Behavioural Economics

The MSc in Behavioural Economics provides comprehensive training at the interplay of economics and psychology that allows you to gain the knowledge, skills, and tools to understand human decision-making. These behavioural insights are highly sought-after skills in the private and public sectors, as well as in international organizations. Businesses increasingly employ behavioural economics to understand their customers, while public institutions and international organizations use experimental methodologies to design more effective policy interventions. The skills you will gain in the Behavioural Economics MSc will help you stand out in a world where employers seek to better understand individual and collective decision-making.



The MSc Behavioural Economics is the only one of its kind in Ireland and one of the few worldwide with a strong policy and regulatory focus. You will join Ireland’s leading economics department and a vibrant team of behavioural researchers and practitioners. This programme features small group teaching from leading economists and a supportive environment. Masters students are an integral part of our School community, attending research seminars and receiving a wide range of supports to help them prepare for their research thesis.



UCD School of Economics is Ireland’s leading economics department. Our staff are experts with international reputations in a wide range of topics such as macroeconomics, econometrics, applied microeconomics, behavioural economics, health economics, international trade, and economic history. School members play a significant role in debating economic policy issues and in contributing to the formulation of economic policy.



• The only Behavioural Economics MSc in Ireland and one of the few worldwide with a strong policy and regulatory focus.

• Covers the ethical, legal, and regulatory context for the ideas of behavioural economics.

• Unique opportunity to choose between a Summer Internship or Research Thesis.

• 1 full fee waiver to the student with the highest GPA admitted to our MSc in Behavioural Economics

• UCD is Ireland's global university: with almost 10,000 international students making up 25% of the student body, and a further 5,000 overseas



What Will I Learn?

The MSc Behavioural Economics is the only one of its kind in Ireland and one of the few worldwide with a strong policy and regulatory focus. You will join Ireland’s leading economics department and a vibrant team of behavioural researchers and practitioners. We will provide you with in-depth training in the core concepts and theories of behavioural economics, as well as a range of empirical methods used to test ideas in laboratory and field experiments. You will obtain training in running experimental studies and will have access to the BSP lab, the only experimental economics laboratory in Ireland. Your training covers not only the fundamentals of behavioural economics but also the ethical, legal, and regulatory context for the ideas of behavioural economics. Thus, you will be equipped to apply these ideas in a wide range of academic, business, and policy settings.



Students will also become members of the UCD Behavioural Science and Policy Group based in the Geary Institute for Public Policy. The Group holds regular interdisciplinary seminars and an annual conference where students have the opportunity to interact with leading researchers and policymakers in this field.



Students will take a range of rigorous economic modules, studying cutting-edge research on human decision-making. Through assignments, students have the opportunity to design and run their own behavioural experiments. Masters students are an integral part of our School community, attending research seminars and receiving a wide range of supports to help them prepare for their research thesis or internship.

Module/Trimester/Credits



Stage 1 Core Modules

ECON41840 Microeconomics Autumn 5

ECON42560 Behavioural Economics Autumn 5

ECON42760 Quantitative Foundation & Research Skills Autumn 5

ECON42770 Econometrics (Level 4) Autumn 10

ECON42300 Research & Career Skills Spring 5



Stage 1 Options - B)3 of:

Students must take 3 of the options listed.

ECON41620 Advanced Macroeconomics Spring 5

ECON41810 Advanced Microeconomics Spring 5

ECON42190 Health and Welfare Economics Spring 5

ECON42360 Energy Economics and Policy Spring 5

ECON42580 Economics of CompetitionPolicy Spring 5

ECON42610 Aviation Economics Spring 5

ECON42630 Decision Theory Spring 5

ECON42700 Advanced Econometrics: Micro econometrics Spring 5

ECON42710 Advanced Econometrics: Time Series Spring 5

ECON42720 Causal Inference & Policy Evaluation Spring 5

ECON42730 Global Economic History Spring 5

ECON42740 The Economics of Banking & Financial Stability Spring 5

ECON42750 Evaluation Methods for Health Economics Spring 5

ECON42780 Social Protection & Labour in Developing Countries Spring 5



Stage 1 Options - D)1 of:

Choose one of the following:

ECON42200 Economics Internship Autumn and Summer (separate) 30

ECON40090 Thesis Summer 30



Stage 1 Options - E) Min 2 of:

Students should select at least 2 of the following modules:

ECON42570 Behavioural E'mics:Policy App Spring 5

ECON42590 Experiments in Economics Spring 5

PSY40750 Topics in Psychological Sci Spring 5



Stage 1 Options - F) Min 1 of:

Students should choose at least 1 of the following modules:

ECON42550 Macroeconomics Autumn 5

ECON42600 Development Economics Autumn 5

ENVP40230 Environmental Economics Autumn 5

STAT30340 Data Programming with R (Blended) Autumn 5

STAT40730 Data Programming with R (Online) Autumn 5

• A primary degree with at least an upper second class honours or international equivalent in Economics or in a degree in which Economics is a major component.

• An upper second class honours in a Higher Diploma in Economics.

• Applicants whose first language is not English must also demonstrate English language proficiency of IELTS 6.5 (no band less than 6.0 in each element), or equivalent.

• Students meeting the programme’s academic entry requirements but not the English language requirements, may enter the programme upon successful completion of UCD’s Pre-Sessional or International Pre-Master’s Pathway programmes. Please see the following link for further information http://www.ucd.ie/alc/programmes/pathways/



These are the minimum entry requirements – additional criteria may be requested for some programmes.



You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), as UCD recognises formal, informal, and/or experiential learning. RPL may be awarded to gain Admission and/or credit exemptions on a programme. Please visit the UCD Registry RPL web page for further information at: https://www.ucd.ie/registry/prospectivestudents/admissions/rpl/ Any exceptions are also listed on this webpage.

https://www.ucd.ie/registry/prospectivestudents/admissions/rpl/

Online Application.



Who Should Apply?

Full Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes

International (Non EU) applicants: Yes



Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes

International (Non EEA) applicants: No

1 year full-time or 2 years part-time.

W376: Master of Science in Behavioural Economics Full-Time

Commencing September 2026

Graduate Taught



W377: Master of Science in Behavioural Economics Part-Time

Commencing September 2026

Graduate Taught

Career & Graduate Study Opportunities

Many graduates of our MSc Behavioural Economic graduates have gone on to complete PhDs in economics and pursue successful careers as academic or research economists. Many others have moved directly to employment in central banks, think-tanks, financial sector institutions and consultancy firms. Behavioural economics skills are also now being widely applied across government agencies, regulatory bodies and a wide range of private-sector businesses.



Graduates of our masters programmes move to jobs in central banks, think-tanks, government departments, regulatory agencies, financial sector institutions and consultancy firms. Some have also gone on to complete PhDs in economics and pursue successful careers as academic or research economists.



Past employers of MSc in Behavioural Economics graduates include: Behavioural Insights Team, Kellanova, Institute of Strategic & International Studies Malaysia, Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service (IGEES), Central Bank of Ireland, Economic and Social Research Institute, Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, KPMG, Accenture, Indecon Economic Consultants, AECOM and other leading national and international organizations and companies.