Courses and Curriculum

1. BDS 501 Behavioral Science: Theory and Application of Experimental Methods
2. BDS 502 Social Norms & Informal Institutions
3. BDS 503 Behavioral Public Policy
4. BDS 521 Judgments & Decisions
5. Quantitative Core—choose ONE from the following:
   • BDS 522 Statistical Reasoning for Behavioral Science
   • BDS 516 Data Science & Quantitative Modeling

Note that if you take more than one course from the Quantitative core, it will serve as an elective course. 

The goal of the Master of Behavioral and Decision Sciences is to equip students with practical tools for applications and a focused academic portfolio. You can select three courses from disciplines and schools across the University in relation to your academic and professional goals. An advisor from the program works with you one-on-one to craft a successful curriculum. 

Elective concentrations include:

• Public health
• Psychology/Neuroscience
• Education policy
• Social and public policy
• Economics/Neuroeconomics
• Sociology/Networks
• Computational systems

The program has two prerequisite courses: (1) introductory statistics and (2) microeconomics or game theory. For students who lack sufficient background in one or all areas, the prerequisite courses may be taken after you learn of your acceptance into the program during the summer session prior to the fall term. These classes are offered through the College of Liberal and Professional Studies or may be taken locally.

Across private and public sectors, it is increasingly recognized how insights from behavioral science help in solving a variety of problems, optimizing processes, and achieving efficient outcomes. But how is this change taking place? How are businesses using behavioral insights to have a positive impact, and what type of professional from the field are they looking for?

The new Capstone Experience course consists of two semesters where students are invited to engage in a dialogue with industry to understand the landscape of the field of behavioral sciences, and use the tools learned in MBDS courses to tackle specific industry problems.

In the first semester (fall), students will engage in a conversation with industry leaders that will provide them with first-hand knowledge of a) how behavioral science is applied in organizations across several domains, b) why behavioral science insights and tools are becoming increasingly relevant in organizational settings, and c) what MBDS graduates can expect when they finally get to the job market. Students will use these conversations to identify, develop, and focus on their professional goals, helping them to refine their academic plans to support these goals. In the spring, students embark on a Design Challenge, where, in teams, they will have a chance to use instructional and strategic input from these conversations to shape their work.

Students in the Master of Behavioral and Decision Sciences program are eligible to use electives to complete the Graduate Certificate in Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (SCAN). The four required courses provide a strong foundation in neuroscience for non-scientists, emphasizing the aspects of neuroscience that are most relevant to understanding human behavior. If you are interested in this certificate, please contact penn-scan@sas.upenn.edu.