Instructions for the Bachelor's and Master's Thesis Procedure
The process of preparing, submitting, uploading, and defending a final thesis is conducted through the VIS Student Information System under the “Completion of Studies” tab.
Through the VIS system, students:
- register their thesis proposal,
- submit their final thesis,
- submit applications and requests related to the thesis process.
These instructions apply to bachelor’s theses within the undergraduate study programmes of the Dance Academy.
The final thesis must be prepared in accordance with the currently valid Guidelines for the Preparation and Formatting of Professional and Scientific Texts of Alma Mater and the provisions of the Regulations on the Bachelor’s Thesis of the Dance Academy.
For the study tracks Contemporary Dance, Jazz, Urban Dance, Competitive Dance and Ballroom Dance, the final thesis consists of a graduation performance and a written thesis, forming a unified conceptual and content-based whole. Both components are publicly presented and defended before an examination committee.
For the Ballet study track, the thesis may be prepared either:
- in a practical and written format, or
- in an exclusively written format.
- Selection of the topic and supervisor
- Requirements for thesis proposal submission
- Preparation of the thesis proposal
- Artistic component of the thesis
- Submission of the thesis proposal in VIS
- Validity of the thesis proposal
- Applications during thesis preparation
- Preparation of the thesis
- Conditions for submission of the diploma thesis
- Proofreading and required appendices
- Technical review and similarity check
- Submission of the final thesis in VIS
- Review of the thesis by the committee
- Thesis review by the committee
- Defence committee
- Date and public nature of the defence
- Defence procedure
- Assessment
- Corrections after the defence
- Negative assessment of the diploma thesis
- Temporary restriction of access to the diploma thesis
- Completion of studies
Selection of the topic and supervisor
Students choose the topic of their thesis in consultation with their supervisor.
The topic may:
- be selected from proposals published in VIS,
- be proposed by the student,
- originate from a company, institution, or another external organisation.
Approved thesis topics are available in VIS:
Documents → Other Documents → Graduation and Master’s Thesis – Dance Academy
Students may:
- select one of the published topics;
- propose their own topic;
- develop a topic suggested by an organisation or external partner.
Appointment of a Supervisor
Students are generally responsible for obtaining a supervisor independently.
When registering the thesis proposal, the student’s supervisor must provide formal consent.
If a student cannot obtain a supervisor independently, they may submit a request to the Committee for Academic Affairs (CAA) for the appointment of a supervisor.
The supervisor of a bachelor’s thesis must be a qualified higher education teacher in the field covered by the thesis.
The supervisor of a master’s thesis must hold the academic title of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Full Professor and possess appropriate research achievements in the relevant field.
The supervisor:
- guides the student in preparing the thesis proposal;
- provides methodological guidance;
- supervises preparation of the written thesis;
- for artistic programmes, also supervises preparation and execution of the graduation performance;
- ensures the academic quality of the thesis.
The supervisor normally provides feedback on the thesis proposal or thesis within 15 days. A repeated review normally takes place within 30 days.
A supervisor, co-supervisor, or workplace co-supervisor may not be related to the student or have any relationship that could result in a conflict of interest.
Co-supervisor and Workplace Co-supervisor
A co-supervisor may be appointed for interdisciplinary topics.
If the supervisor is not a member of the academic staff of the Dance Academy, a co-supervisor who is a member of the academic staff of the Dance Academy may also be appointed.
Students may additionally propose a workplace co-supervisor from a company, institution, or another organisation when part of the research or creative process is connected to that organisation. Workplace co-supervision must be justified in the thesis proposal application.
Requirements for thesis proposal submission
A student may register a bachelor’s thesis proposal when:
- all first- and second-year study obligations amounting to 120 ECTS credits have been completed;
- no more than four third-year study obligations remain outstanding.
Second-cycle students may register a master’s thesis proposal when they have no more than 60 ECTS credits remaining.
Preparation of the thesis proposal
Students prepare their proposal using the valid template available in VIS:
Documents → Other Documents → Graduation and Master’s Thesis – Dance Academy
Before submission, the proposal must be harmonised with the prospective supervisor and any co-supervisor or workplace co-supervisor.
