MSc Behavioural Science for Management

Learn from the experts
 

You’ll benefit from the vibrant research community within our Behavioural Science Centre, where there’s a regular programme of visiting speakers, leading academics, and policy and industry professionals. There’s also the opportunity work closely with course staff who have published in leading peer-reviewed outlets on:

• Forecasting
• Risk and how to communicate it
• Altruism
• Donating behaviour
• Survey design
• Selective Attention
• Priming, including Mortality Salience
• The optimal design of nudges
• The ethics of nudging
• The replication crisis in the social sciences
   

And have applied their research to an extensive set of areas including:

• health
• the environment
• finance
• food safety
• employment and HR
• insurance markets
• culture and entertainment industries
   

The full-time MSc Behavioural Science for Management consists of two 15-week semesters of taught modules and a three-month dissertation period.
 

Modules

The module information below provides an example of the types of course module you may study. The details listed are for the current academic year (September 2021). Modules and start dates are regularly reviewed and may be subject to change in future years.
 

Year 1, Autumn semester

Compulsory module

• Flying Start Leadership Programme (MANPFSL)    0 credits
   

Compulsory module

• Behavioural Economics I: Concepts and Theories (BSMP001)    20 credits
   

Compulsory module

• Psychology of Work (BSMP002)    20 credits
   

Compulsory module

• Statistics with R (MRMP003)    20 credits
   

Year 1, Spring semester

Compulsory module

• Behavioural Economics II: Business & Policy Applications (BSMP003)    20 credits
   

Compulsory module

• Evidence - based Decision Making (BSMP007)    20 credits
   

Compulsory module

• Survey Measurement & Analysis (BSMP005)    20 credits
   

Year 1, Summer semester

Dissertation
 

Select 1 module from Dissertation list

• Dissertation (BSMP099)    60 credits

Academic requirements
A minimum of a second class honours degree or equivalent. Applicants without these formal qualifications but with significant appropriate/relevant work/life experience are encouraged to apply.
 

Other routes of entry
If you don’t currently meet the academic requirements for this course, INTO University of Stirling offers a variety of preparation programmes that can earn you the qualifications and skills you need for direct entry.
 

English language requirements
 

If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:

• IELTS Academic or UKVI 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each sub-skill 
• Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) 169 overall with a minimum of 162 in each sub-skill
• Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE) 180 overall with a minimum of 162 in each sub-skill
• Pearson Test of English (Academic) 60 overall with a minimum of 59 in each sub-skill
• IBT TOEFL 78 overall with a minimum of 17 in listening, 18 in reading, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing
• IBT TOEFL Special Home Edition Test 78 overall with a minimum of 17 in listening, 18 in reading, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing
• Trinity ISE II Pass overall with a Pass in each sub-skill, ISE III Pass overall and in all sub-skills, ISE IV Pass overall and in all sub-skills
• Aptis (4 skills) CEFR B2 overall and B2 in all sub-skills
• Duolingo 95 overall with a minimum of 90 in all sub-skills
• LanguageCert International ESOL B2 Communicator - High Pass overall with minimum 25 in each sub-skill

Overseas (non-EU) students

2022/23 - £19,145
2023/24 - £19,645
 

Course fees

Fees shown are for a full-time, one-year Masters course.

• If you need to extend your period of study, you may be liable for additional fees.
• If you are studying part time, the total course fee will be split over the years that you study. The total fee will remain the same and will be held at the rate set in your year of entry.
   

Cost of living
If you’re domiciled in the UK, you can typically apply to your relevant funding body for help with living costs. This usually takes the form of student loans, grants or bursaries, and the amount awarded depends upon your personal circumstances and household income.
 

European Union and overseas students won’t normally be able to claim living support through SAAS or other UK public funding bodies. You should contact the relevant authority in your country to find out if you’re eligible to receive support.

The MSc Behavioural Science for Management is designed to help you pursue a career in business in areas such as:

• implementation of public policy
• regulation and policy development
• survey research
• advertising
• consumer and social marketing
• human resource management
   

Our unique Flying Start Leadership programme equips you with the awareness, knowledge and techniques essential for building a successful career and the course also provides an excellent entry point if you’re considering progressing to PhD research in this area. 
 

When you graduate you’ll be ready and able to contribute innovative solutions to many businesses, governments and society. The specialist knowledge you’ll gain will be invaluable in building a long-term career. You’ll have the skills and understanding to:

• carry out complex statistics, design behavioural experiments and implement behavioural research methods
• integrate the knowledge and understanding gained throughout the course and use this to tackle substantive issues in business and policy
• use your knowledge of complex conceptual, design and statistical issues to understand, critically evaluate and apply insights from emerging research in behavioural economics and related disciplines