Subject guides / Behavioural Science
Behavioural Science
Also appears in programme titles as: Behavioural Economics · Behavioural and Decision Science
What a behavioural science degree actually is
People do not behave the way classical models assume — and behavioural science is the field that studies how they actually decide, then applies it: nudges, choice architecture, behavioural public policy, behavioural design. It jumped from academia into governments and companies in barely a decade.
LSE's MSc Behavioural Science is the field flagship; Warwick and Nottingham add strong UK behavioural-economics routes; Erasmus Rotterdam the Dutch option; Penn's Master of Behavioral and Decision Sciences the US programme.
What you study — and the quantitative bar
Judgement and decision-making, behavioural economics, experimental methods and statistics, and applied behavioural policy and design. The bar is genuinely quantitative — experimental design and statistics are core, and the strong programmes expect it. Psychology, economics and other quantitative-social-science backgrounds convert; purely qualitative profiles struggle.
Where it leads
Behavioural-insights units in governments (the "nudge units" that spread worldwide), behavioural and UX roles in companies and consultancies, applied-research teams, and international organisations applying behavioural approaches to development and health. Public and private demand both grew fast and have stayed — behavioural teams are now standard infrastructure in many institutions.
Who it suits — and who it does not
A good fit if you are…
- Psychology and economics graduates targeting applied behavioural careers
- Policy professionals adding behavioural methods to their toolkit
- Applicants building a behavioural-insights unit at home — a distinctive, fundable narrative
Probably not the right degree if…
- Applicants avoiding statistics and experiments — the methods core is demanding
- Those wanting clinical psychology — a different professional route
- Anyone expecting pop-science nudging — the real field is rigorous and experimental
Where to study it: the programme map
Five verified programmes: LSE (flagship), Warwick and Nottingham (UK behavioural economics), Erasmus Rotterdam (Netherlands) and Penn (US).
| University | Official programme title | Length | Tuition (intl) | Experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erasmus University RotterdamNetherlands | MSc Economics and Business — Behavioural Economics | 12 mo | EUR 21,000 | — |
| London School of Economics and Political ScienceUnited Kingdom | MSc Behavioural Science | 12 mo | GBP 30,400 | — |
| University of NottinghamUnited Kingdom | Behavioural Economics MSc | 12 mo | GBP 31,700/yr | — |
| University of PennsylvaniaUnited States | Master of Behavioral and Decision Sciences | — | USD 66,996 | — |
| University of WarwickUnited Kingdom | Behavioural and Economic Science (Science Track) MSc | — | GBP 31,670/yr | — |
Every row verified against the official programme page; oldest verification 16 Jul 2026. Nothing here is a paid placement.
Application strategy and funding routes
LSE (£30,400) is the field flagship and Chevening-compatible; Warwick and Nottingham the strong one-year UK behavioural-economics routes; Erasmus Rotterdam the Dutch option; Penn the US route (Fulbright). A behavioural-policy-capacity narrative — proposing the behavioural-insights unit or intervention your government lacks — is concrete, current and reads freshly to assessors who see few of them.
Which scholarship funds which programme
Computed from each scheme's published rules (destination, level, course length) — not a guarantee; list-based schemes still require checking the official list.
- Erasmus University Rotterdam — study destination outside the scheme
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- University of Nottingham
- University of Pennsylvania — study destination outside the scheme
- University of Warwick — course length not on file
- Erasmus University Rotterdam — study destination outside the scheme
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- University of Nottingham
- University of Pennsylvania — study destination outside the scheme
- University of Warwick
Frequently asked questions
Is behavioural science just "nudging"?
Nudging is one visible application; the field is a rigorous, experimental science of decision-making with far broader reach into policy, health and design. The strong programmes are statistics- and experiment-heavy, not pop-science.
How much maths is required?
A real amount — experimental design and statistics are the core methods. Psychology and economics graduates convert well; applicants avoiding quantitative work are the common misfit.
Which scholarships fit?
Chevening/Commonwealth for the UK rows; Fulbright for Penn; Dutch routes for Erasmus. A behavioural-insights-unit narrative fits public-policy scholarship priorities well.
Related fields
Sources
Official programme pages (linked per row above) · official scholarship rules and participating-programme lists · university admission regulations. Every data row records its source URL and verification date; stale rows are re-checked or removed.
Global Study Prep is independent and not affiliated with any university or scholarship programme. Programme details change — always confirm on the official page before applying.