u/Formal_Top_1247 — reddlx

*Used Ai to put my thoughts to words*

Hey everyone,

I’m exploring applying to master’s programs in behavioural economics / behavioural science (schools like London School of Economics and Political Science are on my radar), but I come from a pretty non-traditional background and wanted to hear from people who’ve made similar transitions.

My background:

Comp sci engineering with a specialisation in data science degree (not from a top-tier school)
Average academics overall
Currently working in a business/product-adjacent role at a big4 firm with close to 2 years of works ex.
My work involves enterprise software, user workflows, feature delivery, client requirements, and seeing how people behave differently based on design decisions/processes

Over time I got increasingly curious about questions like:

Why do users behave differently across mobile vs web platforms?
Why do people ignore “better” options even when they’re obvious?
How do defaults/interface design influence decision-making?
How will AI-driven personalization/recommendation systems change human decision-making?

That curiosity is what pushed me toward behavioural economics/science.

My concerns:

No formal economics background
No formal psychology background
Not a standout GPA
Unsure how admissions committees view candidates like me

I’d love to hear from anyone who:

Pivoted from engineering/business/product/consulting into behavioural economics
Got into programs without an econ/psych background
Used work experience to strengthen their application
Can share whether this pivot was worth it career-wise

Would also love advice on whether I should build more research experience, write publicly, take courses, etc. before applying.

Thanks!