Teaching
Lists of Courses Offered
Bachelor Courses
Innovating for Sustainability: Frameworks and Practices from Global and Local Organizations (Summer)
Course Details
Semester: Summer Term
Credits: 5 ECTS
Language: English
Syllabus für Sommer 2026: Click Here
Lecturer
Course Description
This course on Innovating for Sustainability is designed to teach students frameworks and processes that are aimed at establishing and fostering sustainability-oriented innovation in global and local organizations. Through a focus on sustainable innovation, companies can build more sustainable products, processes and practices that benefit the firm and society.
The main objectives of this course are for students to:
- Understand the concept of sustainability-oriented innovation and how it differs from conventional innovation in organizations
- Identify and examine key stakeholders in sustainability-oriented innovation, including traditional stakeholders such as employees and consumers, as well as social, governmental, and environmental stakeholders
- Understand the frameworks and processes designed for sustainability-oriented innovation
- Learn the different types of sustainability-oriented innovation activities under each of the stages of - optimization, transformation, and systems building
- Acquire knowledge on how to measure sustainability-oriented innovation in organizations, and promote an appreciation of the managerial and societal implications of innovating for sustainability
The Science of Happiness: A Multi-Disciplinary and Multi-Cultural Approach to Happiness and Well-being (Summer) (STUDIUM.PRO Modul)
Course Details
Semester: Summer Term
Credits: 5 ECTS
Language: English
Syllabus for Summer 2026: Click here
Lecturer
Course Description
How can we be happier in our professional and personal lives? Get ready to answer this question in a unique summer semester course, “The Science of Happiness” available to all Master’s students and to advanced Bachelor’s students (those who have completed at least 3 semesters of Bachelor studies). This course examines the science behind happiness and is designed for students who want to understand and implement changes that enhance one’s happiness and well-being. Students will learn from the latest knowledge and practical tools from multiple disciplines (Business, Psychology, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology and Theology) on what makes us happy. Students will benefit from visiting international experts on happiness and well-being from Germany, USA, India, Singapore, Sweden, Portugal and Bulgaria. This innovative course is designed to promote happiness, well-being, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence.
Consumer Psychology (Winter)
Course Details
Semester : Winter Term
Credits : 5 ECTS
Language : English
Syllabus for Winter 2025/26: Here
Course Description
This Bachelors' course on consumer psychology delves into the mind of the consumer to uncover processes that influence consumer's behavior. Consumer psychology is the study of the cognitive and social psychological principles that help us understand and predict how we behave as consumers. This course is designed to not only provide you knowledge of consumer psychology, but to also enhance your understanding of how we, as consumers, can make smarter choices in the marketplace, and how we, as marketers, can design and execute successful marketplace strategies. Students will work on a "live" project that investigates a consumer psychology phenomena learned in class. This course is a mandatory elective for the Bachelors in BWL - Management and Marketing.
Leadership Lab: For Student Organization Members and Leaders (Winter and Summer) (STUDIUM.PRO Modul)
Course Details
Semester: Winter Term and Summer Term
Credits: 5 ECTS
Language: English
Lecturer
Course Description
How can we lead teams of volunteers effectively and responsibly? Get ready to answer this question in a unique new course, "Leadership Lab: For Student Organization Members and Leaders," available only to Bachelor's and Master's students who are active and engaged members of a registered KU student organization. Student organization leaders are required to nominate participants. Every nomination should be accompanied by a short statement (50-150 words) as to what each nominated member’s engagement is. This course examines evidence-based leadership concepts and is designed for students who want to understand and apply them in their own student organization. Students will learn from the latest knowledge and practical tools from multiple areas of leadership (Self-Leadership, Inclusive Leadership, Responsible Leadership, Team Leadership, and Communication and Conflict Management) on what makes a good leader. Students will benefit from applying these tools throughout the semester in their own student organization. This innovative course is designed to promote leadership identity, psychological safety, responsible decision-making, and effective teamwork.
Master Courses
Innovation and Creativity in Individuals, Teams, and Organizations (Summer)
Course Details
Semester: Summer Term
Credits: 5 ECTS
Language: English
Syllabus for Summer 2025: Here
Lecturers
Course Description
This Master’s level course uses action-based learning and innovative teaching concepts and has been awarded a teaching grant from KU. The course will examine the role of individuals, teams and organizations in facilitating and fostering innovation, the processes to develop innovations, characteristics that affect the success of innovations, disruptive versus incremental innovations, and the latest developments in the field of innovation. Additionally, this course will examine the latest research on creativity to understand what makes individuals and teams more creative than others and how creativity leads to problem solving, and consequently, to innovation. Each class is structured as a “challenge” that student will solve by applying class learnings on innovation and creativity. Students get multiple opportunities to solve real-world cases, meet innovative companies, successful startups, and executives, and will work on a "live" open innovation project in collaboration with a real company. Students have the unique opportunity to participate in an excursion to Innovation Hubs in Munich. This is a mandatory course in the ENTRE (Entrepreneurship and Innovation) program, a mandatory elective course in the MARKT program, and a mandatory elective course in the new Business and Psychology Master’s program.
