The Doctoral program in Decision, Risk and Financial Sciences at the University of Melbourne in the Department of Finance provides training in the conceptual principles and research techniques across the social, biological and mathematical sciences fields that analyse human decision-making and problem-solving in the context of risk and complexity at individual and market levels. Students will draw on experimental methods and conceptual principles to deliver solutions to key research questions relating to decision-making, risk and financial sciences.
The program is made up of a 2-year Master of Commerce coursework program followed by a 3-year PhD. Generous scholarships (full fee waivers and a stipend of AUD$30,000 per year) are available for high-performing applicants through the University of Melbourne. Our key areas of study include: Individual decision-making: Experimental investigation of the neurobiology of decision-making and learning (decision neuroscience), with a focus on decisions in the presence of risk (e.g., extreme events) and complexity (e.g., combinatorial problems); human-robot interaction in financial decision-making (e.g., robo-advisors).
Group decision-making: Experimental investigation of decision-making and learning in small groups. Financial markets: Experimental investigation of decision-making in financial markets (experimental finance), e.g.: emerging intelligence through markets; dark markets; algorithmic trading; human-robot interaction in markets; combinatorial double-sided markets. Development of software: online double-sided markets platform; app development with interactive games/tools needed to overcome cognitive biases.
