Theses and Research Projects
Please make sure that you have read our guidelines before applying for a topic.
Requirements for Writing a…
Bachelor's thesis with us:
Attendance and successful completion of the class "Introduction to Value Chain Economics (WI00108)" is required. This class is offered in both summer and winter semesters.
Master's thesis with us:
Attendance and successful completion of one of our advanced seminars before or during the thesis is required.
Specifically consider:
Advanced Seminar Economics, Policy and Econometrics / Life Sciences, Management and Policy (MGT001344, English): Food Governance, Fairness and Sustainability Literature Review and Presentation Skills
and/or
Advanced Seminar Economics, Policy and Econometrics / Life Sciences, Management and Policy (MGT001345, English): Food Governance, Fairness and Sustainability Scientific Writing and Exploratory Research Methods.
Additionally, for topics related to the economics and governance of food, food labelling, food preferences and health, or food value chains, we advise attending and successfully completing at least one of our classes. Food Economics or Value Chain Economics is recommended.
For topics related to agricultural and environmental policy, it is advisable to attend at least one of the following courses: Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, Agrar und Agrarumweltpolitik, or International Commodity Markets and Trade Policy.
Research project with us:
(Including Project Studies (TUM-BWL) and Interdisciplinary Project (IDP))
We are open to supervise discipline-specific and interdisciplinary projects and welcome students from all backgrounds (e.g., food technology, ecology, medicine, nutrition, IT, engineering; agriculture; sustainable resource management etc.). Attendance and successful completion of one of the classes "Food Economics", "Value Chain Economics" or one of the "Advanced seminars" offered by the chair is recommended. Alternatively, students need to provide evidence of having acquired some knowledge in the research project's topic through other coursework, internships etc. For Project Studies (TUM-BWL) and Interdisciplinary Project (IDP), see also: https://www.ep.mgt.tum.de/en/ep/teaching/idp-project-studies-theses/
Application
We supervise theses related to our current projects and research areas. These include: Food labels; Certifications; Private Governance Initiatives in the Agro-Food Sector; Origin-based labels and regional food; Geographical Indications; Consumer food behavior; Food information and education; Nutritional value of food; Unfair trading practices; Transparency in agro-food supply chains; Regional and global agro-food value chains; Alternative and sustainable agro-food value chains; Sustainable technology adoption by SMEs; Smallholder access to high-quality food markets; Agricultural policy; Environmental policy related to agriculture; International trade in agriculture.
To apply for a research project, bachelor or master thesis, please email Prof. Menapace at luisa.menapace@tum.de briefly explaining your interests. Please also attach, your CV and the transcript of records. For topics related to agricultural and environmental policy, please contact Dr. Thilo Glebe at thilo.glebe@tum.de.
Currently available topics
Financing Sustainable Agriculture
If you are interested in how to finance the transition towards a sustainable agricultural system, one of the following topics might be for you. Please contact Nadine Janik directly. All topics can be addressed using qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods approaches, depending on the focus of the thesis.
Blended Finance in Sustainable Agriculture
An Analysis of how blended finance mechanisms are used to support sustainable agriculture, how public and private actors structure and de-risk investments, and its affects on capital flows to the sector.
Green Premia in Agricultural Lending
An analysis on farmers adoption of sustainable practices. Identifying whether they face different financing conditions compared to conventional farms, as an indication of potential green premia. The thesis will explore the factors driving such differences, including climate risk and policy support.
Preferences for Insetting and Offsetting in Agri-Food Businesses
The thesis will explore how firms balance insetting and offsetting strategies in their sustainability approaches. It will assess corporate preferences and their alignment with Scope 3 emissions targets and observable actions.