desiderata and potential applications. The central results of the literature work are summarized in a short “press release” in an addressee-oriented manner.

Conceptual thesis for the examination of a basic scientific question

This form of Bachelor's thesis includes all the steps involved in planning a basic scientific research project on topics in social psychology. You will derive further hypotheses from the research literature on the basis of a systematic theoretical and empirical justification and explain what theoretical knowledge gain can be expected for the research area by testing these hypotheses. They develop two alternative research designs for testing the hypotheses and work out the advantages and disadvantages of both designs. On the basis of this consideration, all steps of operationalization (e.g. questionnaire design, sample planning), implementation (recruitment) and data analysis (i.e. the selection of statistical methods is justified, possible limitations are anticipated and preventive measures to mitigate the limitations are proposed) are then worked out for the design considered to be superior. The focus of the work is therefore on the comparison, consideration and subsequent well-founded decision for a study design, which is described in detail. The study design should be described so well that it can be carried out by third parties after reading your work. The thesis is therefore particularly suitable for you if you are interested in planning a study and methods and enjoy working creatively on the basis of scientific criteria.

Empirical thesis (replication study, primary study)

This form of Bachelor's thesis involves either the replication of an already published empirical study (original study) or the implementation of a primary study.

The replication of research findings is an essential part of the research process, as a one-off result can only be interpreted with reservations and does not provide a reliable basis for deriving practical implications. The aim of the replication study format is therefore to repeat an influential study that has already been published. The studies to be replicated are specified by the teaching area and have been selected in such a way that the study design and evaluation methods are appropriate for a Bachelor's thesis and the studies can be conducted online. The replication studies are already fully programmed - the translation and, if necessary, adaptation of the (usually English-language) study materials and the programming of the online study are therefore not part of your Bachelor's thesis.

When conducting a primary study , all steps of a research process are run through. This means that research questions/hypotheses are theoretically derived in a defined research area, the study is conceived in collaboration with the supervisor (design, procedure, operationalization, etc.) and data is collected in order to test the research questions/hypotheses. The programming of the online study is not part of your Bachelor's thesis.

Supervision

After registering at the examination office and being assigned to the teaching area, you will receive an email in which you will be assigned a topic and a supervisor. The head of the department, Prof. Dr. Stürmer, or a member of the department's academic staff will be the primary supervisor of your Bachelor's thesis and will be available for consultation while you are working on it. The co-supervisor is either Prof. Dr. Stürmer or another member of academic staff. Upon binding registration, the member of staff will be available for an appropriate number of personal consultations during the processing period. In addition, there is the possibility of clarifying questions by email to a reasonable extent during the entire processing period.

Formalities

The scope and duration of the Bachelor's thesis are specified in §9 of the study regulations; the usual guidelines for manuscript design (APA or DGPs) are binding for the formal design. The B.Sc. thesis is assessed in accordance with the examination regulations by a research assistant (Diploma or Master's degree in Psychology) and the head of the department.