Master of Science - Behavioural and Experimental Economics

Behavioural economics is one of the fastest growing areas in economics in recent years. Insights inform business and public policy alike – the University of Essex investigates the human and social factors influencing decisions made by consumers, borrowers and investors.

Students are trained in experimental design by lab experts and lecturers. From the first term, students design lab experiments for their assignments. Students will also get exposure and hands-on experience of experiments in ESSEXLab, The University of Essex's state-of-the-art social science laboratory.

Students don’t need a background in economics to study this course. The modules are flexible so students can choose to focus on specific topics that interest them. Essex will teach a diverse set of tools and methods, preparing students well for PhD study or a career in a number of fields such as business environments or public policy and implementation.

Students explore topics including:

• How economic considerations, cognitive limitations and psychology jointly shape human decision making
• Theoretical frameworks and empirical predictions for environments where traditional theory fails to provide guidance
• Markets and strategic interactions. 

There's always something fascinating going on in the department, from regular lively debates with prestigious speakers in seminars, workshops and conferences to cutting-edge papers being published in leading journals, including American Economic Review, Econometrica, and Review of Economic Studies.