Program Overview

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Program Overview

The University of Copenhagen offers a Master's program in Economics with an elective course in Advanced Game Theory. This course is also available to PhD students, exchange and guest students from abroad, credit students from Danish universities, and Open University students.

Course Description

The Advanced Game Theory course covers the standard parts of non-cooperative game theory, focusing on dynamic games. The teaching covers the most important solution concepts for strategic and extensive form games, including different approaches to sequential rationality in dynamic games. The theory of games under uncertainty is also discussed, leading to the extension of the solution concepts previously encountered.

Learning Outcomes

After completing the course, students are expected to be able to:

• Define and critically discuss the key solution concepts in game theory
• Prove main theorems in game theory
• Solve static and dynamic games with full rigor
• Formulate game theory models and solve them
• Evaluate the implications of a chosen modelling approach and solution concept
• Apply theoretical analysis to chosen topics
• Analyse situations where strategic behaviour is important
• Read and evaluate research articles that apply game theory as the method of analysis
• Search for relevant research articles independently
• Master the broad analytical approach of game theory when analyzing and solving questions where strategic behavior plays a role in complex and unpredictable situations
• Find new suitable sources to expand the learned knowledge and skills on game theory when facing questions in new contexts

Literature

The course literature includes:

• George Mailath (2020): "Modeling Strategic Behavior: A Graduate Introduction to Game Theory and Mechanism Design"
• Microeconomic Theory (1995) by Andreu Mas-Colell, Michael D. Whinston, and Jerry R. Green
• Lecture notes and journal articles

Recommended Academic Qualifications

Students should have a sound knowledge of game theory and decision under uncertainty from the courses Microeconomics III and Microeconomics II. It is strongly recommended to have followed Microeconomics III prior to taking Advanced Game Theory.

Teaching and Learning Methods

The course is structured around three types of classes:

• Basic lectures, where the main theory is covered with applications, focusing on understanding the key concepts illustrated by examples and exercises
• Advanced lectures, where main theorems are proven
• Seminar classes discussing research papers and applying game theory to real-world problems

Workload

The workload for the course is:

• Lectures: 42 hours
• Preparation: 161 hours
• Exam: 3 hours
• Total: 206 hours

Exam

The exam is an on-site written exam, 3 hours under invigilation. To qualify for the exam, students must hand in and have approved 3 out of 4 mandatory assignments. No aids are allowed, and the marking scale is a 7-point grading scale.

Course Information

• Language: English
• Course code: AØKK08408U
• Credit: 7.5 ECTS
• Level: Full Degree Master, PhD
• Duration: 1 semester
• Placement: Spring
• Study board: Department of Economics, Study Council
• Contracting department: Department of Economics
• Contracting faculty: Faculty of Social Sciences
• Course Coordinators: Rune Midjord
• Lecturers: See "Course Coordinators"

Criteria for Exam Assessment

Students are assessed on the extent to which they master the learning outcomes for the course. To obtain the top grade "12", the student must demonstrate an excellent performance displaying a high level of command of all aspects of the relevant material. To obtain the passing grade "02", the student must demonstrate a minimal acceptable level of the knowledge, skills, and competencies listed in the learning outcomes.