The Science of Happiness: A Multi-Disciplinary and Multi-Cultural Approach to Happiness and Well-being (Summer) (STUDIUM.PRO Modul)
Course Details
Semester: Summer Term
Credits: 5 ECTS
Language: English
Syllabus for Summer 2026: Click Here
Lecturer
Course Description
How can we be happier in our professional and personal lives? Get ready to answer this question in a unique summer semester course, “The Science of Happiness” available to all Master’s students and to advanced Bachelor’s students (those who have completed at least 3 semesters of Bachelor studies). This course examines the science behind happiness and is designed for students who want to understand and implement changes that enhance one’s happiness and well-being. Students will learn from the latest knowledge and practical tools from multiple disciplines (Business, Psychology, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology and Theology) on what makes us happy. Students will benefit from visiting international experts on happiness and well-being from Germany, USA, India, Singapore, Sweden, Portugal and Bulgaria. This innovative course is designed to promote happiness, well-being, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence.
From Idea to Commercialization: Startup School (Winter)
Course Details
Semester : Winter Term
Credits : 5 ECTS
Language : English
Syllabus for Winter 2025/26: Here
Course Description
This Master's level course is designed as a “Startup School” and aims to provide a comprehensive blueprint for students aspiring to join innovation teams in large or medium sized companies and those aspiring to start their own ventures as entrepreneurs. From idea generation to commercialization, from funding mechanisms to innovation pitches, and from scalability to exit strategies, this course will provide students the opportunity to understand the start-to-end process and work on a New Venture Challenge (team project) including a pitch presentation to an expert jury of entrepreneurs, innovators and venture capitalists. The course is co-taught by Fabian Foelsch (CEO and Co-founder, BRAINEFFECT), Prof. Dr. Shashi Matta and Dr. Meysam Moayery. This is a mandatory course in the ENTRE (Entrepreneurship and Innovation) specialization, a mandatory elective course in the MARKT specialization, and a mandatory elective course in the Business and Psychology master program.
Consumer Psychology and Decision Making (Winter)
Course Details
Semester : Winter Term
Credits : 5 ECTS
Language : English
Latest Syllabus for Winter 2025/26: Here
Course Description
This course will critically examine concepts in consumer psychology, teach advanced concepts and theories in decision making, and use cutting-edge research in consumer behavior to highlight the latest advances in this field. It will explore, in depth, why we behave the way we do, as consumers, and discuss how individuals, companies and policy makers can use these latest insights from consumer research. Whether it is to regulate our own behaviors and habits as consumers, to design successful products / services / marketing campaigns in companies, or to introduce new policies in society, the study of consumer psychology and decision making will give students a competitive edge in their lives and careers. The course will also feature International Guest Professors, and Industry Experts, who will share unique insights. This course is a mandatory course in the Business and Psychology master program, and a mandatory elective in the MARKT and ENTRE specializations.
Leadership Lab: For Student Organization Members and Leaders (Winter and Summer) (STUDIUM.PRO Modul)
Course Details
Semester: Winter Term and Summer Term
Credits: 5 ECTS
Language: English
Lecturer
Course Description
How can we lead teams of volunteers effectively and responsibly? Get ready to answer this question in a unique new course, "Leadership Lab: For Student Organization Members and Leaders," available only to Bachelor's and Master's students who are active and engaged members of a registered KU student organization. Student organization leaders are required to nominate participants. Every nomination should be accompanied by a short statement (50-150 words) as to what each nominated member’s engagement is. This course examines evidence-based leadership concepts and is designed for students who want to understand and apply them in their own student organization. Students will learn from the latest knowledge and practical tools from multiple areas of leadership (Self-Leadership, Inclusive Leadership, Responsible Leadership, Team Leadership, and Communication and Conflict Management) on what makes a good leader. Students will benefit from applying these tools throughout the semester in their own student organization. This innovative course is designed to promote leadership identity, psychological safety, responsible decision-making, and effective teamwork.