The proposal normally includes:
- working title of the thesis;
- activities required for completion of the thesis;
- description of the research problem;
- purpose and objectives;
- research questions and/or hypotheses;
- methodology;
- proposed structure of the thesis;
- list of literature and sources.
The bibliography must include at least 20 references.
More than one quarter of the references must be foreign sources and more than half must be less than ten years old.
Artistic component of the thesis
Contemporary Dance, Jazz, Urban Dance, Competitive Dance and Ballroom Dance
The thesis consists of:
- a graduation performance;
- a written thesis.
The graduation performance may include:
- a solo performance;
- a duet, trio, quartet, or another group format;
- participation in the role of choreographer and/or performer.
The graduation performance normally lasts approximately 20 minutes.
The following may participate:
- third-year Dance Academy students;
- second-year students with the supervisor’s approval;
- external collaborators with the approval of the supervisor and the management of the Dance Academy.
The performance may also be staged outside the premises of the Dance Academy subject to prior approval from the Academy’s management.
Ballet
The thesis may be prepared:
- in a practical and written format;
- in an exclusively written format.
The practical component may consist of:
- teaching a ballet or dance class/workshop;
- practical presentation of research;
- a lecture accompanied by a practical demonstration or audiovisual support.
The practical component normally lasts approximately 20 minutes.
Submission of the thesis proposal in VIS
Students submit their proposal through:
Completion of Studies → Topic Submission
The proposal submission includes:
- thesis proposal;
- supervisor’s consent;
- consent of any co-supervisor or workplace co-supervisor;
- any additional supporting documentation.
Supervisors may provide approval directly in VIS.
Where this is not possible, students print Form O1 – Final Thesis Proposal Application, obtain the required signatures, and submit the signed form to the Office for Academic Affairs.
Without the supervisor’s consent, the Committee for Academic Affairs will not review the proposal.
The Committee may:
- approve the proposal;
- return it for revision;
- reject it.
The Committee may additionally:
- appoint another supervisor;
- appoint a co-supervisor;
- request additional clarification or amendments.
If revisions are required, the student must submit a corrected version. Upon a third unsuccessful revision, the proposal is rejected.
Validity of the thesis proposal
An approved bachelor’s thesis proposal remains valid for twelve months from the date of approval by the Committee for Academic Affairs.
The thesis must be submitted and prepared for defence within this period.
If students cannot complete the thesis within this period, they must submit a request through VIS no later than one month before expiry:
Extension of Final Thesis Proposal Validity
The Committee determines whether an extension will be granted and its duration.
If the student neither submits the thesis nor requests an extension, the topic and supervisor are considered withdrawn.
Applications during thesis preparation
Through VIS students may submit:
- a request to extend the validity of the proposal;
- a request to replace the supervisor;
- a request to change the thesis title or topic.
If a topic change is approved, a new proposal must be submitted and the procedure begins again.
Students may normally request withdrawal from an approved topic only once.
Preparation of the thesis
The written thesis is prepared under the guidance of the supervisor and in accordance with the Alma Mater formatting guidelines.
The written bachelor’s thesis normally consists of 35–50 pages of A4 text, excluding preliminary pages, bibliography, and appendices.
The thesis must demonstrate:
- knowledge of theoretical concepts within the discipline;
- familiarity with the selected field of research;
- ability to conduct independent research;
- appropriate methodological application;
- critical analysis and interpretation of results.
The thesis may follow:
- an artistic-research model; or
- an empirical-research model.
Master’s theses normally comprise 60–80 pages.
The thesis may be written in:
- Slovenian;
- English;
- Croatian;
- German;
- Italian.
Preparation in another foreign language requires approval of the Committee for Academic Affairs.
The thesis must include:
- an abstract in the language of the thesis;
- an abstract in Slovenian;
- an abstract in English.
If written in a foreign language, an extended summary in Slovenian must also be included.
Conditions for submission of the diploma thesis
A student may submit the diploma thesis once all study obligations prescribed by the study programme have been successfully completed.
Before the technical review, the content of the diploma thesis must be approved by the mentor and, where applicable, the co-mentor.
