Economics: behavior, data and policy
Economics: behavior, data and policy
Course sheet
A.Y. 2024/2025
Bachelor
L-33 R - Lauree in Scienze Economiche
The Bachelor's Degree Programme in Economics: Behavior, Data and Policy is a three-year programme, entirely taught in English, that aims to provide a basic but solid knowledge of economic theory, its principles, and its quantitative and statistical tools. This knowledge is aimed at developing the ability to produce analysis and research in all the fields of economics. Students will acquire the ability to analyze the behavioral mechanisms that lead individuals to make decisions that influence the organization and functioning of markets. At the same time, they will understand economic systems, also from an international perspective, and the policies that regulate them. The programme also aims to provide critical awareness of social issues in contemporary reality, which are closely related to economic development, like public policies to counter inequality. The programme also offers an applied approach, with constant use of data analysis, and includes innovative branches of economics such as behavioral economics and experimental methods. The programme's strongly internationally-oriented perspective is finally granted by the use of English as language of instruction.
The first two years of the study programme aim to ensure basic knowledge in different disciplines, with a training in quantitative methods and the development of reasoning and critical thinking skills. Furthermore, students will grasp the basic principles of economics in order to acquire tools for analysing individual choices, market functioning, dynamics underlying economic activities and the labor market. Through targeted teaching, students will develop the ability to collect, process and interpret statistical data, with an early focus on consumer behavior. In the third year of the program, students take advanced courses and apply the tools and skills acquired earlier. They also have the opportunity to further enrich their competencies in analysing the behavioral mechanisms influencing consumer choices.
The knowledge and skills acquired are useful both for graduates intending to continue their academic career with a Master Degree and for graduates entering the job market in positions and professional profiles such as operative marketing technician; strategic marketing technician, market analyst, and data technician.
The first two years of the study programme aim to ensure basic knowledge in different disciplines, with a training in quantitative methods and the development of reasoning and critical thinking skills. Furthermore, students will grasp the basic principles of economics in order to acquire tools for analysing individual choices, market functioning, dynamics underlying economic activities and the labor market. Through targeted teaching, students will develop the ability to collect, process and interpret statistical data, with an early focus on consumer behavior. In the third year of the program, students take advanced courses and apply the tools and skills acquired earlier. They also have the opportunity to further enrich their competencies in analysing the behavioral mechanisms influencing consumer choices.
The knowledge and skills acquired are useful both for graduates intending to continue their academic career with a Master Degree and for graduates entering the job market in positions and professional profiles such as operative marketing technician; strategic marketing technician, market analyst, and data technician.
The Degree Programme in Economics: Behavior, Data and Policy aims to train the following professional figures.
1. Profile: Data Technician
Function in a work context: assist specialists in experimental research and in demographic, epidemiological, social and economic surveys; verify and apply research and data acquisition procedures; quality control of collected data and statistical processing and analysis of the data.
Skills associated with the function: solid quantitative and methodological basis for collecting data and conducting statistical analysis.
Employment outlets: enterprises, public and private organizations.
2. Profile: Market Analyst
Function in a work context: to assist specialists in defining marketing strategies; carry out researches on consumer reactions and market conditions; evaluate commercial penetration opportunities for products or services; identify competitive situations, prices and types of consumers; apply established procedures to collect relevant information; organize and analyse collected information, and present it in a relevant and meaningful way to specialists and managers.
Skills associated with the function: solid quantitative basis for conducting statistical analysis, in-depth knowledge of market systems and behavioral mechanisms of consumer choices.
Employment outlets: enterprises, public and private organizations.
1. Profile: Data Technician
Function in a work context: assist specialists in experimental research and in demographic, epidemiological, social and economic surveys; verify and apply research and data acquisition procedures; quality control of collected data and statistical processing and analysis of the data.
Skills associated with the function: solid quantitative and methodological basis for collecting data and conducting statistical analysis.
Employment outlets: enterprises, public and private organizations.
2. Profile: Market Analyst
Function in a work context: to assist specialists in defining marketing strategies; carry out researches on consumer reactions and market conditions; evaluate commercial penetration opportunities for products or services; identify competitive situations, prices and types of consumers; apply established procedures to collect relevant information; organize and analyse collected information, and present it in a relevant and meaningful way to specialists and managers.
Skills associated with the function: solid quantitative basis for conducting statistical analysis, in-depth knowledge of market systems and behavioral mechanisms of consumer choices.
Employment outlets: enterprises, public and private organizations.
The Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods offers opportunities for study experiences abroad thanks to several agreements with European universities, where students will be able to attend lectures and obtain credits valid for their didactical path.
