Behavioural and Economic Science (Science Track) (Taught)

Our MSc in Behavioural and Economic Science (Science Track) combines multidisciplinary expertise from the departments of Psychology and Economics, as well as Warwick Business School. This course offers you training in basic psychology and behavioural economics, whilst allowing you to focus on the cognitive science of judgement and decision-making.

This innovative course in the growing area of decision science and behavioural economics combines multidisciplinary expertise from the Department of Psychology, Department of Economics and Warwick Business School (WBS). The course emphasises both theoretical foundations and real-world application of core and advanced areas of behavioural economics, and the cognitive science of judgement and decision making. The Science Track variation of the course is designed for students with a first degree in a science-based subject, such as Psychology, Maths, Biology, etc. or a subject with a strong quantitative element, such as Business, Finance, etc.

A variation of the course is offered by the Department of Economics and is available if you have a first degree in Economics.

Skills from this degree
By the end of the course, you should be able to:

• Gain a deeper understanding of how and why people make the choices they do

• Understand how influencing such choices is important across a variety of domains, from public policy (e.g. encouraging people to save for pensions), through to industry (e.g. how to place a new product in the market), and individual behaviour (e.g. why people drink and eat too much).

• Develop a theoretical understanding of key models and results in behavioural economics and judgment and decision making

• Design, conduct and analyse behavioural experiments

• Implement models of choice

• Access and analyse large-scale datasets

• Initiate economic enquiry and test economic models

• Assess and deploy potential behavioural interventions

This information is applicable for 2024 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply.

Core modules

• Behavioural Microeconomics
• Issues in Psychological Science
• Methods and Analysis in Behavioural Science

Optional modules
Optional modules can vary from year to year. Example optional modules may include:

• Experimental Economics
• Behavioural Economics
• Principles of Cognition
• Psychological Models of Choice
• Behavioural Change: Nudging and Persuasion
• Bayesian Approaches in Behavioural Science
• Neuroeconomics
• Behavioural Ethics

You will choose a number of optional modules to complete.

We typically assess modules through a mix of assessment types, which include worksheets, essays, research reports, modelling and data analysis, class tests, exams, and presentations.