Topics

E-Learning

Topics/Themen of the summer term 2025:

 

1. Lead Exposure and Health

2. Publish or Perish? The Importance of Citations for Academic Careers

3. Birthweight Manipulation and Hospital Reimbursement

4. Police Violence and Educational Outcomes

5. Surname Initials and Academic Success

6. COVID-19 Mobility Restrictions and Crimes

7. Gender Bias in the Publishing Process

8. Natural Catastrophes and Fertility

9. Migration and Political Preferences

10. Additional Demand for Donations and Substitution Effects

11. School Meals and Child Outcomes

12. News Media and Anti-Immigrant Attitudes

13. Naturalization and Child Outcomes

14. Determinants of Opioid Addiction

15. Determinants of Organ Donations

16. Chess and Education Performance

17. Immigration and School Performance of Natives

18. Determinants of Judge Decisions 

19. Behavioral Impacts of Air Pollution

20. Parenthood and Earnings Penalties

21. Health Effects of Medicaid Expansion

22. Bartik Instruments in Migration Research

23. Sports Facilities and Ripple Effect

24. Efficacy of Gun Control Laws

25. Behavioral Effects of Video Games

 

Suggesting an own bachelor thesis topic-guidelines for the application:

• In case you want to write your bachelor thesis on a self-chosen topic, we would ask you to consider the following points in your application:

• Provide a (causal) research question for your topic (e.g. "Does an increase in x cause an increase in y?", "Does policy x cause a reduction in y?"...)!

• Suggest 2-3 empirical papers that tackle the suggested research question! Look for papers that make use of counterfactual methods i.e. Regression Discontinuity Designs, Difference-in-Differences, Instrumental variables, (Propensity Score) Matching, Synthetic Control Method.

• Write a short motivation for the topic: Why is the topic relevant? Provide context on the policy/main explanatory variable you want to investigate! Why is the topic interesting? Four to five sentences should suffice.

• In case the suggested topic is not suitable for a thesis at our chair, please signal whether you would be willing to write a thesis on a topic suggested by the chair (see list below) or you would prefer writing your thesis at another chair!