Program Overview

Program Overview

The University of Copenhagen offers a course in Behavioural and Experimental Economics, which is increasingly becoming a prominent field in economics and social science. This course aims to revise the standard economic models of human behavior by integrating psychological, sociological, and neuroscience research into the economic science.

Course Objectives

As a student completing this course, you will learn two major objectives:

1. Understand what behavioral and experimental economics (BEE) is. Through a series of topics, it will be exemplified how BEE can be used to study central elements of human decision making.
2. The second major objective that you will learn in this course is to set up experiments yourself. By applying a hand-on approach to economic experiments, you will understand what it means to conduct experiments and this will allow you to reflect on the limitations and possibilities of this method.

Course Content

The course combines discussion-based class sessions, class-based demonstration experiments, group work, and group presentations. Your learning process depends on your active participation in class as well as outside the classroom. The course will cover topics such as:

• Behavioral economic theories/concepts and how previous experiments test how people actually behave in such situations.
• Participation in experiments and analysis of behavior from class experiments.
• Setting up experiments yourself and understanding the experimental method.

Learning Outcomes

As a student in this course, you will learn about behavioral theories that enrich our understanding of key social science phenomena, and learn how these theories are tested in behavioral experiments. You will learn to master the analytical method behind behavioral and experimental economics.

Knowledge

• The notion of behavioral and experimental economics
• Understanding of what behavioral biases are

Skills

• Explain the difference between standard economics and behavioral economics thinking
• Examine behavioral biases through own experimental testing

Competencies

• Conduct behavioral experiments
• Understand the mechanism behind real-world phenomena and what possibly produces them

Teaching and Learning Methods

The course combines discussion-based class sessions, class-based demonstration experiments, group work, and group presentations. Your learning process depends on your active participation in class as well as outside the classroom.

Literature

Academic papers and a textbook.

Recommended Prerequisites

Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree are recommended.

Assessment

The grading in this course consists of two examinations:

1. Presentation and defense of a project report: The presentation and the report count 50% of the final grade (Individual grading applies).
2. A two-hour written exam: This part counts the remaining 50% of the final grade.

Course Details

• Course type: Single subject courses (day)
• Workload:
  • Lectures: 64 hours
  • Preparation: 76 hours
  • Project work: 60 hours
  • Exam: 6 hours
• Language: English
• Course number: NIFK14031U
• ECTS: 7.5 ECTS
• Programme level: Full Degree Master
• Duration: 1 block
• Placement: Block 1
• Schedule group: A
• Capacity: 100 students

Department and Faculty

• Contracting department: Department of Food and Resource Economics
• Contracting faculty: Faculty of Science

Course Coordinator

• Toke Reinholt Fosgaard