Programmes

Executive MSc Behavioural Science

  • Executive
  • Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science
  • Application code C8U9
  • Starting 2024
  • Home part-time: Open
  • Overseas part-time: Open
  • Location: Houghton Street, London

Uncover the science behind behaviour. This unique and dynamic programme provides the opportunity for full-time professionals working in any sector to obtain a graduate qualification in behavioural science, allowing you to pursue new and expanded opportunities within this emerging and exciting field.

Recognising the limitations of traditional practice and research methods, many organisations now engage with the idea of applying behavioural insights to their organisational challenges. Behavioural science may be an area directly related to your current professional role, or you may wish to pursue the programme for your own personal or career development.

The programme is taught by specialists at the forefront of research in behavioural science, in a multidisciplinary environment with links to specialist research groups based in departments across LSE. It is taught in a modular format, with courses taking place at LSE during three two-week sessions. The programme starts in September with the first two-week teaching session. The remaining teaching sessions take place in January and April. In betwen teaching sessions you will be required to complete various assessments. After the teaching blocks you complete a dissertation on a topic of your choice.

Programme details

Key facts

Executive MSc Behavioural Science
Start date September 2024
Application deadline None – rolling admissions
Duration Taught over 16 months in modular blocks
Applications 2022 91
Intake 2022 44
Financial support This programme is not eligible for LSE financial support
Minimum entry requirement 2:1 degree or equivalent and three years relevant work experience
GRE/GMAT requirement None
English language requirements Higher (see 'Assessing your application')
Location  Houghton Street, London

For more information about tuition fees and entry requirements, see the fees and funding and assessing your application sections.

Entry requirements

Minimum entry requirements for Executive MSc Behavioural Science

Upper second class honours (2:1) degree or equivalent and three years’ relevant post-graduation work experience. We do require students to be passionate about studying Behavioural Science and its applications. You can tell us about this passion in your statement of academic purpose. 

Although we do not require students to have a quantitative background, research methods is a core component of the programme. This is essential in order for you to be able to conduct rigorous and credible research in Behavioural Science. The training will start at a level that enables all students to participate. However, if you do not have previous exposure to quantitative methods you may find that you need to invest additional time developing you skills in this area throughout the programme.

Competition for places at the School is high. This means that even if you meet the minimum entry requirement, this does not guarantee you an offer of admission.

If you have studied or are studying outside of the UK then have a look at our Information for International Students to find out the entry requirements that apply to you.

 

Assessing your application

We welcome applications from all suitably qualified prospective students and want to recruit students with the very best academic merit, potential and motivation, irrespective of their background.

We carefully consider each application on an individual basis, taking into account all the information presented on your application form, including your:

- academic achievement (including predicted and achieved grades)
- statement of academic purpose 
- two references (normally one academic and one professional. However, applicants who graduated from their most recent study before January 2016 may provide two professional references)
- CV

See further information on supporting documents

You may also have to provide evidence of your English proficiency, although you do not need to provide this at the time of your application to LSE. See our English language requirements.

When to apply

Applications for this programme are considered on a rolling basis, meaning the programme will close once it becomes full. There is no fixed deadline by which you need to apply, but we advise applying early in the admissions cycle in order to increase your chance of being successful. 

Programme structure and courses

This 16-month programme normally starts in September and is divided into six half-unit taught courses for the first eight months, followed by a dissertation unit for the remaining eight months. Teaching sessions take place in September, January and April.

Provisionally, the teaching dates for the 2024/25 academic year will be as follows:

9-20 September 2024

6-17 January 2025

31 March - 11 April 2025

(* denotes a half unit)

First year

September

Behavioural Science and Policy*
Examines the main concepts and tools of the growing fields of behavioural science. Topics covered include: What is behavioural science?; What are preferences to economists and psychologists?; Dual-process models of behaviour and the role of the unconscious mind; dual processing into policy using the MINDSPACE checklist; the role of emotions in decision making; compensating behaviours; breaking and creating habits.

Behavioural Decision Science*
Examines the field of behavioural 'decision' science and explores a selection of current research topics relevant to personal and managerial decision-making as well as policy-making. The course will cover topics such as: origin of behavioural decision science; the building blocks of behavioural decision science: preferences, utility and value; probability, uncertainty and risk; choice architecture and behavioural change; heuristics and biases in decisions about money, health, consumer products and people.