The mentor and, where applicable, the co-mentor may provide their approval through the VIS system or by signing Form O3 – Application for Submission of the Diploma Thesis, which the student submits to the Student Affairs Office.
The artistic component or teaching session that forms an integral part of the diploma thesis must also be completed before submission.
Proofreading and required appendices
The diploma thesis must undergo language proofreading prior to submission.
The following documents must be included as appendices to the diploma thesis:
- Form O6 – Proofreading Certificate;
- Form O7 – Declaration of Authorship;
- Institutional Consent, if the research was conducted within an institution.
The Declaration of Authorship, Proofreading Certificate, and, where applicable, the Institutional Consent must be included at the end of the diploma thesis.
Technical review and similarity check
Following approval by the mentor and, where applicable, the co-mentor, the student must complete:
- a technical review of the diploma thesis;
- a similarity and authenticity check of the text.
The diploma thesis, in DOC or DOCX format, must be sent to:
The student must attach:
- Form O15 – Declaration upon Submission for Technical Review;
- any additional documentation required under the applicable guidelines.
The professional services verify:
- compliance with formatting and technical requirements;
- compliance with the applicable Guidelines;
- the result of the similarity check.
After the review has been completed, the authorized staff member records the completion of the review in the VIS system, and the student receives notification that the diploma thesis may be uploaded to VIS.
Submission of the final thesis in VIS
After successfully completing the technical review, the student converts the diploma thesis and all required appendices into PDF/A format and uploads them to the VIS system:
Completion of Studies → Thesis Submission
When submitting the thesis, the student must correctly enter:
- the final title of the diploma thesis;
- keywords;
- an abstract in Slovenian;
- an abstract in English.
All information must be written accurately and in accordance with spelling and grammar rules. Capital letters should only be used where required by orthographic standards.
A document prepared in Microsoft Word should normally be saved as PDF/A using the following procedure:
File → Save As → PDF → Options → check “ISO 19005-1 compliant (PDF/A)”
The electronic version must be identical to the final printed version of the diploma thesis.
Review of the thesis by the committee
Once the thesis is appropriate in terms of content and technical requirements, the Head or Director of the study programme appoints the Defence Committee.
Within ten days of its appointment, the Committee must state whether the thesis is suitable for defence.
If a Committee member identifies deficiencies, they must provide a written explanation to the student and the other members. After the deficiencies have been remedied, the thesis is resubmitted to the Committee.
Upon a third unsuccessful attempt to remedy the deficiencies, the thesis may be rejected in its entirety.
Thesis review by the committee
Once the diploma thesis has been approved for defence, the student submits all required copies and supporting documents and fulfills all requirements for admission to the defence.
Prior to the defence, the student must:
- complete all study obligations of the study programme;
- settle all financial obligations to the Dance Academy;
- submit the final electronic version of the diploma thesis;
- submit the required printed copy of the diploma thesis.
If the mentor, co-mentor, or industrial co-mentor wishes to receive a copy of the diploma thesis, the student must provide it.
Defence committee
The Defence Committee normally consists of:
- the Chair of the Committee;
- the mentor;
- one additional committee member.
The Chair must be a higher education teacher. The mentor may not serve as Chair of the Committee.
The additional member may be a higher education teacher, higher education associate, or researcher.
In the event of disagreement regarding the final assessment, the decision of the Chair is decisive.
Date and public nature of the defence
The date, location, and time of the defence are determined by the members of the Committee in cooperation with the Student Affairs Office.
The defence is normally held within 30 days of the thesis being approved for defence.
The Student Affairs Office informs the student and committee members of the scheduled defence date.
The defence is public. The date, location, and time may be announced on the Dance Academy website or social media channels.
Recording the defence is permitted only with the prior consent of the Dance Academy management, the student, and all committee members.
In exceptional cases, the defence may be conducted remotely using technology that enables audio and video communication.
Defence procedure
The defence is normally conducted in person at a location designated by the Dance Academy.