Partners are selected from the most prestigious academic institutions in European area. The Department also stipulated agreements with prestigious University in United Kingdom and Switzerland. The courses offered by partner universities cover all the core topics and disciplines of Economics. The choice of courses is made before departure together with the Erasmus coordinator and the credits earned are officially recognized at the end of the exchange period and included in the study plan.
Partners are selected from the most prestigious academic institutions in European area. The Department also stipulated agreements with prestigious University in United Kingdom and Switzerland. The courses offered by partner universities cover all the core topics and disciplines of Economics. The choice of courses is made before departure together with the Erasmus coordinator and the credits earned are officially recognized at the end of the exchange period and included in the study plan.
Courses attendance is highly recommended.
Enrolment
In order to be admitted to the Bachelor's Degree programme in Economics: Behavior, Data and Policy, prospective students must hold an upper secondary school diploma or equivalent qualification obtained abroad after at least 12 years of schooling; they also must have an adequate educational background and possess basic skills in the area of language comprehension, logic and mathematics.
Pursuant to Art. 2 of the Law 264/1999, in order to ensure high quality education (in particular with respect to the capacity constraints necessary to run laboratories, and to hold individual and group presentations in some courses), the maximum number of students who can enroll in the Bachelor's Degree programme in Economics: Behavior, Data and Policy is set at 100, plus 15 places reserved for international non-EU candidates residing abroad.
Assessment of basic knowledge and skills will be ascertained through an online admission test, held in English language - English TOLC-E admission test, the Online Test organized by CISIA (Interuniversity Consortium for Integrated Access Systems), that will focus on the topics listed in the syllabus given at the following link: https://www.cisiaonline.it/area-tematica-english-tolc-economia/structure-and-syllabus/
Selection of students is based on the English TOLC-E admission test too; admission ranking is exclusively based on the score obtained in logic and mathematics sections of the English TOLC-E test. Applicants who want to transfer from other Degree programmes or who already hold a degree and request its recognition (partial or total) must also sit for the test and rank sufficiently high.
The admission test is organized in two sessions: the first session, in spring, is exclusively reserved to students attending their last year of secondary school; the second session, open to all candidates, will take place in summer.
International non-EU candidates residing abroad - both those in their last year of secondary school and those who already got their diploma in previous years - must apply in the first admission session, in spring.
Candidates (both EU and non-EU) who don't reach an overall score of 10 in mathematics and logic sections of the English TOLC-E will be excluded from the admission procedure.
Additional Learning Requirements (OFA)
Admitted candidates who didn't reach an overall score of 15 in mathematics and logic sections of the English TOLC-E will be assigned Additional Learning Requirements (OFA, Obblighi Formativi Aggiuntivi) in the area of logic and mathematics, that must be fulfilled within the first year; students who do not fulfil OFA within this deadline will not be able to take the exams of the second or third year. Further information on these OFA are available online on the Bachelor Degree programme website.
Additional Learning Requirements in English Language proficiency (OFA B2)
To be able to sit the exams included in the degree programme, students must be proficient in English at a B2 level under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). This proficiency level may be certified as follows:
- by submitting a language certificate attesting B2 or higher level in English and issued no more than three years before the date of submission. You will find the list of language certificates recognized by the University at: (https://www.unimi.it/en/node/39322). The certificate must be uploaded during the enrolment procedure, or subsequently to the portal https://studente.unimi.it/uploadCertificazioniLingue;
- by submitting a secondary school diploma with English as teaching Language. The diploma must be uploaded during the enrolment procedure in the Language Certificate section, or subsequently to the portal https://studente.unimi.it/uploadCertificazioniLingue;
- by taking a placement test offered by the University Language Centre (SLAM) during year I only, in October. Students who fail the test will be required to take a SLAM course. The Placement Test is mandatory for all students who do not hold a valid certificate, or a secondary school diploma with English as teaching language. Students who do not sit the Placement Test by October or who fail to pass the SLAM end-of-course test within six attempts, must obtain a paid certificate to be able to register for and sit any exam included in the degree programme.
Pursuant to Art. 2 of the Law 264/1999, in order to ensure high quality education (in particular with respect to the capacity constraints necessary to run laboratories, and to hold individual and group presentations in some courses), the maximum number of students who can enroll in the Bachelor's Degree programme in Economics: Behavior, Data and Policy is set at 100, plus 15 places reserved for international non-EU candidates residing abroad.
