Course Overview

In the coming years, we’ll see major changes in the world of work. One of these changes will be a huge increase in demand for data scientists. This Behavioural Economics MSc will prepare you for a career as a data scientist so that you can help meet this change in demand.

The focus of the MSc is on the methodology for testing predictions of behavioural economics using big data sources. For example: you’ll learn how to create data sets using data scraping techniques, and you’ll be made aware of the relevant ethical issues; you’ll learn how to process and manipulate data; you’ll learn how to make economic forecasts using web search data; you’ll learn how to work with multiple data sources ; you’ll learn how to test economic theories using online data sources.

The School of Economics will be proactive in providing support to you in shaping and supporting your career aspirations. Alumni and employers regularly visit the School of Economics and provide employability talks, training sessions as well as individual meetings with students, providing you with the chance to enhance your skills and to further improve your employment prospects.

We offer specialised structural support to help you negotiate your Master’s course. This includes compulsory, intensive pre-sessional training before the start of teaching on your course modules. This training incorporates the techniques of calculus and statistical methods in the economic context, and also introduces you to the specialist econometric software STATA that you'll use throughout your MSc Programme. Over the course of the year, we’ll also give you training in the use of various online data sources that are likely to be useful in your dissertation research.

In addition to receiving first-class academic training at a school with a world-class reputation, you’ll be able to enjoy the wealth of opportunities that UEA offers to cultivate non-academic and sporting interests. You’ll also enjoy the beautiful and historic city of Norwich, where the campus is located.

With this MSc, your employability prospects will be strong. Policy-makers in government are increasingly turning to behavioural economics for insights into decision-making behaviour, insights that inform our understanding of how individuals, groups and markets operate. Private Sector organisations specialising in Behavioural Economics research are also a growing phenomenon. You could also take your skills into banking and finance, healthcare, regulation, human resources or executive management. You could also progress to PhD study.