Master Thesis

For detailed information, please refer to the official website of the Registrar’s Office.

Students in the Materials Science and Engineering (SMX) program can complete their Master’s thesis through one of three options. All options require the approval and supervision of an SMX professor or MER.

Option 1: Master thesis at EPFL

Where: A laboratory of the Institute of Materials (IMX) or of another EPFL institute.

Duration: 18 weeks, including 1 week of vacation.

Finding a project: Many laboratories publish available Master’s thesis topics on their websites. See the IMX laboratories page for an overview. You are also encouraged to contact laboratories directly to discuss projects that match your interests.

Supervision requirements:

  • The EPFL supervisor must be a professor or a MER affiliated with SMX.
  • If the project is carried out in a laboratory of another EPFL institute, co-supervision by an SMX professor or MER is mandatory.

Option 2: Master thesis in academia outside EPFL

Where: A university or academic research institute outside EPFL, in Switzerland or abroad.

Duration: 18 to 26 weeks, including 1 week of vacation. The exact length is agreed upon with the host institution and the EPFL supervisor.

Supervision requirements:

  • The EPFL supervisor must be a professor or MER from SMX, who remains responsible for the academic oversight of the project and for the evaluation of the thesis.

Option 3: Master thesis in industry (PDMe)

Where: A company in Switzerland or abroad.

Duration: 18 to 26 weeks, including 1 week of vacation. The exact length is agreed upon with the host institution and the EPFL supervisor.

❗If the PDMe includes the engineering internship, its duration is 26 weeks (including 1 week of vacation).

Supervision requirements:

  • Securing an SMX supervisor before signing any agreement with a company is essential. Offers accepted without prior supervisor approval may not be validated as a Master’s thesis.

Enrollment Procedure

Step 1: Register on IS-Academia

Register your Master’s project on IS-Academia, using the course registration module, as soon as registrations open.

Step 2: Submit the signed registration form

Send the signed registration form (PDF) to the SMX by email at smx@epfl.ch

❗ Both steps are required. Registering on IS-Academia alone does not complete your enrollment, and the same applies to submitting the form alone.

Start dates

  • Spring semester: projects can start between January 1 and May 31.
  • Fall semester: projects can start between June 1 and December 31.
  • Projects must always begin on a Monday.

Graduation timeline

To take part in the graduation ceremony of the current year (the Magistrale, held at the end of September), the Registrar’s Office must receive your final grade no later than mid-September.

Report Submission

❗ Deadline: Submit your report on the date indicated in IS-A, no later than 12h (noon, local Swiss time).

1. Send the electronic version by email

  • Format: PDF.
  • Recipients: Your EPFL supervisor, your expert and SMX (smx@epfl.ch).
  • If the file is too large for email, use a file transfer service.

2. Upload to IS-A (non-confidential projects only)

  • Non-confidential Master’s projects must also be uploaded to IS-A on the submission day, before noon.
  • Format: PDF, maximum 20 MB.

Project title

You can modify the project title in your IS-A registration until the day of report submission. This title will appear on your diploma supplement, so check it carefully before submitting.

Oral examination

The oral examination usually takes place two to four weeks after report submission. The exact date is agreed upon by the student, the EPFL supervisor and the expert, and is then entered in IS-A by the EPFL supervisor.

Semester