THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2017/2018

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Economics : Economics

Undergraduate Course: Behavioural Economics (ECNM10066)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Economics CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryBehavioural Economics looks at developing models that are motivated by empirical evidence of individual behaviour rather than assumptions about rationality. This course will cover a number of topics in behavioural economics. We will look at leading academic papers in the area to assess the empirical evidence (field and experimental) and the implications for standard assumptions on rationality and to look at how the theory has been developed in the light of this evidence.
Course description Topics covered include decision making under certainty, decision making under uncertainty including prospect theory, experimental economics and/or neuroeconomics, intertemporal choice, self-control, behavioural game theory, case studies on saving and obesity, and the economics of happiness.
The course is taught through a programme of lectures and tutorials. Learning-by-doing, through problem solving and discussion of exercise sets, is an important ingredient of the course.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Students MUST have passed: Economics 2 (ECNM08006)
Co-requisites Students MUST also take: Essentials of Econometrics (ECNM10052) AND Topics in Microeconomics (ECNM10070)
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements If the pre-requisites are not met, permission of the course organiser is required.
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesVisiting students should usually have an equivalent of at least 4 semester-long Economics courses at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this) for entry to this course. This MUST INCLUDE courses in Intermediate Macroeconomics (with calculus); Intermediate Microeconomics (with calculus); Probability and Statistics; and Introductory Econometrics. If macroeconomics and microeconomics courses are not calculus-based, then, in addition, Calculus (or Mathematics for Economics) is required.
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2017/18, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 2
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 20, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 4, Summative Assessment Hours 3, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 169 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 100 %, Coursework 0 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Class exam (20%)
Degree examination (80%)
Feedback Not entered
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May)2:00
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. A knowledge and understanding of strengths and weaknesses of the "rational actor" framework used elsewhere in economics, as well as a deeper understanding of the heuristics and biases that affect people¿s thinking. A knowledge and understanding of behavioural models and associated mathematical and statistical techniques, along with applications and policy implications of those models and a deeper understanding of recent research activity in some more specialised areas.
  2. Research and investigative skills such as problem framing and solving and the ability to assemble and evaluate complex evidence and arguments.
  3. Communication skills in order to critique, create and communicate understanding.
  4. Personal effectiveness through task-management, time-management, dealing with uncertainty and adapting to new situations, personal and intellectual autonomy through independent learning.
  5. Practical/technical skills such as, modelling skills (abstraction, logic, succinctness), qualitative and quantitative analysis and general IT literacy.
Reading List
There is no single resource for this course. We will make use of readings from economic journals.
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills See Learning Outcomes
Additional Class Delivery Information Weekly 2 hour tutorials, plus 4 hours of tutorials to be arranged in addition.
KeywordsBehEcon
Contacts
Course organiserDr Tatiana Kornienko
Tel: 0131 650 8338
Email: Tatiana.Kornienko@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMrs Anna Domagala
Tel: (0131 6)51 5305
Email: Anna.Domagala@ed.ac.uk
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