Postgraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2023-2024 (archived)
Module ECON42515: BEHAVIOURAL ECONOMICS
Department: Economics
ECON42515: BEHAVIOURAL ECONOMICS
| Type | Tied | Level | 4 | Credits | 15 | Availability | Available in 2023/24 | Module Cap |
|---|
| Tied to | L1T109 |
|---|---|
| Tied to | L1T309 |
| Tied to | L1T409 |
| Tied to | N3K709 |
Prerequisites
- None
Corequisites
- None
Excluded Combination of Modules
- None
Aims
- to develop students' ability to master the knowledge and understanding at an advanced level of key issues in Behavioural Economics;
- to provide students with the opportunity to develop the ability to critically understand current theoretical and empirical research in the field of Behavioural Economics;
- to provide students with the ability to critically review a wide range of behavioural phenomena that influence decisions, and the consequences of these phenomena for economic outcomes, with a view to undertaking a dissertation in the fields of Behavioural Economics; and potentially future research work in this area.
Content
- As Behavioural Economics is a new and constantly changing discipline, this module will cover a set of core topics and additional topics that depend on the current nature of the discipline and the interests of the students each time:
- Core Topics may include:
- prospect theory and frame dependence
- cognitive heuristics and biases
- social preferences
- nudging
- Additional Topics may include:
- individual characteristics
- happiness
- limited attention
- overconfidence
- emotions
- neuroeconomics
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge:
- have an advanced knowledge and critical understanding of Behavioural Economics and be able to take critical approach to economic claims in general;
- understand how research into Behavioural Economics is conducted, and what the criteria are for evaluating both behavioural and market-based evidence.
Subject-specific Skills:
- be able to assess the implications of Behavioural Economics on effective policy-making, anomalies in markets, and biases in individual and group decision making.
Key Skills:
- Written Communication;
- Planning, Organising and Time Management;
- Problem Solving and Analysis;
- Using Initiative;
- Numeracy;
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- A combination of lectures, seminars and guided reading will contribute to achieving the aims and learning outcomes of this module. Classroom activities will be used to illustrate how research in Behavioural Economics is conducted and how results are interpreted.
- The summative assessment is composed of two assignments, one of 750 words and one of 1500 words designed to test students' knowledge and critical understanding of the material covered in the module, their analytical and problem-solving skills.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total/Hours | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 10 | 1 per week | 2 hours | 20 | |
| Seminars | 4 | 1 per fortnight | 1 hour | 4 | ■ |
| Preparation & Reading | 126 | ||||
| Revision Lectures | 1 | 2 hours | 2 | ||
| Total | 150 |
Summative Assessment
| Component: Individual Assignment | Component Weighting: 100% | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Element | Length / duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
| Assignment 1 | 750 words | 40% | Same |
| Assignment 2 | 1500 words | 60% | Same |
Formative Assessment:
Work prepared by students for seminars; answers to questions either discussed during a seminar, or posted on Learn Ultra; feedback on discussions with teaching staff during consultation hours, or via e-mail.
■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University