Study location	United Kingdom, Colchester Campus
Type	Master courses, full-time
Nominal duration	1 year
Study language	English
Awards	MSc

Tuition fee	£15,500 per year

Entry qualification	Undergraduate diploma (or higher) A degree with an overall grade of 2.2 The entry qualification documents are accepted in any language

Language requirements	English Accepted proof of proficiency: Cambridge English, IELTS, TOEFL or other equivalent IELTS: 6.0 overall (with a minimum component score of 5.5) CAE: C

Other requirements	At least 1 reference(s) must be provided. Reference should be written on official letterhead, signed and dated. Please upload it in the Documents section. CV

More information	Expenses, accommodation, working etc. essex.ac.uk/..tercourse=PG00462&subgroup=1

Overview

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

Our MSc Behavioural Economics will familiarise you with a diverse set of tools and methods, which provide the foundation for work in this area. We provide specialised training for students intending to work in business environments as well as for those concerned with public policy and its implementation.

You 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.

We are top 5 in the UK for research, with over 90% rated as “world-leading” or “internationally excellent”. Much of this world-class research is related to policy, and we have particular strengths in the areas of:

- Game theory and strategic interactions
- Theoretical and applied econometrics
- Labour economics

The quality of our work is reflected in our stream of publications in high-profile academic journals, including American Economic Review, Econometrica, and Review of Economic Studies.

Programme structure

Year 1

Microeconomics
Behavioural Economics I: Individual Decision Making
Behavioural Economics II: Games and Markets
Advanced Microeconomics
Dissertation
Econometric Methods (optional)
Macroeconomics (optional)
Political Economy (optional)

Career opportunities

After completing your masters, you may wish to extend your knowledge with a research degree – many Essex graduates decide to stay here for further study.

Alternatively, our course also prepares you for employment; recent surveys have shown that higher degree graduates are more likely to obtain jobs at professional or managerial level.

With its distinctive focus on questions in behavioural economics, combining theoretical foundations and real-world applications, this course will equip you with transferable employability skills valued in industry (for example in the retail and financial sectors), government and academia.

Our graduates find employment in roles such as business and financial analysts, management consultants, government officials, and economists for banks and other financial organisations.