Assessment of basic knowledge and skills will be ascertained through an online admission test, held in English language - English TOLC-E admission test, the Online Test organized by CISIA (Interuniversity Consortium for Integrated Access Systems), that will focus on the topics listed in the syllabus given at the following link: https://www.cisiaonline.it/area-tematica-english-tolc-economia/structure-and-syllabus/
Selection of students is based on the English TOLC-E admission test too; admission ranking is exclusively based on the score obtained in logic and mathematics sections of the English TOLC-E test. Applicants who want to transfer from other Degree programmes or who already hold a degree and request its recognition (partial or total) must also sit for the test and rank sufficiently high.
The admission test is organized in two sessions: the first session, in spring, is exclusively reserved to students attending their last year of secondary school; the second session, open to all candidates, will take place in summer.
International non-EU candidates residing abroad - both those in their last year of secondary school and those who already got their diploma in previous years - must apply in the first admission session, in spring.
Candidates (both EU and non-EU) who don't reach an overall score of 10 in mathematics and logic sections of the English TOLC-E will be excluded from the admission procedure.
Additional Learning Requirements (OFA)
Admitted candidates who didn't reach an overall score of 15 in mathematics and logic sections of the English TOLC-E will be assigned Additional Learning Requirements (OFA, Obblighi Formativi Aggiuntivi) in the area of logic and mathematics, that must be fulfilled within the first year; students who do not fulfil OFA within this deadline will not be able to take the exams of the second or third year. Further information on these OFA are available online on the Bachelor Degree programme website.
Additional Learning Requirements in English Language proficiency (OFA B2)
To be able to sit the exams included in the degree programme, students must be proficient in English at a B2 level under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). This proficiency level may be certified as follows:
- by submitting a language certificate attesting B2 or higher level in English and issued no more than three years before the date of submission. You will find the list of language certificates recognized by the University at: (https://www.unimi.it/en/node/39322). The certificate must be uploaded during the enrolment procedure, or subsequently to the portal https://studente.unimi.it/uploadCertificazioniLingue;
- by submitting a secondary school diploma with English as teaching Language. The diploma must be uploaded during the enrolment procedure in the Language Certificate section, or subsequently to the portal https://studente.unimi.it/uploadCertificazioniLingue;
- by taking a placement test offered by the University Language Centre (SLAM) during year I only, in October. Students who fail the test will be required to take a SLAM course. The Placement Test is mandatory for all students who do not hold a valid certificate, or a secondary school diploma with English as teaching language. Students who do not sit the Placement Test by October or who fail to pass the SLAM end-of-course test within six attempts, must obtain a paid certificate to be able to register for and sit any exam included in the degree programme.
Places available: 100 + 15 reserved for non-EU citizens
Call for applications
Please refer to the call for admission test dates and contents, and how to register.
Session: 1
Application for admission: from 02/04/2024 to 30/05/2024
Application for matriculation: from 06/06/2024 to 20/06/2024
Session: 2
Application for admission: from 04/07/2024 to 29/08/2024
Application for matriculation: from 04/09/2024 to 10/09/2024
Online services
Learn more:
Programme description and courses list
Compulsory
| Courses or activities | ECTS | Total hours | Language | Lesson period | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Economics and Marketing | 9 | 60 | English | Second trimester | SECS-P/07 SECS-P/08 |
| Coding | 6 | 40 | English | First trimester | INF/01 |
| Data Protection and Consumer Law | 9 | 60 | English | Third trimester | IUS/01 |
| Mathematics | 12 | 80 | English | First trimester | SECS-S/06 |
| Microeconomics | 12 | 80 | English | Third trimester | SECS-P/01 SECS-P/02 |
| Philosophy of Science | 6 | 40 | English | First trimester | M-FIL/02 |
| Probability and Statistics | 9 | 60 | English | Second trimester | SECS-S/01 |
be activated by the A.Y. 2025/2026
Compulsory
| Courses or activities | ECTS | Total hours | Language | Lesson period | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Causal Inference and Policy Evaluation | 6 | 40 | English | Third trimester | SECS-P/01 SECS-P/05 |
| Competition and Advertising Law | 6 | 40 | English | Third trimester | IUS/04 |
| Econometrics | 9 | 60 | English | Second trimester | SECS-P/05 |
| Expermental Economics | 9 | 60 | English | Third trimester | SECS-P/01 SECS-P/02 |
| Macroeconomics | 9 | 60 | English | First trimester | SECS-P/01 |
| Microeconomics of Uncertainty | 9 | 60 | English | First trimester | SECS-P/01 |
| Public Economics | 9 | 60 | English | Second trimester | SECS-P/03 |
be activated by the A.Y. 2026/2027
Compulsory
| Courses or activities | ECTS | Total hours | Language | Lesson period | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Behavioral Economics | 9 | 60 | English | First trimester | SECS-P/01 SECS-P/02 |
| Consumer Behavior and Marketing Strategy | 9 | 60 | English | Second trimester | SECS-P/08 |
| Development and Sustainability | 6 | 40 | English | Second trimester | SECS-P/01 |
| Final exam | 3 | 0 | English | Open sessions | |
| Labor Markets and Migration | 6 | 40 | English | Second trimester | SECS-P/01 |
| Machine Learning for Economics | 9 | 60 | English | First trimester | SECS-S/01 |
Optional activities and study plan rules
1 - Students must earn 12 credits for elective activities (also laboratories up to 3 ECTS).