For the Contemporary Dance, Jazz, Urban Dance, Competitive Dance, and Ballroom Dance study tracks, the defence takes place immediately after the diploma performance. For the Ballet study track, it takes place immediately after the teaching session or presentation of the practical component. In this way, the Committee assesses the diploma thesis as a unified whole consisting of both the artistic or pedagogical component and the written component.
If a Ballet student prepares the diploma thesis exclusively in written form, the student presents the research project and key findings during the defence.
Before the defence begins, the Committee meets in a closed session to verify that all requirements for the defence have been fulfilled.
Defence Procedure
The defence is chaired by the Chair of the Committee, who:
- introduces the student and Committee members;
- verifies that all graduation requirements have been fulfilled;
- presents the topic of the diploma thesis and explains the defence procedure.
The student then presents the diploma thesis. The presentation normally lasts up to 15 minutes and may include the use of audiovisual materials.
Following the presentation, the mentor provides a brief professional opinion of the diploma thesis. Committee members then ask questions related to the thesis, the artistic or pedagogical process, and the research findings.
After the defence, the Committee meets in a closed session to assess the diploma thesis and the defence and to determine the final grade.
In exceptional cases, the defence may also be conducted remotely using technology that enables audio and video communication.
Minutes are taken throughout the defence, recording the proceedings, questions raised by the Committee members, and the Committee’s final decision.
Assessment
Following the defence, the Committee evaluates the diploma thesis and the defence and determines the final grade.
Contemporary Dance, Jazz, Urban Dance, Competitive Dance and Ballroom Dance
The final grade consists of:
- 40% written thesis;
- 40% artistic component (diploma performance);
- 20% oral defence.
Ballet (Practical-Written Format)
The final grade consists of:
- 40% written thesis;
- 40% teaching session or practical component;
- 20% oral defence.
Ballet (Written-Only Format)
The final grade consists of:
- 80% written thesis;
- 20% oral defence.
When assessing the diploma thesis, the Committee primarily considers:
- the quality of the written thesis;
- the quality of the artistic or pedagogical component;
- the integration of the practical and theoretical components;
- the originality and creative contribution of the student;
- the complexity of the topic;
- the quality of the presentation;
- the quality of the answers provided during the defence.
Corrections after the defence
If the Committee identifies minor deficiencies during the defence, it may allow the defence to be completed and require the student to revise or supplement the diploma thesis.
The required corrections are recorded in the defence minutes.
The student must submit the corrected electronic version of the diploma thesis within 30 days after the defence.
The Chair of the Committee reviews the corrections and confirms whether they have been adequately completed.
If the corrected version is not submitted within the prescribed period, or if the deficiencies have not been adequately addressed, the defence is annulled and the diploma thesis is graded as Fail (5).
Negative assessment of the diploma thesis
If the diploma thesis receives a failing grade (5), the student may repeat the submission procedure with the same title and mentor, provided this is done within six months of receiving the assessment.
Within the same period, the student may withdraw from the diploma thesis and begin a new procedure with a new title and mentor.
If the diploma thesis or defence receives a failing assessment again, the procedure may be repeated once more in accordance with the applicable regulations.
If the student submits an unsuitable thesis proposal or diploma thesis for the third time, the Committee for Academic Affairs may propose an extraordinary termination of studies to the Senate.
Temporary restriction of access to the diploma thesis
Access to the content of a diploma thesis may exceptionally be restricted due to:
- protection of trade secrets;
- protection of intellectual property rights;
- ensuring the safety of people and the environment;
- protection of classified information.
The mentor and the student must submit a written request before the diploma thesis is submitted, together with an explanation and supporting evidence.
The request is decided upon by the Head or Director of the study programme.
Restricted access may be granted for a maximum period of three years from the date of the defence.
Completion of studies
Following a successful defence, the Student Affairs Office records the completion of studies and enters the final grade into the academic records.
The student receives a temporary certificate of graduation, which remains valid until the official diploma is issued.
The date of the successful defence is considered the official date on which the professional title is obtained.
Upon successful completion of the study programme, the student is awarded the professional title in accordance with the applicable regulations and the accredited study programme of the Dance Academy.
Questions about completing your studies?
The Student Affairs Office is open every working day from 10:00 to 15:00. Slovenska ulica 17, 2000 Maribor.