Games

Module overview

This module gives a comprehensive analysis of the modelling of strategic behaviour in modern economics. It will familiarise students with the central concepts in game theory, covering choice in strategic situations under different informational environments. The module provides ample examples and applications for the theories developed. Throughout the module a focus is placed on evaluating outcomes with strategic behaviour with respect to their social desirability and on possible policies to improve upon the outcome. Students will learn to model strategic behaviour using games and evaluate the design of games from a welfare and policy perspective.

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

recognise problems and possible solutions associated with interaction in groups and local public goods
communicate logical arguments through mathematical and verbal explanations

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

abstract the essential features of strategic interaction to games to assess and evaluate effects of policy and exogenous changes
derive optimal and predict actual behavioural choices in strategic environments
apply logical analysis to game theoretic models and make use of inductive reasoning to solve them

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

the central analytical methods in game theory
relevant behavioural phenomena that affect economic choices in games
application of game theory to applied questions and the analysis of economic policy

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures, masterclasses, classroom experiments. Working in groups are encouraged.

Study time
Type	Hours
Tutorial	8
Independent Study	122
Lecture	20
Total study time	150

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

M.J. Osborne (2003). Introduction to Game Theory. Oxford University Press.

Tadelis, S. (2013). Game Theory: An Introduction. Princeton University Press.

P.K. Dutta (1999). Strategies and Games. Theory and Practice. MIT Press.

Assessment

Assessment strategy

Weekly online quizzes (as coursework assignments throughout the semester), a midterm test based on part 1 material, and a final exam (at the end of the semester) based on both parts. This is the same for internal repeats. Referral and external repeat assessment are through 100% final exam based on both parts.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Mid-term test	10%
Final Exam	75%
Coursework assignment(s)	15%

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Final Exam	100%

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Final Exam	100%

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External