2 - Students must earn 6 credits by selecting among the following alternatives:
- computer skills;
- internship (3 ECTS);
- transversal skills (please check this website page: https://www.unimi.it/en/study/bachelor-and-master-study/following-your-programme-study/soft-skills);
- additional language skills (max 3 ECTS); students with a foreign qualification must necessarily earn 3 credits in Additional Language Skills: Italian (3 ECTS);
- other activities in which also laboratories can be included (max 3 ECTS).
- computer skills;
- internship (3 ECTS);
- transversal skills (please check this website page: https://www.unimi.it/en/study/bachelor-and-master-study/following-your-programme-study/soft-skills);
- additional language skills (max 3 ECTS); students with a foreign qualification must necessarily earn 3 credits in Additional Language Skills: Italian (3 ECTS);
- other activities in which also laboratories can be included (max 3 ECTS).
| Courses or activities | ECTS | Total hours | Language | Lesson period | SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Additional Language Skills: French (3 ECTS) | 3 | 0 | French | Open sessions | |
| Additional Language Skills: German (3 ECTS) | 3 | 0 | German | Open sessions | |
| Additional Language Skills: Italian (3 ECTS) | 3 | 0 | Italian | Open sessions | |
| Additional Language Skills: Spanish (3 ECTS) | 3 | 0 | Spanish | Open sessions |
3 - If there are ECTS still available to allocate, students can earn 3 ECTS with an Internship.
The fulfillment of the Additional Learning Obligations (Obblighi formativi aggiuntivi - OFA) of the disciplinary entry requirements is propaedeutic to the second and third year exams.
For the Undergraduate Course in Economics: Behavior, Data and Policy, some courses are preparatory and the related exams must be passed before being able to take the exam in other courses, as detailed below:
- 'Microeconomics' is mandatory before taking the following exams: 'Behavioral Economics', 'Public Economics', 'Experimental Economics', 'Development and Sustainability' and 'Labor Market and Migration'.
- 'Business Economics and Marketing' is mandatory before taking the following exam: 'Consumer Behavior and Marketing Strategy'.
For the Undergraduate Course in Economics: Behavior, Data and Policy, some courses are preparatory and the related exams must be passed before being able to take the exam in other courses, as detailed below:
- 'Microeconomics' is mandatory before taking the following exams: 'Behavioral Economics', 'Public Economics', 'Experimental Economics', 'Development and Sustainability' and 'Labor Market and Migration'.
- 'Business Economics and Marketing' is mandatory before taking the following exam: 'Consumer Behavior and Marketing Strategy'.
Prescribed foundation courses
| Learning activity | Prescribed foundation courses |
|---|---|
| Behavioral Economics | Microeconomics (compulsory) |
| Consumer Behavior and Marketing Strategy | Business Economics and Marketing (compulsory) |
| Development and Sustainability | Microeconomics (compulsory) |
| Expermental Economics | Microeconomics (compulsory) |
| Labor Markets and Migration | Microeconomics (compulsory) |
| Public Economics | Microeconomics (compulsory) |
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Location
Milan
Reference structures
Contacts
- Didactic Secretariat
7, Via Conservatorio, Milan
[email protected] - Student Registrar
9/1, Via S. Sofia, Milan
https://www.unimi.it/en/study/student-services/welcome-desk-informastudenti
+39+39 02 5032 5032
The tuition fees for students enrolled in Bachelor's, Master's and single-cycle degree programmes are divided into two instalments with different calculation methods and payment schedules:
- The amount of the first instalment is the same for all students
- The amount of the second instalment varies according to the ISEE University value, the degree programme and the student status (on track / off track for one year or off track for more than a year)
- An additional fee is due for online programmes
The University also offers:
- Concessions for students meeting high merit requirements
- Diversified tuition fees according to the student's home country for international students with assets/income abroad
- Concessions for international students with refugee status
Scholarships and benefits
The University provides a range of financial benefits to students meeting special requirements (merit, financial or personal conditions, international students).
Learn more
Guidance:
Admission, ranking and enrolment