Seminar zu Data Science in Economics: Wachstum, Nachhaltigkeit und Transformation (073154-WiSe 2025/26)

Application and Registration in FlexNow

• There are 2 steps required for receiving a spot in the seminar and for being able to gain credit points for the seminar.

First step:

The application for the seminar has to be done until the 8th of October 2025. In order to apply you have to register in Moodle and you have to send an email at ls-dsecon@ruhr-uni-bochum.de with information on the following tasks:

1. mention your name, enrollment number (Matrikelnummer), field of study (Economics, Social Sciences, other …), semester (1. - …), and email-address,

2. mention the first, second and third choice of a seminar topic, and a research paper that you are particularly interested in,

3. mention other Bachelor seminars you took part in (and a proof for it),

4. mention courses in Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Statistics or Econometrics that you have attended, and the grades you received (and a proof for it),

5. mention if you are a student of the Ruhr University Bochum, or of another UA-Ruhr University or if you are studying in the Erasmus program (please also name your home institution),

6. optional: you may mention briefly why you would like to attend the course, for example you might say that you need this course for your study program at your home institution, or that you are very interested in the topics, or that you want to attend the course with regard to future job aspirations.

As a proof for points 3. and 4. you should submit a list of grades from the examination office (other unnecessary information in this document may be darkened).

Please note that we can only consider your application if all of this information is given in your email. You will be informed by us per email whether you have been successful and been chosen for a spot in the seminar until the 13th of October 2025. 

Second step:

Please note that if you received a spot in the seminar based on your application, then you will also have to register for the seminar in FlexNow in order to get credit points for the seminar. The last date for registration or withdrawing from the course in FlexNow will be the 31th of October 2025, at 23:59!

Note that the registration in FlexNow is only possible for students who have been approved by us to be a participant of this course and who received an email confirmation by us (see step 1).

Course Design

For the seminar 5 credit points can be credited under module number 073154. The maximal number of participants is 20.

Objectives

The seminar is designed for Bachelor students and covers topics from the areas of growth economics, sustainability research and transformation research. Participants receive an overview of developments in this research field. Students will learn to analyse and discuss the relevant literature. The students will practise their scientific writing and presentation skills.

Contents

The seminar deals with various current topics from the areas of growth economics, sustainability research and transformation research. We address among others the following questions: What is meant by growth? Why is growth important for the well-being of societies? Which debates exist about growth and degrowth? How is sustainability discussed and analysed in economics? What role does technological change play? How are the digital, ecological and socio-economic transformation related to each other? What role does the digital transformation play for economic growth and sustainability?

Time and Location

The seminar (oral presentations and discussions) will be held on the 28th January 2026 from 9:00 am until 18:00, and on the 29th January 2026 from 9:00 am until 14:00. An introductory meeting will be held on the 21th of October 2025 at 12:00. We will inform you about the meeting details in case of acceptance via email, please make sure that you check your emails accordingly.