Instructions

Finding a topic and registering

Browse the open topics on the Theses page, or propose your own that fits our research. Talk to the advisor listed on the topic to agree on the scope, then register the thesis on the HSG Topic Marketplace (needs an HSG login). If you are unsure where to start, contact the advisor or Bruno Rodrigues.

What we expect

Every thesis with the Sensing Group produces and evaluates a working artifact: we always expect some form of implementation, not only a concept on paper.

Bachelor’s thesis. You apply a concept covered in the course to a concrete problem. The core is an engineering contribution: you build an artifact (code, a prototype, a system) that supports the thesis objectives, and you evaluate it. Engineering is always present in a Bachelor’s thesis, which may also include a research element when it goes beyond the minimal requirements.

Master’s thesis. A Master’s thesis goes a step further. Alongside the engineering contribution, you answer at least one research question, evaluate it properly, and contrast your results against the state of the art. Both research and engineering elements are visible in the outcome.

Deliverables

At the end you deliver everything: the written thesis and its source files, all code (with any data or instructions needed to reproduce your artifact), and your presentation slides. Hand in a self-contained package so the work can be understood, reproduced, and evaluated.

Some projects carry confidentiality requirements: for example, a piece of existing code, a dataset, or outcomes based on confidential data. If your thesis contributes to such a project, we will tell you what applies. In those cases the confidential material stays restricted, and we may publish a censored version of the thesis while the full version remains private.

Templates

Write your thesis in LaTeX using our template. Download the LaTeX thesis template and either upload the zip to a new Overleaf project or compile it locally. It sets up the title page, the chapter structure, and the citation style for you, and works for both Bachelor’s and Master’s theses.

For your presentations, use the presentation template.

Supervision and meetings

We work closely with our students. Plan for a weekly meeting with your advisor to keep a regular feedback cycle, unblock issues early, and make sure the thesis stays on track. Come prepared: what you did, what you found, and where you are stuck.

Midterm presentation

Every thesis, Bachelor’s or Master’s, includes a midterm presentation. It is a checkpoint to present your problem, your approach, and your progress, and to get feedback while there is still time to act on it.

All presentations, midterm and final, are 20 minutes, followed by a 10-minute question-and-answer session.

Writing the thesis

• Start writing early. Do not leave writing to the end: draft sections as you go and revise. Good writing is rewriting.
• Structure. A thesis typically flows as introduction and motivation, background and related work, approach, evaluation, discussion, and conclusion. Make each chapter’s purpose clear.
• Figures and tables. Every figure and table should make one point, carry a self-contained caption, and be referenced from the text.
• Be precise and honest. State what you did, what you found, and what it means. Report negative results too: they are first-class findings.

Related work and citations

• Position your work. Related work is not a list of summaries. Explain how each prior work relates to yours, and which gap you address.
• Cite everything. Any claim, number, figure, dataset, or idea that is not your own needs a citation. Use a reference manager (BibTeX with the template, or Zotero) so the bibliography stays consistent.
• Use primary sources. Cite the original work rather than a summary of it, and read what you cite.

Academic integrity and plagiarism

Plagiarism is a serious offence and can fail the thesis. Every submitted thesis is checked automatically: the University of St. Gallen’s Plagiarism Office screens written work centrally and systematically with Turnitin. Always present others’ text, figures, code, and ideas as theirs, not yours:

• Quote and cite any verbatim text; when you paraphrase, still cite the source.
• Figures and code taken or adapted from others must be credited, and their licences respected.

You will sign a declaration of authorship with your submission. Follow the University of St. Gallen’s rules on scientific integrity and research ethics, which always take precedence over this page.

Using AI

We embrace AI tools, used critically. They can help you brainstorm, structure, debug, and polish, and learning to use them well is part of the craft. But you are the author and you are responsible for every word: verify what they produce, never present AI output as established fact or as your own literature review, and keep your own thinking at the centre. In line with the University of St. Gallen, where the focus is on critical reflection, use AI transparently, disclose how you used it as required, and never let it replace your understanding or your integrity.