GOVT-503 Game Theory

Faculty:

Humes, Brian

Course Content: We use game theory to study strategic interaction. Social, political, and economic interactions abound with such strategic behavior. Indeed, strategic interaction can be argued to be the essence of social life. Game theory, through the use of formal mathematical models, provides the micro foundations for the study of the interaction of individuals. The formal models to be examined in this course include game matrices, sequential games, games of incomplete information, and repeated games.

Course Objectives: This course provides an introduction to the basic techniques of game theory. It is designed to enable each participant to understand much of the literature employing game theory. As Paul Samuelson says: “To be literate in the modern age, you need to have a general understanding of game theory”.

Course Prerequisites: Since success in this course requires a certain level of mathematical sophistication, participants are expected to have taken a course in college-level algebra or higher. Without this mathematical background, successful completion of the course will be extremely difficult. At the very least, participants are expected to possess a tolerance for rigorous, logical, algebraic argument.
[American Government]

Credits: 3

Prerequisites: None

Other academic years
There is information about this course number in other academic years:

• 2006-2007 Fall and Spring
• 2009-2010 Fall and Spring
• 2012-2013 Fall and Spring
• 2013-2014 Fall and Spring

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