AØKA08166U Behavioral Finance (F)

Volume 2022/2023
Education

MSc programme in Economics – elective course

The course is part of the MSc programme in Economics, Financial line, symbolized by ‘F’.

Content

Traditional economic theory assumes that economic agents are fully rational with unlimited cognitive abilities and willpower. However, individuals frequently and systematically make decisions in contradiction with these standard presumptions.

Against the background of this finding the course addresses e.g. the following questions:

  • What are the shortcomings of traditional theories in economics and finance?

  • How do the new concepts / theories in behavioral finance and behavioral economics address these shortcomings?

  • How do these new theories relate to the traditional theories and what are their strengths and limitations?

  • How do the new behavioral presumptions in behavioral finance and economics change the predictions of classical economic theories?

Learning Outcome

After completing the course the student is expected to be able to:

 

Knowledge:

  • Account for how behavioral finance and economics attempts to understand the most important systematic behavioral departures from standard economic theories.

  • Provide an in-depth overview of the most important seminal works in behavioral finance

  • Identify and discuss the impact and relevance of the new concepts and theories presented in these seminal works.

 

Skills:

  • Critically assess and relate the new concepts and the supporting empirical evidence put forward in the hitherto existing seminal works in behavioral finance.

  • Debate and present these new and often complex concepts in a simple, clear and pricise way.

 

Competencies:

  • Apply the empirical and theoretical knowledge and the skills obtained in this course to understand real-world behavioral phenomena that lie beyond the scope of this course.

  • Solve problems and implement decision for subject within behavioral finance that lie outside the scope of the course.

A list of required readings will be given to the students in the beginning of the course

A sound knowledge of microeconomics and game theory is required from a course equivalent to Microeconomics III, Studies of Economics, University of Copenhagen. It is strongly recommended to have followed the course before or at least parallel to "Behavioral Finance".
In the first week of the course there will be an opening lecture during which also all organizational issues are discussed. In all the following weeks there will be lectures on different topics in behavioral finance and economics.

Changes to teaching methods due to a pandemic crisis:
The teaching in this course might be changed to either fully or partly online due to a pandemic crisis. If changes are implemented please read the study messages at KUnet or the announcements in the virtual course room on Absalon (for enrolled students).
Schedule:
2 hours lectures 1 to 2 times a week from week 6 to 20.

The overall schema for the Master can be seen at KUnet:
MSc in Economics => "courses and teaching" => "Planning and overview" => "Your timetable"

Timetable and venue:
To see the time and location of lectures please press the link under "Timetable"/​​​"Se skema" at the right side of this page (F means Spring).

You can find the similar information partly in English at
https:/​/​skema.ku.dk/​ku2223/​uk/​module.htm
-Select Department: “2200-Økonomisk Institut” (and wait for respond)
-Select Module:: “2200-F23; [Name of course]”
-Select Report Type: “List – Weekdays”
-Select Period: “Forår/Spring”
Press: “ View Timetable”

Please be aware:
- The schedule of the lectures can change without the participants´ acceptance. If this occure, you can see the new schedule in your personal timetable at KUnet, in the app myUCPH and through the links in the right side of this course description and the link above.
- It is the students´s own responsibility continuously throughout the study to stay informed about their study, their teaching, their schedule, their exams etc. through the curriculum of the study programme, the study pages at KUnet, student messages, the course description, the Digital Exam portal, Absalon, the personal schema at KUnet and myUCPH app etc.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 42
  • Preparation
  • 162
  • Exam
  • 2
  • Total
  • 206
Oral
Collective

 

Students have the possibility to get individual oral feedback during office hours

Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written examination, 2 hours under invigilation
Type of assessment details
ITX-exam in the exam venues of the university.
The exam assignment is in English and must be answered in English.

Changes to the exam due to a pandemic crisis:
In the event that restrictions from a pandemic crisis may affect the conduction of the ITX-exams, the written exam and the re-sit exam will change to a 2 hours written take-home exam. The changes will be announced in study messages at KUnet and in Digital Exam.

The take-home exam is an individual exam and it is not allowed to communicate with any one about the exam assignment nor the solution at all. It is also prohibited to distribute data and other information at all. If this or alike actions happens, it will be regarded as cheating and plagiarism.
Exam registration requirements

There are no requirements that the student has to fulfill during the course to be able to sit the exam.

Aid

No aids allowed at the written ITX-exams.

For further information about allowed aids for the re-examination. Please go to the section "Re-exam".

 

If the ITX-exam changes to a take-home exam due to a pandemic crisis, the written take-home exam is with all aids.

 

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
at the written exams. The written ITX-exam may be chosen for external assessment by random sample.
An oral re-examination may be with external assessment.
Exam period

The regular exam takes place:

5 June 2023

 

Exam information:

The exact time and place will be available in Digital Exam from the middle of the semester. In special cases decided by the Department, the exam can change to another place, type, day and/or time than announced. 

More information about examination, rules, aids etc. at Master (UK) and Master (DK).

Re-exam

The written reexam takes place:

25 August 2023

 

By pandemic restrictions, the re-sit might change to a 20 minutes oral online exam with all aids, but without preparation time.

 

Reexam information:

Exact type, day, time and place is available in Digital Exam in August. In special cases decided by the Department, the re-sit can change to another place, type, day and/or time than announced.

More info: Master(UK) and Master(DK)

Criteria for exam assesment

Students are assessed on the extent to which they master the learning outcome for the course.

 

In order to obtain the top grade "12", the student must with no or only a few minor weaknesses be able to demonstrate an excellent performance displaying a high level of command of all aspects of the relevant material and can make use of the knowledge, skills and competencies listed in the learning outcomes.

 

In order to obtain the passing grade “02”, the student must in a satisfactory way be able to demonstrate a minimal acceptable level of  the knowledge, skills and competencies listed in the learning outcomes.