Behavioural and Applied Economics

Overview

Key Features

What is BEA?

The Master Degree Program (Laurea Magistrale) in Behavioural and Applied Economics (BEA) provides a solid education in Economics, alongside a sound knowledge in psychology, management, statistics, and quantitative methods with the possibility to develop advanced competencies in Behavioural or Applied Economics.

The Applied Economics track offers the opportunity to acquire empirical analysis tools combined with skills in using large data sets in order to perform deep studies in a broad area of economics, from industrial organization to labour economics, public policy evaluation programs, data analytics and big data. Graduates leave the program armed with the necessary background to carry out rigorous economic analysis in questions of interest for policy and business.

The Behavioural Economics track aims at improving the predictive power of economic models by incorporating insights from psychology. Predictable deviations from rationality benchmarks (biases) are organized into theories that provide a better account of human behavior.

In the BEA teaching methodology theory and empirical methods are constantly engaged in mutual dialogue and each teaching activity provides both aspects. Through this special learning, you will have the chance to apply your knowledge to reality and develop, inter alia, communications skills and independent assessment. 

These skills are further strengthened through external activities, such as training placements or visiting periods to be spent in other worldwide partner universities.

Curriculum

Crash courses

• Introduction to International Business 

• Introduction to Quantitative Methods 

• Introduction to Economics
• Legal Foundations

• Microeconomics 
• Statistics
• Law, Economics and digital policy
• Psychology of decision making
• Macroeconomics
• Econometrics
• Business Strategy in the Digital Economy
• Performance analysis and Business Analytics

• Public policies: Nudging 
• Public policies: Evaluation Methods 

• Data mining and statistical learning or Behavioural Finance 

Behavioural track

Behavioural Economics: Theory 

Behavioural Economics: Experimental Methods 

Applied Economics track

Applied Economics: Applied industrial dynamics 

Applied Economics: Labour Markets 

Electives

Computer Simulation for Economics 

Financial Markets and Economic Activity 

International Trade and Competitiveness 

Questionnaire Design 

Negotiation 

International Corporate Strategy

IT Skills 

Introduction to data economic analysis software 

Introduction to Programming 

Internship 

Master Thesis 

Career Opportunities

Graduates in Behavioural and Applied Economics learn to assess and interpret economic phenomena by combining economic theory and empirical evidence in the form of experimental and observational data.  This makes them able to put their expertise to work both in the private and the public sector. Specifically, BEA graduates are able to analyze, seize, and use experimental data to collocate the baseline organization in its economic context and understand the trend of the economic variables and the economic behavior of people. Moreover, they possess skills in conducting data analysis to test economic theory and provide insightful policy advice. The set of competencies acquired and the empirical approach make them skilled to assess independently and provide policy recommendations and strategic governance for Companies, NGO’s and Public organizations at the international level. 

BEA graduates are trained to collect, analyze, and explain data as well as connect together the different economic players of organizations and predict the potential effects of economic decisions. Graduates are also able to monitor and suggest corrections towards undertaken actions, address new development strategies within organizations, both public and private. This makes BEA graduates fit to work as market analysts or professional experts in different and complex economic systems with high responsibilities like multinational corporations, banks or government institutions, NGOs, as well as international research institutions and public administrations. In addition, BEA Master Programme provides graduates with the necessary foundations in economics and statistics to proceed to a Ph.D.