University of Nottingham

What you'll study

This programme covers core behavioural economics theory, empirical methods for identifying behavioural effects, and the practical skills needed to design, run and analyse experiments. Teaching blends lectures, hands-on lab and fieldwork, directed reading and a substantial independent research dissertation.

• Core topics: foundations of behavioural economics and decision theory; bounded rationality; social preferences and fairness; time discounting and intertemporal choice; heuristics and biases.
• Empirical methods: experimental design (lab and field), survey experiments, randomised controlled trials, natural experiments, causal inference and treatment effect estimation.
• Quantitative skills: applied econometrics for microdata, Bayesian and frequentist inference, data management and visualisation. Practical training typically uses software such as R and Stata.
• Advanced applications: behavioural public policy, consumer choice and marketing, behavioural finance, nudging and ethics, and measurement of non-market preferences.
• Dissertation: an independent research project supervised by a member of staff, often using experimental, survey or administrative data to address a behavioural economics question.

Depending on elective choices and staff availability, students may also encounter modules or seminars on neuroeconomics, computational modelling, or cross‑disciplinary methods from psychology.

Entry requirements

Applicants are normally expected to hold a good honours degree (equivalent to a UK 2:1 or higher) in economics, econometrics, mathematics, statistics, psychology, or a related discipline with substantial quantitative content. Successful applicants typically have prior coursework in microeconomics, statistics and calculus or linear algebra.

Relevant professional experience that demonstrates quantitative or research skills may be considered in lieu of parts of the formal academic profile. Applicants whose first language is not English will need to meet the University’s English language requirement (for example, an appropriate IELTS or equivalent score).

Selection is based on academic transcripts, references, and the statement of purpose; some applicants may be invited to an interview or asked for a short piece of written work to assess suitability for the research emphasis of the programme.

Career prospects

Graduates leave with a blend of theoretical understanding and strong empirical skills that are sought after in a range of careers. Typical destinations include:

• Behavioural insights and policy teams in government departments, public agencies and international organisations.
• Consulting firms (economic, strategy and behavioural specialists) and market research companies.
• Financial services and fintech roles that require understanding of decision making and risk behaviour.
• Research roles in academic institutions, think tanks and non-governmental organisations; many graduates progress to PhD study in economics, psychology or related fields.
• Private sector roles in product design, user experience, marketing analytics and data science where experimental and behavioural methods are used to optimise outcomes.

Why study at University of Nottingham

The University of Nottingham is home to active research groups and centres in experimental and behavioural economics, providing access to specialist expertise and resources. Students benefit from dedicated experimental labs and opportunities to collaborate across economics, psychology and business disciplines.

The School offers close links with policy makers and industry partners, enabling applied project work and exposure to real-world behavioural interventions. In addition, the University's careers and enterprise services provide tailored support for CVs, networking and internship opportunities relevant to behavioural economics careers.