Department of Innovation Economics

Information on Master Theses

We offer topics for writing a master thesis at our department that cover the following research fields:

  • Innovation policy
  • Evolutionary economics
  • Innovation systems and dedicated innovation systems
  • Sustainability transitions
  • Complexity economics
  • Socio-economic aspects of the bioeconomy

 Potential methods include:

  • Machine learning
  • Agent-based modeling
  • Social network analysis
  • Systematic literature review
  • Qualitative and quantitative content analysis
  • Casestudy

The process of writing a Master Thesis under the supervision of our department includes the following steps:

  • Step 1: Contact us.  If you are interested in writing a master thesis at our department please send us an email to receive the password for the Ilias Master Thesis Course. The subject of the mail should include your matriculation number.
  • Step 2: Register for the Ilias course.  As soon as you are registered in the Ilias Master Thesis Course you can see a list of currently available Master Thesis topics including short explanations for each topic.
  • Step 3: Choose a topic – You are free to book any available topic. After booking, please send an email to your supervisor (you can find the mail address in in the post booking information) with the subject: Research Proposal MT, [Topic ID], [Date of booking].
  • Step 4: Write a research proposal. A prerequisite for writing a Master Thesis at our department is a relevant research proposal (2-5 pages) which clearly states what you want to do, why you want to do it, and how. For your research proposal, please make sure to follow the template (you find a template in our Master Thesis course) and the general instructions on academic writing from our scientific writing course.
  • Step 5: Submit your research proposal. Your research proposal must be submitted within three weeks after topic selection. After this time, your booking will be canceled and the topic will be reopened for other students to apply. Please note: It is not possible to apply for the same topic twice.
  • Step 6: Feedback from the supervisor. Shortly after your submission, we will contact you with feedback on your proposal and more details on the subsequent process.
  • Step 7: Register your thesis at the examination office. As soon as your supervisor accepts the research proposal, you must register your thesis. Please send us the signed and completed registration form.

 

Formal requirements

For a master’s thesis you are expected to write 45 to 60 pages (references and appendices not included).

For all theses, please comply with the following formal requirements:

  • Use correct grammar, orthography, and punctuation
  • Please use 1.5 line spacing
  • Font: please use Times New Roman (size 12) or Arial (size 11)
  • Leave the following margins: left: 4cm, right: 2.5cm, top and bottom: 2cm each
  • Please write your thesis English (both American and British spelling are accepted if used consistently)

Submission requirements

For information on the submission requirements for your thesis, please have a look at the examination regulations or ask the staff at the examination office. Please do not forget to enclose a signed declaration of originality to your thesis. In addition to the submission at the examination office, we ask you to also email your thesis to your supervisor.

Important remarks on scientific writing and citation

We expect you to know the basics of scientific writing (e.g., how to properly structure a thesis, how to pose a research question, how to cite correctly, which references to use and which rather not to use, etc.). We strongly recommend having a look at the literature on scientific writing and, particularly, the current edition of the “Publication manual of the American Psychological Association”. A version of this manual should be available at the university’s library; otherwise please ask your supervisor.

Please find the formal requirements on scientific writing here. Watching the videos from the scientific writing course is a prerequisite to writing a master thesis at our chair.

Please note that we will use a software to check your thesis AND your research proposal for plagiarism!