Theses

For theses at the Chair of Environmental and Behavioral Economics, students may apply for advertised topics or submit their own topic proposal. Proposed topics must be related to the chair’s research areas and include a clearly defined research question as well as a description of the intended methodology. General information on the assignment topics and supervision of theses can be found under Assignment of topics and supervision. Specific requirements and currently available topics are listed under Requirements and topics. The regulations outlined under Formal guidelines and data protection must be strictly observed when preparing a thesis.

Assignment of topics and supervision: Bachelor and Master theses

1. Topic

If you choose an advertised topic, please directly contact the supervisor mentioned in the topic description. In case you want to suggest a topic yourself or if you have general questions, please feel free to contact Marcel Lumkowsky.

2. Assignment

After you have discussed your topic with your prospective supervisor, you can hand in your formal application. The application must contain the following elements:

Proposal
The proposal contains a maximum of 2 pages. It includes the background and motivation of your thesis and formulates a clear research question that you intend to answer within the thesis. In addition, it includes a detailed description of the methodological approach you intend to use. For quantitative research, please outline the methodological fundamentals as well as available data. In case of theoretical or literature-based research, the relevant literature in particular must be described.
Structure of the thesis
Briefly outline the structure of your thesis. The length of the sections and subsections should reflect their importance within the thesis. Do not include more than three structural levels.
Curriculum Vitae
Overview of courses and grades of your current study program
Contact sheet

3. Revision of the proposal

After consultation with us, a revision of the proposal and the structure may be necessary. After the successful revision of the proposal the first examiner will officially register the thesis at the examination office.

4. Registration

After the official registration of your thesis at the examination office, you will have to complete your thesis within the frame set by your examination regulations. You will receive a letter with information about the registration and deadline of your thesis from the examination office.

Requirements and topics: Bachelor thesis

Bachelor thesis requirements:

Successful completion of a course offered by our chair

In addition, further specific requirements may apply to individual topics. The requirements must be fulfilled at the time the topic is assigned.

For your own topic suggestions, please note the following guidelines:

In Bachelor theses, questions are possible that are answered exclusively with the help of a literature review. Please note that you should already name a very concrete question that represents the basis for the literature review. It is not sufficient to mention only a general keyword or phenomenon (e.g., loss aversion or polarization) as a possible topic. Empirical work is also possible in the context of a Bachelor thesis. In particular, replications of published experiments or econometric analyses are possible.

Currently, the following topics for Bachelor theses are advertised:

Durchsetzung von Verhaltensregeln

The following overview presents a selection of topics that have been examined in Bachelor theses:

2025

Bewertung eines Umweltgutes mittels der kontingenten Bewertungsmethode: Der Fall abgebrannter Waldflächen im Nationalpark Harz
Dispositionseffekt und Momentum-Effekt in Finanzmärkten - Eine verhaltensökonomische Analyse
Der Einfluss von Ego Depletion auf nachhaltigen Kleidungskonsum

2024

Marktbasierte Klimaschutzinstrumente für die Luftfahrt - EU-EHS und CORSIA im Vergleich
Klima-Cuisine: Eine empirische Analyse zur Wirksamkeit von Nudging für klimafreundlichere Ernährungsentscheidungen anhand eines Survey Experiments
Maßnahmen zur Reduktion des Konsums tierischer Erzeugnisse

2023

Welche Auswirkungen hatte die Covid-19 Pandemie auf die Lebensmittelverschwendung der Haushalte?
Online vs. Labor – Eine vergleichende Analyse der Umgebung in der experimentellen Ökonomie
Der Einfluss der Illusion of Control und des Near-Miss Effekts auf das Glücksspielverhalten von Individuen

2022

Tap water versus bottled water consumption: Motivational factors and the impact of environmental information on intended behavior
How can food waste nudges change consumer behavior and how can they be improved? A systematic literature review
Does provision of information influence the intended bottled water consumption?

2021

Do younger generations drink less bottled water?
Ein Stups in die richtige Richtung? - Die Wirksamkeit und Legitimität von Nudging im Kontext des Energieverbrauchs
Wirtschaftliche Folgen der Ausbreitung der pazifischen Auster im Wattenmeer

Requirements and topics: Master thesis

Master thesis requirements:

Successful completion of a course with econometric content (including tutorial with statistical software)
Successful completion of the course "Foundations of Experimental Economics"

In addition, further specific requirements may apply to individual topics. The requirements must be fulfilled at the time the topic is assigned.

For your own topic suggestions, please note the following guidelines:

Master theses must include an original quantitative empirical analysis. Data may be collected by the student or obtained from publicly available sources. Topics based exclusively on qualitative data collection (e.g., interviews) are not eligible.

Currently, the following topics for Master theses are advertised:

A Tax is (Not) a Fine? Examining the Framing of Pigouvian Taxes in an Environmental Context

The following overview presents a selection of topics that have been examined in Master theses: