Durham University Business School
Durham, United Kingdom
One of three specialist Masters in Economics programmes at Durham, the MSc in Behavioural Economics decodes how people actually make choices - and why those choices often depart from purely rational models. As one of the fastest-growing fields, Behavioural Economics offers powerful tools to shape business strategies and public policy. The programme features a unique combination of modules at the crossroads of Economics and Psychology for providing an interdisciplinary perspective on human behaviour. Classroom experiments and training in experimental methods further build your ability to investigate how people make economic decisions in practice.
The programme is delivered by the Department of Economics, renowned internationally for its research and teaching excellence and is one of four departments at Durham University Business School. The Business School is one of the an elite group of institutions accredited by all three major business education accrediting bodies: the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the Association of MBAs (AMBA), and the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS).
Course Structure
Your programme consists of a set of core modules and optional modules. The dissertation forms the concluding part of your programme and involves an in-depth investigation in the area of your own research.
Pre-sessional modules
In order to facilitate your learning journey, we offer an online pre-sessional module Introduction to Economics. It features 6 selected topics, providing the main theoretical tools necessary to properly prepare you for advanced modules in Microeconomics and Macroeconomics within our MSc routes. By taking this module, you can develop the essential preliminary knowledge, which is particularly beneficial to students who are new to the field of Economics.
The pre-sessional is fully self-paced and is available to all students in our programmes several months before the first teaching term begins. This module includes:
Pre-recorded video-lectures, with a list of suggested readings for every topic
Quizzes for you to check your understanding of the terminology and models discussed in the videos
Problem sets containing practice exercises (with solutions available).
To ensure that all students have the solid quantitative foundation needed to study and understand Economics at Masters level, you will also take a compulsory non-credit bearing module in Mathematics and Statistics. This course will cover the key concepts from Calculus, Linear Algebra, Statistics and Probability Theory, which are used in advanced modules on the programme.
Platforms for Data Analysis
The skills of collecting, analysing, and interpreting data are a critical component in the toolkit of a contemporary economist. During your MSc studies, you will learn how to handle data and do empirical research using programming languages R, Python and STATA. We also offer two optional modules focused on practical data science, with applications to economic problems: Data Analytics and Machine Learning. You may also benefit from taking short extracurricular training courses to develop programming skills and strengthen your career prospects.
We have made major investment in our Economics programmes, acquiring state-of-the-art database resources, including Thomson Reuters, Bloomberg, Datastream and Orbis. These valuable resources give you access to live and historical facts and figures relating to the financial records of millions of companies worldwide, adding valuable insight to your research.
Adding to your experience:
We offer a range of additional opportunities designed to support your academic and professional development, or to experience campus life in destinations across the globe. These activities provide valuable skills, expand professional networks, and offer practical insights that complement the formal curriculum. Opportunities on our Masters in Economics programmes include:
City of London Field Trip
The field trip to London offers a unique opportunity to meet senior professionals in the financial industry, including chief economists, chief risk officers, and other leaders. It provides invaluable insights from these experts, an understanding of current industry trends, and a view of the challenges and opportunities within the global market. Additionally, you will benefit from networking with these professionals, helping you explore potential career paths in your chosen sector. The list of organisations visited by our students in previous trips includes: JP Morgan, the Bank of England, Bank of China, Crédit Agricole, Sage, Cavendish and others.
Practitioner insights: Guest speakers and public lectures
As part of the programme, you will be encouraged to attend presentations by leading academics and practitioners who are specialists in your particular area of interest. Combining critical and progressive thinking with practical insight, professional economists from organisations such as the Bank of England, KPMG, the Economic and Social Research Institute, the UK Civil Service, and the European Commission, share how they apply core economic skills in their work.
Dissertation Abroad
You will be offered the opportunity to apply to undertake your dissertation (research project) at one of our prestigious European partner institutions during the summer months (June to September). This exciting programme provides an opportunity to gain experience living abroad and to build your network, as well as developing an understanding of how campus life works in another destination. Participation in the programme will develop your personal skills, in addition to improving employability by demonstrating adaptability, resilience, communication skills and a global mindset. This partially self-funded programme is very popular and our International Team in the Business School will support your journey from application to departure.
Summer School
If your ambitions lie beyond the UK, you will have the opportunity to participate in a Summer School at one of our global network of university and business partners. These partially self-funded competitive activities, normally take place after exams in either June, July or August, for up to three weeks. They cover a wide range of topics and aim to complement the knowledge you gain during your time in Durham, whilst contextualising it in an international business setting. Please note, in order to be considered for a place on one of our Summer Schools, all students must apply as places are limited.
