Leading to a Bachelor of Arts, the study of decision making at Brown covers descriptive questions like how people, institutions, and nations make judgments and decisions; normative questions about rationality, such as what constitutes the best judgments and decisions; and prescriptive questions, such as how the process of decision making can be improved to make actual decisions closer to optimal ones. By virtue of its broad interdisciplinary nature, the study of decision making covers work found in a variety of more traditional disciplines including psychology, cognitive science, economics, philosophy, computer science, and neuroscience. Professor Steven Sloman is the concentration advisor. Upon declaring, concentrators are also encouraged to speak with the appropriate area specialist from among those listed here.
Standard Program for the AB Degree
| CLPS Classes: | ||
| CLPS 0220 | Making Decisions | 1 |
| Choose one of the following: | 1 | |
| Cognitive Neuroscience | ||
| Human Cognition | ||
| Social Psychology | ||
| Choose one of the following: | 1 | |
| Special Topics in Cognition: Collective Cognition | ||
| Topics in Cognition: Information and Decision Making | ||
| Mechanisms of Motivated Decision Making | ||
| Affective Neuroscience | ||
| Visually-Guided Action and Cognitive Processes | ||
| Psychology in Business and Economics | ||
| Blame and Punishment | ||
| The Moral Brain | ||
| The Psychology and Philosophy of Happiness | ||
| Distribution Requirements: | ||
| Select one Introductory Course from the following: | 1 | |
| Principles of Economics | ||
| Computing Foundations: Data | ||
| Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming and Computer Science | ||
| Computer Science: An Integrated Introduction | ||
| Computer Science: An Integrated Introduction | ||
| Accelerated Introduction to Computer Science | ||
| Select Two Advanced Courses From: | 2 | |
| Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Machine Learning | ||
| Introduction to Game Theory | ||
| Intermediate Microeconomics | ||
| Intermediate Microeconomics (Mathematical) | ||
| Welfare Economics and Social Choice Theory | ||
| History of Economic Thought | ||
| Economics in the Laboratory | ||
| Theory of Behavioral Economics | ||
| Game Theory and Applications to Economics | ||
| Decision Theory: Foundations and Applications | ||
| Moral Theories | ||
| Micro-Organizational Theory: Social Behavior in Organizations | ||
| Macro-Organizational Theory: Organizations in Social Context | ||
| Methods Classes: | ||
| Basic Probability and Statistics. Choose One From the Following: | 1 | |
| Essential Statistics | ||
| Statistical Inference I | ||
| Statistical Methods | ||
| Advanced Introduction to Probability for Computing and Data Science | ||
| Data Science Fluency | ||
| Introduction to Econometrics | ||
| Plus One of the Following (Advanced Methods): | 1 | |
| Introduction to programming | ||
| Computing Foundations: Data | ||
| Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming and Computer Science | ||
| Computer Science: An Integrated Introduction | ||
| Accelerated Introduction to Computer Science | ||
| Program Design with Data Structures and Algorithms | ||
| Mathematical Econometrics I | ||
| Big Data | ||
| Market and Social Surveys | ||
| Market Research in Public and Private Sectors | ||
| Plus Choose One From the Following (Research Design and Methods): | 1 | |
| Laboratory in Social Cognition | ||
| Laboratory in Psycholinguistics | ||
| Research Methods And Design | ||
| Research Methods | ||
| Applied Research Methods for Economists | ||
| Methods for Interdisciplinary Environmental Research | ||
| Ethnographic Research Methods | ||
| Political Research Methods | ||
| Methods of Social Research | ||
| Electives: | 3 | |
| Students will choose three additional courses in consultation with a concentration advisor that will constitute an integrated specialization in some area of decision science. Any advanced course taught at Brown is eligible. | ||
| Capstone: | 1 | |
| Fall seminar in which students write an integrative paper or do a project covering their areas of study in their senior year. The project will offer a novel discovery, either by collecting new data, offering a novel conceptual analysis, or developing a new computational or mathematical model. Reviews confined to existing literature, analyses or existing industries, and business plans are not appropriate. | ||
| Total Credits | 13 | |
| 1 | Students may not use the same course to satisfy both the Introductory and Methods course requirements. |
Students will be expected to take no more than 6 courses below the 1000-level within the concentration. Students with multiple concentrations may not apply more than 2 courses from a second concentration to the AB in Behavioral Decision Sciences. Students are responsible for satisfying all prerequisites for courses they plan to take.
Honors
The Honors Program in BDS gives undergraduates a special opportunity to carry out a research project under the direction of a faculty member that they have developed a relationship with. The program also provides the opportunity for senior concentrators to receive their undergraduate degree with Honors. Participation in the program allows students to develop an understanding of research and acquire research skills and background.
Candidates for Honors in BDS must meet all of the requirements of the BDS concentration as described above. Candidates submit their application for the program at the beginning of semester 7. We encourage students to seek out a faculty mentor prior to semester 7 and to complete their methods courses and two of their three electives before semester 7. Please refer to the CLPS Honors Program page for detailed information about the specific requirements for the Honors Program in BDS.