The Architecture of Choice: Behavioral Economics, Cognitive Bias, and Nudge Theory

Course Description: This course style introduces core economics through incentives, trade-offs, and data. Students learn how individuals, firms, and governments make decisions under constraints, and how those choices shape markets and policy outcomes. Emphasis is placed on economic reasoning that can be defended with evidence. Students practice using simple models, interpreting real datasets, and evaluating what policies can realistically change. Projects often analyze a real issue—inequality, education, labor markets, or consumer behavior—ending in a clear write-up that links theory to data and acknowledges limitations. Assessment Methods: Recommendation Letter Opportunities, Research Papers