MKT 710 Research Seminar

This seminar prepares participants for writing their master's thesis. Successful completion of this seminar is a requirement to write a master's thesis at any of the Marketing and Sales departments.

There are no formal admission requirements for participating in the MKT 710 seminar.

Nevertheless, we recommend taking the courses MKT 510 (Price and Product Management) or MTK 301 (Marketing I) as well as MKT 520 (Market Research) in parallel or before attending MKT 710.

The application process for the MKT 7x0 seminars in the Marketing & Sales area is organized centrally. Please send your complete application documents (in a bundled PDF document) to marketingseminar uni-mannheim.de within the above mentioned application period.

Application documents:

• Transcript of records of your bachelor programme
• Current transcript of records of your master programme, incl. a preliminary grade point average
• List of your 10 topic priorities (please use the topic priority form)

You will be automatically informed on the above-mentioned date (admission information) which chair you have been assigned to. We therefore ask you to refrain from making an earlier inquiry.

Information on the Topic Priority List:

• Your list must contain exactly 10 topics, ordered from 1 (highest priority) to 10 (lowest priority)
• Your list must contain at least two topics from each of the four chairs of Prof. Homburg, Prof. Kraus, Prof. Kuester, and Prof. Stahl as well as one topic from the chair of Prof. Vomberg.
  • Exemplary valid priority list: 3x Homburg topic, 2x Stahl topic, 2x Kuester topic, 2x Kraus topic, 1x Vomberg topic
  • Exemplary invalid priority list: 2x Homburg topic, 4x Stahl topic, 3x Kuester topic, 1x Kraus topic

Information on the Topic Assignment:

Applications will be ranked based on the following two criteria in decreasing priority:

• Current overall GPA in your master programme
• Grade(s) of the prerequisite courses for the seminar

In case of a tie between two or more applications after consideration of theses two criteria, the ranking order will be randomized. Based on this ranking topics and chairs will be assigned according to the lists of topic priority. Due to the centralized application process there is no guarantee that you are assigned to your preferred chair.

For the introduction to the seminar, a kick-off session will take place at the date and location indicated above. At this kick-off the topics will be announced and expectations as well as tips and hints for the preparation of the seminar paper will be presented. Please note that participation in the kick-off is mandatory.

After the kick-off, please contact your assigned supervisor at the chair to receive a literature starter pack on your topic.

Your grade results from a seminar paper (70%) and a final presentation (30%) on the assigned topic.

Please note that attendance of all presentations of other seminar participants is mandatory to receive your grade.

The seminar paper has to be handed in for the attention of Stefan Hartmann at the chair's office by the deadline listed above.

The length of the seminar paper should be approximately 15–20 pages.

Please hand in two paper copies of your seminar paper. In addition, please hand in a two digital copies that include (a) the entire seminar paper as a single, complete file (including name, matriculation number, etc.) and (b) an anonymous version (without name, matriculation number, etc.). Please send the digital copies to Stefan Hartmann​​​​​​​ by the deadline listed above.

The seminar paper's presentations will take place as a block seminar at the date listed above. Please note that attendance of the block seminar is mandatory.

Each seminar presentation should not take longer than 20–25 minutes. Subsequently, there will be time for 5–10 minutes of discussion.

Please send your presentation as a Power-Point file to Stefan Hartmann no later than one day before the date of final presentations. You will have to present using a laptop and projector. All necessary equipment including a pointer will be provided.

After the final presentation we cordially invite all participants to a get-together to celebrate the end of the seminar.

Any changes to the above mentioned information will be communicated via e-mail.

Please note that you have to be matriculated at the time the seminar paper is handed in.