Social and Decision Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Economics
The interdisciplinary field of behavioral economics integrates perspectives from economics and psychology to understand and predict human behavior in economic contexts.
好色先生TV’s Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Economics examines how people behave in economic settings and how that behavior can be influenced. The program combines economics and psychology with quantitative methods to study decision making in organizations and public policy.
What is behavioral economics?
Behavioral economics combines economic models of decision making with psychological insights into how people actually behave.
Students study how cognitive biases, social influences and institutional structures affect economic decisions, and how those effects can be measured and evaluated. The field includes both theoretical and applied approaches, focusing on understanding behavior and addressing practical challenges.
Why study behavioral economics at Carnegie Mellon?
Carnegie Mellon offers a unique undergraduate program in behavioral economics that focuses on understanding how people behave in economic settings and how that behavior can be influenced.
Students in the major—one of the first undergraduate programs of its kind—develop a strong foundation in quantitative analysis.
Faculty apply behavioral economics to issues such as predatory lending, employee motivation, public program participation, patient adherence to medical treatment and inequality in the workplace. They also work with government and business organizations to design policies and interventions that address complex problems.
Students engage with applied projects that involve collecting original data, designing field and laboratory experiments, analyzing results and developing solutions to real-world problems.
You can learn more about the program from the faculty director, Peter Schwardmann.
Core courses
Core courses provide a foundation in economics, psychology, behavioral economics and quantitative methods. Students develop skills in data analysis, experimental design and the evaluation of behavioral interventions.
Electives and areas of focus
Elective courses allow students to explore specialized topics in behavioral economics and related fields. Students can tailor their coursework to their interests in areas such as public policy, organizational behavior, market design and applied behavioral research.
Research opportunities
The department offers research opportunities for interested and qualified students. Participating in research allows students to deepen their understanding of behavioral economics, explore potential research careers and work closely with faculty and graduate students.
Where our graduates go
Graduates pursue careers in business, government, consulting and nonprofit organizations, as well as graduate study in economics, psychology, public policy and related fields. Many roles involve policy design, behavioral insights and organizational decision making.
Students also gain experience through internships, research positions and early career roles across a range of industries.
View internships and job outcomes
Learning outcomes for Behavioral Economics
- Use formal theories of decision-making from economics and psychology to understand and predict human behavior
- Apply an interdisciplinary understanding of behavior to analyze the design of public policies and business strategies
- Apply cutting-edge empirical methodology to test theories of decision-making and to evaluate behavioral interventions
- Identify and implement strategies and policies that can affect change in organizations and in society at large
- Display effective written and spoken communication about decision science ideas, theories, and phenomena