Thesis Projects

The purpose of a thesis project is conducting original research work in the field of mental health and behavioural medicine under supervision of experienced researchers. The mentoring team consists of an supervisor, of thesis committee members, and of lecturers.

The thesis project is the essential element of your doctoral study.
The thesis proposal (project plan) should be finalized and submitted in the course of the 1st or 2nd semester of your doctoral study.
The thesis project needs to address an original scientific research question in the field of mental health and behavioural medicine.

The project plan must contain the following aspects:

• background of the project
• methods/design/sample
• expected results
• scientific/clinical relevance

The project description needs to be clear to medical researchers who are not experts in your special area of research.

The project plan needs to be defended „in public“ by the doctoral student in front of the thesis committee.

The defensio will be successful if

• the planned project is compatible with medical ethics
• the project addresses an original scientific problem
• motivation of doctoral candidate and mentors is authentic
• the project plan is complete and reasonable
• space, equipment, consumables needed for the project are available

If you plan to perform your research as part of a specific department or clinical section, there might be additional requirements.

After successful defensio, the project plan has to be submitted to the curriculum coordinator. If he agrees, the project plan will be submitted to the curriculum director. After approval by the curriculum director the thesis proposal is formally registered as dissertation at the Medical University of Vienna.

Progress of the thesis project will be monitored on occasion of annual thesis committee meetings. It is the task of the doctoral student to organize the committee meetings in time. The curriculum coordinator has to be invited to all committee meetings.