Thesis and Reference Letters

THESIS SUPERVISION (BACHELOR AND MASTER)

Topics and Requirements

Our chair welcomes proposals for supervision of Bachelor’s and Masters’ theses which fall into our chair’s area of specialization. Methodologically, our chair specializes in microeconomic theory, and more particularly game theory, information economics, and incentive theory. In terms of topics and applications, primary applications of these tools at our chair include the areas of industrial organization, competition policy, and regulation. You will find a list of sample theses written at our chair further below.

Please note that, for successful supervision, we also require a complementary methodological specialization on your behalf as far as your studies are concerned. More specifically, beyond the core microeconomics courses, we will usually require you to have completed “Game Theory” or “Industrial Organization” at the Bachelor level (preferably both). If you are applying for supervision of a master thesis, you should have chosen a similar area of specialization during your Masters’ studies.

Application

If you have a proposal for a thesis topic which plans to use the aforedescribed methodological toolkit, and if you have chosen relevant specialization courses in your studies, then we will be happy to receive your application. Your application should include a proposal of about one page and a recent transcript of records.

Please make sure that your proposal describes not only the proposed research question itself, but also how and why this fits into our chair’s methodological focus (i.e., how you plan to use microeconomic theory, game theory, etc. to answer your question).

Please make sure that your transcript of records documents the aforedescribed specialization in your chosen elective courses.

Please send your application to maximilian.conze@unisg.ch.

Examples of theses written at our chair:

• “Moral Hazard and Remote Work” (M)
• “Network Effects in Online Dating: The Implications of Male Overrepresentation on Online Platforms For User Utility” (B)
• “Collusion in repeated auctions and the role of communication” (M)
• “The effect of antitrust policy on innovation rates” (B) 
• “An economic analysis of ‘drip pricing’” (B) 
• “On the nature of private information in corporate leniency” (B) 
• “How the music industry has reacted digitalization in audio media” (B) 
• “Collusion under private monitoring with communication” (M) 
• “The effects of joint and several liability rules on collusion and antitrust settlement” (B) 
• “Eine Analyse der Horizontal Merger Guidelines im Hinblick auf George Stiglers `A Theory of Oligopoly'” (B) 
• “Kollusion bei Multi-Unit und wiederholten Auktionen im Vergleich” (B) 
• “Preisdiskriminierung bei Fluggesellschaften und die Auswirkungen auf die Wohlfahrt” (B) 
• “Incentives and asset backed securities” (M) 
• “Gemischtes Duopol in der Ölindustrie: Theorie und Praxis am Fallbeispiel Taiwan” (B) 
• “Innovationsbremse Patentschutz? Eine kritische Auseinandersetzung mit der traditionellen Sichtweise” (B) 
• “International Mobile Roaming – War das Eingreifen der Europäischen Union berechtigt?” (B) 
• “Verhaltensanomalien bei Versicherungsentscheidungen - Erklärungsansätze und Grenzen der Prospect Theorie” (B)

REFERENCE LETTERS

We will be happy to support your application for stipends, other academic programs, a student exchange, etc. with a reference letter, if we think our assessment might benefit you in that process.
 
Please note:
1.    We only supply references which are to be sent directly to the program or institution you are applying to.
2.    Many programs will ask us to comment not only on your grades and academic achievement, but also on aspects such as writing skills, presentation skills, language skills, engagement etc. You might want to take this into account when choosing which teacher(s) to best ask for a reference.
 
At least 8 weeks prior to any relevant deadlines, please send us
1.    A list of places/institutions/programs you are planning to apply to;
2.    A CV and current transcript of grades;
3.    A list of courses which you took at our chair, along with the semester;
4.    A motivational letter, if available (you will need one for most application processes).
 
Please supplement that with a few sentences describing your intentions and motivation (especially if you didn’t supply a motivational letter), and feel free to point out any specific qualities which you would like us to emphasize so as to best assist your application.
 
Then, at least 4 weeks prior to any relevant deadlines, please send us a definitive list of places/programs for which you would like us to supply a reference, where to send them and how (email, online portal, postal address), and accompanying deadlines.