January

Research Methods for Behavioural Science*
Introduces the main methodological concepts and tools in behavioural science. In doing so, it combines rigorous conceptual discussion with hands-on practical applications. The topics that the course covers include randomization and controlled online, lab, and field experiments; the inference problem; different types of experimental design; introduction to econometrics and the analysis of experimental data; experimental best practices and challenges; and conducting research when randomization is not possible. The seminars involve hands-on practical applications using Stata.

Either

Policy Appraisal and Ethics*
 
Aims to introduce the main concepts and tools of policy appraisal and yield insight into key moral and political values that are essential for policy-makers when they draw on behavioural science. The topics that the course covers include architecture of cost-benefit analysis for market and non-market goods; elicitation of monetary values through revealed and stated preference methods; welfare analysis of policy interventions; evaluating welfare beyond monetary choices; and moral problems associated with libertarian paternalism or Nudge.

Or

Corporate Behaviour and Decision Making*
Discusses behavioural sciences in the context of corporate firms and high stakes decisions. From their core courses students will be familiar with biases in decision making in general and this course builds on these courses. The course will discuss contexts in which behavioural biases affect high stake decisions in corporate settings. Specifically, it will cover behavioural biases in: trade and investment, compliance, search and hiring processes and day to day decision making in business. It will draw on empirical evidence from experiments, quasi-experimental, observational and qualitative research.

April

Frontiers in Behavioural Science Methods*
Offers integrated training in advanced behavioural science methods by introducing state-of-the-art techniques that stretch across the spectrum of psychology and economics as the two disciplines that constitute behavioural science. The topics covered include measuring preferences, attitudes, beliefs, and willingness-to-pay; analysing judgment and decision-making through the prism of quantum cognition approach to statistics; behavioural game theory and experimental games of strategic interaction; designing behavioural priming experiments and measures that tap into implicit cognition; state-of-the-art physiological research techniques; and analysing the mechanisms behind behavioural effects.

Either

Behavioural Science in an Age of New Technology*
The course aims to a) introduce major technological advancements that are relevant for predicting, influencing, and understanding human behaviour; b) outline how they supplement and extend commonly used tools of behavioural change; and c) examine how they can be used to propel behavioural science into the future. The course will tackle behavioural science in relation to motion tracking, virtual environments, gadgets, artificial intelligence, and other relevant developments in the field of technology. Emphasis will be placed on how the technological tools covered throughout the course can be used to change behaviour in applied settings, and students will be encouraged to discuss implications for their organisations and other areas of interest.

Or

The Science of Time at Work and Beyond*
Students taking this course will gain a) a multidisciplinary perspective on managing time at work and beyond; b) will learn to think critically about their own experience and use of time, and how this shapes their expectations and behaviours in their personal life, at work, and in society; c) they will be able to recognise the barriers that prevent them from pursuing activities that are beneficial for them; d) will gain knowledge about how innovations and the growing knowledge economy has changed the way we think about time; and e) will learn how to formulate solutions that enable positive behavioural change in the way they use and experience time across all aspects of their lives.

Plus
Dissertation in Behavioural Science
An independent research project of 10,000 words on an approved topic of your choice. To view a selection of past dissertation topics, please visit this page

For the most up-to-date list of optional courses please visit the relevant School Calendar page.  

You must note, however, that while care has been taken to ensure that this information is up to date and correct, a change of circumstances since publication may cause the School to change, suspend or withdraw a course or programme of study, or change the fees that apply to it. The School will always notify the affected parties as early as practicably possible and propose any viable and relevant alternative options. Note that the School will neither be liable for information that after publication becomes inaccurate or irrelevant, nor for changing, suspending or withdrawing a course or programme of study due to events outside of its control, which includes but is not limited to a lack of demand for a course or programme of study, industrial action, fire, flood or other environmental or physical damage to premises.

You must also note that places are limited on some courses and/or subject to specific entry requirements. The School cannot therefore guarantee you a place. Please note that changes to programmes and courses can sometimes occur after you have accepted your offer of a place. These changes are normally made in light of developments in the discipline or path-breaking research, or on the basis of student feedback. Changes can take the form of altered course content, teaching formats or assessment modes. Any such changes are intended to enhance the student learning experience. You should visit the School’s Calendar, or contact the relevant academic department, for information on the availability and/or content of courses and programmes of study. Certain substantive changes will be listed on the updated graduate course and programme information page.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching methods and assessment

This programme is taught in modular blocks, and you will come to the LSE campus for three two-week teaching sessions. Each of the six taught courses consist of a minimum of 22 hours of interactive lectures and seminars. Teaching takes place Monday to Friday during the teaching weeks. 

