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Behavioral Economics Courses Online
Explore behavioral economics to understand how psychological factors influence economic decisions. Learn about biases, heuristics, and consumer behavior.
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Explore the Behavioral Economics Course Catalog
Status: Free
FreeD
Duke University
Behavioral FinanceSkills you'll gain: Behavioral Economics, Business Psychology, Critical Thinking, Decision Making, Finance, Investment Management, People Analysis, Probability & Statistics, Problem Solving, Strategy
4.4
4.4 stars
(4K reviews)
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free
FreeY
Yale University
Narrative EconomicsSkills you'll gain: Critical Thinking, Storytelling
4.8
4.8 stars
(538 reviews)
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free
FreeC
Copenhagen Business School
Skills you'll gain: Business Psychology, Market Research, Marketing, Behavioral Economics, Customer Analysis, Decision Making, People Analysis, Emotional Intelligence, Influencing, Marketing Psychology
4.7
4.7 stars
(3.3K reviews)
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free
FreeS
Stanford University
Game TheorySkills you'll gain: Decision Making, Game Theory, General Statistics, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Mathematical Theory & Analysis
4.6
4.6 stars
(4.7K reviews)
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free
FreeY
Yale University
Financial MarketsSkills you'll gain: Finance, Risk Management, Banking, Critical Thinking, Decision Making, Financial Analysis, Innovation, Regulations and Compliance, Underwriting
4.8
4.8 stars
(28K reviews)
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
U
University of Pennsylvania
Removing Barriers to ChangeSkills you'll gain: Business Psychology, Change Management, Leadership and Management, Problem Solving, Strategy, Critical Thinking, Influencing, Marketing, Organizational Development, Strategy and Operations
4.9
4.9 stars
(432 reviews)
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
U
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Microeconomics PrinciplesSkills you'll gain: Behavioral Economics, Decision Making, Market Analysis, Strategy, Problem Solving, Data Analysis, Financial Management, Strategy and Operations
4.8
4.8 stars
(3.1K reviews)
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free
FreeU
University of London
Brand Management: Aligning Business, Brand and BehaviourSkills you'll gain: Brand Management, Leadership and Management, Marketing
4.9
4.9 stars
(7.3K reviews)
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free
FreeN
National Taiwan University
實驗經濟學 (Experimental Economics: Behavioral Game Theory)Skills you'll gain: Game Theory
4.8
4.8 stars
(79 reviews)
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months
I
IE Business School
Market Research and Consumer BehaviorSkills you'll gain: Customer Analysis, Market Research, Marketing, People Analysis, Decision Making, Market Analysis, Marketing Management, Process Analysis, Strategy, Brand Management, Data Analysis
4.4
4.4 stars
(4.7K reviews)
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free
FreeT
The University of Tokyo
Welcome to Game TheorySkills you'll gain: Critical Thinking, Game Theory, Problem Solving, Behavioral Economics, Decision Making, People Analysis, Process Analysis, Planning
4.7
4.7 stars
(2K reviews)
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
U
University of Pennsylvania
GamificationSkills you'll gain: Game Theory, Critical Thinking, User Experience, Business Psychology, Strategy, User Experience Design, Behavioral Economics, Marketing Psychology, Problem Solving, Product Design
4.8
4.8 stars
(2.4K reviews)
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months
People also searched for
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In summary, here are 10 of our most popular behavioral economics courses
- Behavioral Finance:Duke University
- Narrative Economics:Yale University
- :Copenhagen Business School
- Game Theory:Stanford University
- Financial Markets:Yale University
- Removing Barriers to Change:University of Pennsylvania
- Microeconomics Principles:University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Brand Management: Aligning Business, Brand and Behaviour:University of London
- 實驗經濟學 (Experimental Economics: Behavioral Game Theory):National Taiwan University
- Market Research and Consumer Behavior:IE Business School
Skills you can learn in Finance
Investment (23)
Market (economics) (20)
Stock (18)
Financial Statement (14)
Financial Accounting (13)
Modeling (13)
Corporate Finance (11)
Financial Analysis (11)
Trading (11)
Evaluation (10)
Financial Markets (10)
Pricing (10)
Frequently Asked Questions about Behavioral Economics
Richard Thaler, the Nobel Prize-winning economist who is considered the founder of this influential field, defined behavioral economics as “the combination of psychology and economics that investigates what happens in markets in which some of the agents display human limitations and complications.” Whereas traditional economics (known as the “standard economic model”) assumes that people are rational actors whose decision-making in the market is based purely on calculations of costs and benefits in pursuing one’s preferences, behavioral economics identifies important ways that this theory is challenged in reality by cognitive biases.
