HSG St. Gallen: AI Rules for Theses
At the University of St. Gallen, AI is treated as an aid. In the official declaration of authorship you confirm that you used only the aids listed in the directory, that all parts produced with aids are declared, and that you handled AI input and output responsibly. Check with your supervisor for course-specific rules.
What the official text says
These are the university's own words, quoted as published. Where the original is French, the third column paraphrases it; it is not a translation.
| Source | Official wording (verbatim) | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| HSG: Weisungen des Studiensekretärs, Ziff. 5.1.1Source 1 | Wenn KI als Hilfsmittel verwendet wird, wie bspw. zur Rechtschreibekontrolle, dann ist dies im Hilfsmittelverzeichnis gemäss Ziff. 5.3 aufzuführen. | Even AI spell-checking goes in the aids directory. |
| HSG: Weisungen des Studiensekretärs, Ziff. 5.3Source 1 | Das Hilfsmittelverzeichnis ist am Anfang oder am Ende der Arbeit anzufügen. | Put the aids directory at the start or end of the thesis. |
| HSG: EigenständigkeitserklärungSource 1 | dass ich die Arbeit nur unter Verwendung der im Verzeichnis angegebenen Hilfsmittel verfasst habe; • dass alle mit Hilfsmitteln erbrachten Teile der Arbeit deklariert wurden; • dass ich bei der Nutzung von KI verantwortungsvoll mit dem Input wie auch mit dem Output umgegangen bin. | Three things you sign: only listed aids, every aided part declared, responsible AI use. |
What you have to do
Ask your supervisor before you start writing and keep a short log of every AI use (tool, date, task, what you kept). The declaration is much easier to fill in from a log than from memory.
Build the aids directory as a table with the aid or tool and what you used it for. The directive's own example rows include Elicit and DeepL Write.
If AI-generated text is itself what you study, cite it by your field's standard (Ziff. 5.1.1). If you use generative AI to produce research data, explain that in the text, method or appendix.
What the rule leaves open
We read the German directive and declaration only. For exams, lecturers can add conditions, for example submitting prompts, on the course and exam fact sheet.
Questions this guide answers
Every answer below is assembled from the dated fields on this page. Nothing is written separately for search.
Can I use AI in my HSG thesis?
Yes, as a declared aid used responsibly. Course rules come from your supervisor or lecturer.
Where do I declare AI at HSG?
In the aids directory (Hilfsmittelverzeichnis), confirmed by the declaration of authorship.
Where does the aids directory go?
At the start or end of the work (Ziff. 5.3). Even AI spell-checking goes in it (Ziff. 5.1.1).