Between sessions you will complete various assessments, such as essays and take-home exams. Students should expect to dedicate at least 10-15 hours per week on average on self-study when away from campus. 

After the final teaching session, you will work on your dissertation with support from your supervisor. The dissertation is an original piece of research that develops ideas and tools learned in the courses. It is on a topic you select, and falls within your professional or personal research interests. You will have clear guidelines shared with other students, and are supervised by a faculty member. If you wish to pursue a PhD the dissertation may form the basis for your eventual doctoral thesis.

You can view indicative details of hours, teaching staff, and assessment in the Calendar within each course guide.

Academic support

You will also be assigned an academic mentor who will be available for guidance and advice on academic or personal concerns.

There are many opportunities to extend your learning outside the classroom and complement your academic studies at LSE. LSE LIFE is the School’s centre for academic, personal and professional development. Some of the services on offer include: guidance and hands-on practice of the key skills you will need to do well at LSE: effective reading, academic writing and critical thinking; workshops related to how to adapt to new or difficult situations, including development of skills for leadership, study/work/life balance and preparing for the world of work; and advice and practice on working in study groups and on cross-cultural communication and teamwork.

LSE is committed to enabling all students to achieve their full potential and the School’s Disability and Wellbeing Service provides a free, confidential service to all LSE students and is a first point of contact for all disabled students.

Teaching staff

Programme directors

Professor Paul Dolan
Dr Matteo M Galizzi 

Teaching staff 

Professor Liam Delaney
Dr Barbara Fasolo
Dr Laura Giurge
Dr Kate Laffan
Dr Grace Lordan
Dr Heather Kappes
Dr Dario Krpan
Dr Luc Schneider
Dr Ganga Shreedhar
Dr Umar Taj
Dr Alina Velias

Visiting faculty and guest lecturers

Each year we bring prominent speakers from academia as well as the private and public sectors.  Some previous speakers and teaching staff have included*:

Paul Adams
Elena Altieri
Professor Peter Ayton
Professor Oriana Bandiera
Dr Domna Banakou
Dr Adi Berliner Senderey 
Professor Vanessa Bohns
Professor Simona Botti
Professor Luc Bovens
Professor Wändi Bruine de Bruin
Dr Elizabeth Castle
Alexandra Chesterefield
Dr Molly Crockett
Dr Paolo Crosetto
Maddie Croucher
Dr John Coates
Cathy Coleman
Elisabeth Costa
Dr Greg Davies
Professor Ayelet Fishbach
Dr Daniel Fujiwara
Professor Alex Gillespie
Professor Jeremy Ginges
Professor Peter Gollwitzer
Dr Christina Gravert
Dr Elisabeth Gsottbauer
Dr David Halpern
Hugo Harper
Professor Yaniv Hanoch
Professor Oliver Hauser
Amy Hume 
Dr George Kavetsos
Dr Thomas Leeper
Cassie Kozyrkov
Professor John List
Silja Litvin
Professor Connson Locke
Professor George Loewenstein
Dr Kate Loveys
Steve Martin

Professor Nina Mazar
Professor Robert Metcalfe
Dr Stuart Mills
Professor Gilberto Montibeller
Dr Cahal Moran
Dr Michael Muthukrishna
Faisal Naru
Dr Jeroen Nieboer 
Dr Mark Noort
Professor Andrew Oswald
Professor Larry Phillips
Dr Tom Reader
Professor Sunita Sah
Dr Jet Sanders
Professor Daniel Sgroi
Dr Jennifer Sheehy-Skeffington
Professor Olivier Sibony
Eric Singler
Professor Dilip Soman
Professor Charles Stafford
Professor David Stillwell
Professor Elizabeth Stokoe
Dr Nikki Sullivan
Professor Cass R. Sunstein
Dr Alex Sutherland
Rory Sutherland
Professor Mattias Sutter
Dr Severine Toussaert
Dr Chiara Varazzani
Professor Ivo Vlaev
Professor Alex Voorhoeve
Dr Ashley Whillans
Professor Alex Wood
Scott Young

The guest lectures are organised by Matteo M Galizzi and our programme team (pbs.emsc@lse.ac.uk). Please contact them if you are interested in giving a talk.

