Behavioral Economics is a relatively new field in the broader, older world of econ. It often focuses more on consumers and economic policy and incorporates psychology while looking at the market. This is a great path for those interested in business and marketing, as well as consulting and policy advising.
Penn
Wharton’s Business and Economics programs within Penn are almost unmatched. They offer a joint concentration in Behavioral Economics, which features cross-overs in Operations, Information, and Decisions, along with the Business Economics and Public Policy department. As the website says, Wharton’s Behavioral Econ program will teach students about the rational actor model, the psychology of human behavior, and the implications when it comes to decision-makers, markets, and public policy. The core requirements include a 200-level Behavior Economics course and a course in decision processes, along with many electives. They include Negotiations, Consumer Behavior, Risk management, and others.
Harvard
Harvard has one of the best overall Economics programs, according to U.S. News & World Report. Harvard Business School and faculty throughout other departments are engaged in some of the top national research on the subject. They also offer seminars and courses focusing on behavioral econ.
Princeton
Princeton is a top school for economics across the board. While Princeton doesn’t have a specific behavior econ concentration, they have top faculty in behavioral economics and offer higher-level classes and workshops on the subject. All econ majors must complete a list of prerequisites before being admitted into the major, including introductory micro and micro econ courses, statistics, and calculus.
Stanford
Stanford offers a host of courses and seminars on behavioral econ within the broader Economics department. These range from introductory to higher-level courses. Stanford is also interesting because of its economics association and the Stanford Economics Review, which give students the ability to engage with the field beyond just classwork.
Northwestern
Northwestern offers an impressive list of Economics faculty members and a broad spectrum of classes in the Economics Department. While there aren’t a ton of Behavioral Economics-specific courses, many standard Econ classes incorporate elements of Behavioral Economics.
UC Berkeley
Berkeley’s Department of Economics is a really solid one. Like others on the list, one has to apply for admissions and complete a series of prerequisites for entry. Berkeley also offers courses in Behavioral Economics, including Financial and Behavioral Economics, but students would be wise to take advantage of the other courses within the department, as well.
Yale
Yale offers a host of courses and excellent faculty in Behavioral Economics, which is housed inside the popular Department of Economics. There are also research opportunities within Yale for those interested in assisting professors in the Behavioral Economics arena.
University of Chicago
The Kenneth G. Griffin Department of Economics at the University of Chicago is renowned. They offer research opportunities in the field, in addition to excellent faculty and courses. Students within the department can join cohorts, including Behavioral Economics cohorts led by faculty who specialize in the area.
Columbia
Columbia’s Department of Economics offers six majors, including joint programs with Math, Philosophy, Poli Sci, and Statistics. The school offers courses in Behavioral Economics, including general classes, as well as more focused ones that look at Behavioral Econ for economic development and also decision-making.
NYU
NYU’s Department of Economics offers a general major in addition to joint majors with Math and Computer Science. There are also concentration opportunities in Theory and Policy. There are general courses on Behavioral Economics, as well as classes that integrate Behavioral Econ into their syllabi. For example, there’s a course on the History of Economic Thought that looks at the modern thought of Behavioral Economics.
Economics is a very popular major across most universities. In order to gain entry into a top-notch Econ program, we recommend positioning yourself as an expert in a particular niche inside of Economics. If you’re interested in Behavioral Economics, that’s a great way to go. Just make sure your courses and extracurriculars throughout high school help you develop a brand around the subject.
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