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Behavioural and Economic Science (Economics Track) (MSc)

Find out more about our Behavioural and Economic Science (Economics Track) Master's degree at Warwick

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MSc

1 year full-time

21 September 2026

Economics

University of Warwick

Behavioural and Economic Science (Economics) MSc is designed for students with an Economics degree. Warwick's Department of Economics, ranked 1st in the UK (The Good University Guide 2025), 2nd in the UK for research excellenceLink opens in a new window (based on the most recent Research Excellence Framework 2021, published in Times Higher Education rankings) and 36th in the world (The QS World University Subject Rankings 2025), offers you a programme examining theoretical and real-world applications of decision science and behavioural economics. 

This course emphasises both theoretical foundations and real-world application in core and advanced areas of behavioural economics, and the cognitive science of judgement and decision making. It is for you if you intend to work in a business environment (e.g. consumer-led industries and the financial sector), and if you are concerned with public policy and its implementation. 

It also provides an excellent foundation if you are intending to undertake further postgraduate research. A written project report provides an opportunity to explore your own interests across these fields of study. 

The Economics variant of the course is designed for students with a first degree in Economics. A science track variant of the course is offered by the Department of Psychology and is available if you have a first degree in science. 

You will be automatically enrolled on a pre-sessional Mathematics and Statistics programme to equip you with the relevant methodological skills you need to succeed on the course.

Skills from this degree

• Gain a deeper understanding of how and why people make the choices they do.
• Understand how influencing such choices is important across a variety of domains, from public policy (e.g. encouraging people to save for pensions), through to industry (e.g. how to place a new product in the market), and individual behaviour (e.g. why people drink and eat too much).
• Develop a theoretical understanding of key models and results in behavioural economics and judgement and decision making.
• Ability to design, conduct and analyse behavioural experiments.
• Implement models of choice.
• Access and analyse large-scale datasets.
• Initiate economic enquiry and test economic models.
• Numeracy and quantitative skills: use of mathematics and diagrams, understanding data, statistical analysis.
• Use of IT including word processing and spreadsheet packages; specialist econometric, statistical, and other software; the internet.
• Written and oral communication skills.

Frequently Asked Questions

View a full list of frequently asked questions from the Department of Economics.Link opens in a new window

You will have a combination of lectures, small group support and feedback classes, and practical classes or workshops. You will also learn through independent study, which will include reading journals and books, completing problem sets and assessments, revising for exams and undertaking research. In the summer term and summer vacation your independent study time will increase as you complete your research project.

Your lecture size will naturally vary, especially for the optional modules, but also for core lectures.

On taught core modules you will typically have weekly classes with around 15-20 students. Optional modules are usually bi-weekly but this will vary on modules taken outside of the department.

An average of 8-10 hours of lectures and 3 hours of classes per week.

Your timetable

Your personalised timetable will be complete when you are registered for all modules, compulsory and optional, and you have been allocated to your lectures, seminars and other small group classes. Your compulsory modules will be registered for you, and you will be able to choose your optional modules when you join us.

Pre-Sessional Mathematics and Statistics

The MSc Behavioural and Economic Science (Economics Track) is a quantitative degree, and students will need to be competent in several areas of mathematics. You are required to attend a pre-sessional course, Introductory Mathematics and Statistics, which will be taught in the two weeks before the University’s main term begins.

The course is designed to ensure that your maths and statistical knowledge and skills are at the standard required for you to succeed on the rest of the MSc course and it consists of both lectures and a small learning group. Further information can be found on our Introductory Maths and Statistics web pageLink opens in a new window.

Assessment is through formal examinations and coursework, including a mixture of worksheets, essays, research reports, modelling and data analysis, class tests, exams, presentations and a research project.

Feedback is provided in a variety of ways, including:

• Grades and comments on marked work
• Solutions to problem sets
• Verbal feedback from tutors and peers in classes
• Advice and Feedback hours with academic staff

Reading lists

If you would like to view reading lists for current or previous cohorts of students, most departments have reading lists available through Warwick Library on the Talis Aspire platformLink opens in a new window. 

You can search for reading lists by module title, code or convenor. Please see the modules tab of this page or the module catalogue. 

Please note that some reading lists may have restricted access or be unavailable at certain times of year due to not yet being published. If you cannot access the reading list for a particular module, please check again later or contact the module’s host department.

2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) specialising mainly in economics. This means you should have achieved a good standard in undergraduate courses in microeconomics and econometrics/economic statistics at an intermediate level.

We also expect a good standard achieved in mathematics taken at undergraduate level.

• Band A
• Overall score 6.5 and none below 6.0 is required.

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.

To give you an opportunity to choose the most appropriate modules based on your professional needs and your individual career aspirations we offer two pathways:

Pathway A – for those interested in building a strong foundation in core areas of economics and applying their economics knowledge and skills in a wide variety of economics careers.

Pathway B – for those planning to pursue MRes-PhD study in the future or aiming for careers that require more advanced technical skills in economics and/or econometrics.

The main difference between the two variants is about the level of technicality you are interested in, your background and your future career plans. For example, if we consider the choice between Econometrics A and Econometrics B, if you have studied intermediate econometrics before and are considering to pursue a PhD after your MSc, we recommend choosing the B version. If your background in econometrics is more limited, or if you are more interested in applying the tools rather than understanding technical details, the A version seems more suitable.

You will choose four optional modules to complete.

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