Introduction to Behavioural Economics
UndergraduateTAS-BEA1062025
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- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- No ATAR needed, No prior study
- Duration
- 14 weeks
- Start dates
- 24 Feb 2025
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Introduction to Behavioural Economics
About this subject
Upon completion of this subject, the student should be able to:
- Describe key concepts and methods in behavioural economics and explain their significance in economics.
- Apply behavioural economic concepts and theories to examine real-world problems in different contexts.
- Explain and assess the role of behavioural economics in public, social and business policy.
- Communicate key concepts and applications of behavioural economics clearly and cogently.
- Module 1: Traditional economics and rational choice
- Module 2: Behavioural economics and methods
- Module 3: Risk and time preferences
- Module 4: Social preferences
- Module 5: Decision errors and biases
- Module 6: Bounded rationality, heuristics and intuition
- Module 7: Affect and emotions
- Module 8: Nudge
- Module 9: Culture and human values
- Module 10: Individual differences
- Module 11: Happiness and subjective well-being
- Module 12: Behavioural economics: Applications
Traditional economics portrays decision making as rational deliberation that computes optimal choices based on well-defined objectives and perfect information. In reality, limited information and cognition as well as certain features of the human psychology often result in decisions that deviate from this assumption. Behavioural economics attempts to explain these deviations using insights and theories from the other social sciences, in particular psychology. This subject introduces students to this intersection of economics and psychology. Its aim is not to be mathematically or theoretically thorough. Rather, it focuses on developing a better understanding of how human psychology affects economic decisions and how such knowledge can be applied to real world business and policy issues, including to nudge.
- Analytical assignment (40%)
- Test - 2hr open book (30%)
- Reflection (30%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
No entry requirements
Additional requirements
- Other requirements - Teaching Arrangement: 1 to 1.5 hours of video recording, weekly (running for 12 weeks). 1 x 2 hour workshop, weekly (running for 12 weeks)
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
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What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Economics
UndergraduateTAS-BEC-DEG
Bachelor of Business (Business Economics)
UndergraduateTAS-BBE-DEG
UndergraduateTAS-ECO-DEG
Bachelor of Psychological Science and Bachelor of Economics
UndergraduateTAS-PEC-DEG
Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Psychological Science
UndergraduateTAS-BPS-DEG
Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Science
UndergraduateTAS-BBS-DEG
Diploma of University Studies (Business)
UndergraduateTAS-USB-DIP
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