Microeconomics: Consumer Behaviour 5 credits

About the course

The objective of the course is to give the student tools to formulate and analyze social problems relating to microeconomics. The course deals with theories of the individual's choice of consumer goods and labor supply as well as how economic theory can be used to formulate and apply empirical models in order to study consumer behavior.

Initially, the course analyzes the consumer's resource constraints and how they make choices about consumption goods based on rational decision theory, in the form of the so-called primary problem (utility maximization). The effects of price and income changes, as well as discrete situational changes, are studied. The consumption model is then expanded to include initial endowments, and buying and selling situations. The model is also extended to include consumption choices over time. The expenditure function is introduced, among other things, to enable monetary measurements of economic welfare when prices and other variables change. In addition to the standard assumptions in neoclassical theory, some special preference cases that can explain certain phenomena and lead to partially different conclusions are also studied.

Finally, the course demonstrates how microeconomic theory can be applied to empirical data. The aim is for students to gain an understanding of how empirical analysis can be used to guide and interpret empirical micro-oriented research.

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Spring 2027
- Microeconomics: Consumer Behaviour
  
  Offered as a part of a Degree programme
  
  VT27 / Umeå / English / On site
  
  Application opens 15 September 2026
  
  Save education at universityadmissions.se
  
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  Starts
  18 January 2027
  
  Ends
  18 February 2027
  
  Number of credits
  5 credits
  
  Type of studies
  On site
  
  Study pace
  67%
  
  Teaching hours
  Daytime
  
  Study location
  Umeå
  
  Language
  English
  
  Application code
  UMU-2N00U
  
  Eligibility
  
  60 credits completed courses whereof 45 credits in Economics. Proficiency in English equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6/level 2.
  
  Selection
  
  Guaranteed admission for students at SGPOL, SGEKA, SGIEK, SYCEK, SGSAV.
  
  Application
  The online application opens 15 September 2026 at 09:00 CET. Application deadline is 15 October 2026.
  
  Application and tuition fees
  As a citizen of a country outside the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you are required to pay application and tuition fees for studies at Umeå University.
  
  Application fee: SEK 900
  
  Tuition fee, first instalment: SEK 8,050
  
  Total fee: SEK 8,050
  
  Details about tuition, fees and funding

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