EMSc Alumni Guest Speakers

We have also been delighted to welcome back the following alumni of the programme to speak to our students: 

Zeina Afif 
Matthew Battersby 
Enrique Belenguer 
Elizabeth Broadbent 
Tessa Buchanan 
Sarah Cunningham 
Mike Davis 
James Elfer 
Torben Emmerling 
Antoine Ferrere 
David Grosse 
Benno Guenther 
Ian Hadden 
John Hitchin 
Claire Hobden 
Gaj Mahadevan 
Anna Meadows
Dan Metcalfe 
Jo Osborn 
Tommaso Ottaviani
Jenna Palumbo 
Giorgia Prestento
Cortney Price
Maddie Quinlan
Emilia Rivolta 
Will Sandbrook 
Alice Scott 
Sia Shahrizad 
Herman Smit 
Afroditi Tsourgianni 
Nitish Upadhyaya 
Audrey Van Hoecke
Nuala Walsh 
Kate Webster 

*Please note that guest speakers vary from year to year. 

Preliminary reading

P Dolan Happiness by Design (Penguin, 2014) and Happy Ever After (Penguin, 2019)

D Kahneman Thinking Fast and Slow (Penguin, 2012)

C R Sunstein and R Thaler Nudge (Penguin, 2009)

About our students

About our students

Our students come from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds from all over the world, but one thing binds them together: a passion for behavioural science and a desire to better understand how principles from behavioural science can be applied in their professional (and personal) lives. The diversity of the class means that students are exposed to a wide range of perspectives, and that they leave LSE with a strong network of of peers from across the globe. You can find out more about how the programme has impacted our alumni's careers here

Cohort size: 45-50

Age range: mid 20s - mid 60s

Average age: 39 

Gender: 48% Female, 52% Male 

 

Student stories

Hear what our former students have to say about the programme on our dedicated alumni page.

Hear from programme alumni: watch the video

exec-msc-behaviourial-sci-video-640x360-play

Careers

Quick Careers Facts for the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science

Median salary of our PG students 15 months after graduating: £33,000

Top 5 sectors our students work in:

  • Financial and Professional Services          
  • Education, Teaching and Research           
  • Consultancy      
  • Real Estate, Environment and Energy      
  • Other Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities

The data was collected as part of the Graduate Outcomes survey, which is administered by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Graduates from 2020-21 were the fourth group to be asked to respond to Graduate Outcomes. Median salaries are calculated for respondents who are paid in UK pounds sterling and who were working in full-time employment.

This EMSc will prepare you to seek and/or advance your career in behavioural science in multiple sectors, including the public and private sectors, non-governmental organisations and academia. Our unique programme has trained more than 300 applied behavioural scientists to date, and we are immensely proud to see the outstanding contributions that our students and alumni now make to the field, with many of them currently leading behavioural units and projects in a variety of organisations across the world. Some alumni have alos set up successful behavioural science consultancy businesses, and others have gone on to further study. Our alumni often find that the programme transforms their career paths, and that it also has a very positive impact on their personal development. Find out more here

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

Support for your career

Many leading organisations give careers presentations at the School during the year, and LSE Careers has a wide range of resources available to assist students in their job search. Find out more about the support available to students through LSE Careers.

Fees and funding

Every graduate student is charged a fee for their programme.

The fee covers registration and examination fees payable to the School, lectures, classes and individual supervision, lectures given at other colleges under intercollegiate arrangements and, under current arrangements, membership of the Students' Union. It does not cover living costs or travel or fieldwork.

Tuition fees 2024/25 for Executive MSc Behavioural Science

Home students: £39,856
Overseas students: £39,856

The Table of Fees shows the latest tuition amounts for all programmes offered by the School.

Fee status

For this programme, the tuition fee is the same for all students regardless of their fee status.

Scholarships and other funding

This programme is not eligible for financial support.

Government tuition fee loans and external funding

A postgraduate loan is available from the UK government for eligible students studying for a first master’s programme, to help with fees and living costs. Some other governments and organisations also offer tuition fee loan schemes.

Find out more about tuition fee loans

Further information

Fees and funding opportunities

FAQs

You can find the answers to some frequently asked questions here.

Information sessions

Our next information session will take place on Tuesday 30 April at 1-2pm BST on Zoom. This is an opportunity for anyone interested in the Executive MSc Behavioural Science to meet the programme team virtually and ask any questions you may have. 

Sign up for the information session now. 

Please do not hesitate to contact pbs.emsc@lse.ac.uk if you have any queries about the programme in the meantime. 

Contact us

If you have any queries or would like to find out more about the programme, please do not hesitate to contact us by email: pbs.emsc@lse.ac.uk.

Please also visit the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science website for more information about the Department. 

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