3 credits
Spring 2026 Lecture Upper Division
This course introduces students to the basics of game theory and its applications in political science. The course will cover foundational concepts in game theory, including strategic rationality, best responses, normal and strategic form games, backward induction, and games of incomplete information. Students will complete problem sets to demonstrate mastery of these subjects. We will also apply these basic game theoretic tools to important problems in political science to better understand the dynamics of bargaining, coercion, reassurance, cooperation, and other key concepts.
Learning Outcomes1Demonstrate mastery of key game theoretic concepts, including utility theory, best responses and equilibrium, backward induction, and incomplete information.
2Solve basic game theoretic problems and derive equilibria of both normal form and strategic form games with both simultaneous and sequential moves.
3Apply game theoretic concepts to explain actions and outcomes in important contemporary and historical cases in political science, policy, and politics.
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