For example, individuals often lack the willpower to make choices in their long-run interest, even if they rationally understand the costs. People also often make altruistic sacrifices to help others, in contrast to purely rational actors that pursue only self-interest. These types of insights from psychology have been deepened in recent years by bringing in advances in our understanding of how the biology of the brain works, creating the closely related subfield of neuroeconomics.
These insights may seem like common sense, but they have important implications for business. Behavioral finance has helped explain how the stock market is influenced by biases such as “loss aversion,” which leads investors to fear losing money more than they value gains. Consumer neuroscience has yielded marketing insights on how memorable branding builds associations in the brain that impact purchasing decisions.
Behavioral economics and related fields can seem to some like an effort to “hack” the human mind for financial gain, particularly when used in marketing. However, leading theorists in this field such as Thaler have demonstrated that this experimental, science-based approach to economics can also help policymakers come up with policy interventions to “nudge” people towards making better long-term decisions such as eating healthier food and saving more of their money.
A background in behavioral economics can give you an edge in many types of business and marketing careers, as it helps deepen your understanding of the biases that influence the choices of other investors and consumers - as well as your own economic decision-making. This field is also useful for public policy careers, as accounting for the real-world insights of behavioral economics in policymaking can help make legislation and regulation more effective in achieving its goals.
If you want to dive deeper into this influential field and contribute to its fast-growing body of research, you can become an economist yourself. This career path typically requires an advanced degree such as a masters or even a PhD, but it can lead to work that is high paying as well as intellectually rewarding. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, economists earned a median wage of $105,020 per year in 2019, and these jobs are expected to grow faster than the average of the overall economy.
Absolutely, Coursera offers courses in behavioral economics, behavioral finance, neuroeconomics, and related fields in business as well as psychology. By learning online, you can learn about behavioral economics topics remotely from great schools like Duke University and Copenhagen Business School at a significantly lower price than on-campus students.
And, while your cognitive biases may predispose you to think that a lower price means lower quality, learners on Coursera get the same course materials and credits as on-campus counterparts, along with video lectures and live virtual office hours and collaborative projects. That means you don’t have to sacrifice the quality of your education to learn online, making this a very economically rational choice indeed.
The skills and experience you might need to have before starting to learn about behavioral economics include an understanding of taxation, finance theory, and behavioral science. Work experience in product management or client management may be useful. Other skills include data analysis skills, such as interpreting data and statistical analysis. Some additional coursework in psychology can be helpful, especially classes about cognitive psychology or neuropsychology. Courses that include experimental design, statistical analysis, and programming languages like SQL can be advantageous. You also may find it beneficial to learn about brain function and the parts that play a role in the decision-making process.
The people best suited for roles in behavioral economics are individuals who are passionate about understanding why people make economic decisions. They typically like to observe what others do, note trends in behavior, and develop hypotheses about why it’s happening. Behavior economists often enjoy applying their knowledge of experimental design to measure consumer behavior that organizations can use to inform decision making. For example, a company might want to know which features of a product are most important to its customers or why one particular model of a product does not sell as well as others.
Learning behavioral economics might be right for you if you're interested in applied psychology and topics like game theory, ostrich effect, and anchoring bias. You may find that you like learning behavioral economics if you enjoy setting up experiments to identify why people make economic decisions and sharing your insights with companies and other groups like marketers and product managers who want to put their products in the hands of as many consumers as possible. Working as a behavioral economist may interest you if you enjoy working with data and applying your insights to develop policies and strategies that align with an organization’s mission, values, and financial goals.
Online Behavioral Economics courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your existing knowledge or learn new Behavioral Economics skills. With a wide range of Behavioral Economics classes, you can conveniently learn at your own pace to advance your Behavioral Economics career skills.
When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Behavioral Economics, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here.
This FAQ content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.