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2025/2026  KAN-CGMAI3015U  Graduate Consumer Behaviour

English Title
Graduate Consumer Behaviour

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Elective
Level Full Degree Master
Duration Summer
Start time of the course Summer
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Min. participants 30
Max. participants 60
Study board
Study Board for Governance, Law, Accounting & Management Analytics
Programme Master of Science (MSc) in Economics and Business Administration - General Management and Analytics (GMA)
Course coordinator
  • Johannes Hattula - Department of Marketing (Marketing)
For academic questions related to the course, please contact course responsible Johannes Hattula (jha.marktg@cbs.dk).
Main academic disciplines
  • Consumer behaviour
  • Marketing
  • Business psychology
Teaching methods
  • Blended learning
Last updated on 03-11-2025

Relevant links
Learning objectives
To achieve the grade 12, students should meet the following learning objectives with no or only minor mistakes or errors:
  • Assess the key academic literature in the field of consumer behaviour
  • Develop an understanding for theories developed in marketing, psychology, sociology, and other behavioral sciences that explain consumer phenomena
  • Evaluate the strategic and tactical implications associated with alternative consumer behaviour theories for marketers, individual consumers and the societal well-being
  • Question the value of traditional marketing practice and reflect on how the different approaches impact the marketing profession
Course prerequisites
Completed Bachelor degree or equivalent. Suggested previous introductory marketing course.
Examination
Graduate Consumer Behaviour:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Home assignment - written product
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Size of written product Max. 10 pages
Assignment type Project
Release of assignment The Assignment is released in Digital Exam (DE) at exam start
Duration Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) One internal examiner
Exam period Summer
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Retake exam: 72-hour home project assignment, max. 10 pages, new exam question.
If the number of registered candidates for the make-up examination/re-take examination warrants that it may most appropriately be held as an oral examination, the programme office will inform the students that the make-up examination/re-take examination will be held as an oral examination instead.
Description of the exam procedure

Home assignment written in parallel with the course.
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

This course takes an in-depth look at the behaviors of consumers in a globalized world. Consumers are at the center of the business value creation and as such, an understanding of consumer thoughts, feelings, and actions is critical for business success. We will examine how and why consumers behave the way that they do. You will have the opportunity to learn about theories developed in marketing, psychology, sociology, and other behavioral sciences that explain consumer phenomena. Additionally, we will examine the implications of consumer behavior for marketing by illustrating how consumer affect, motivations, cognition, learning, decision making, group and cultural influences, etc. should be considered in developing effective marketing strategies. Each session will be anchored on contemporary trends. The course also aims at examining the implications of consumer behavior on each of us as individual consumers and the societal well-being.
Research-based teaching
CBS’ programmes and teaching are research-based. The following types of research-based knowledge and research-like activities are included in this course:
Research-based knowledge
  • Classic and basic theory
  • New theory
  • Methodology
Research-like activities
  • Development of research questions
  • Data collection
  • Analysis
  • Discussion, critical reflection, modelling
  • Activities that contribute to new or existing research projects
Description of the teaching methods
The course is designed to be highly interactive and build upon principles of active learning. Students are expected to comment on readings, lead discussions, and are invited to do group exercises throughout the course.
Feedback during the teaching period
Home Project Assignments/mini projects are based on a research question (problem formulation) formulated by the students individually. Approval deadline will be defined by the instructor.
Student workload
Preliminary assignment 20 hours
Classroom attendance 30 hours
Preparation 129 hours
Feedback activity 7 hours
Examination 20 hours
Further Information

3-week course that cannot be combined with any other course.

 

Precourse actitivity: The course coordinator uploads precourse activity on Canvas at the end of May. It is expected that students participate as it will be included in the final exam, but the assignment is without independent assessment and grading.

 

 
Expected literature

Bardhi, F. and Eckhardt, G.M. (2017). Liquid Consumption. Journal of Consumer Research, 44(3), pp. 582–597.

 

Bardhi, F. and Eckhardt, G.M. (2015). The Sharing Economy Isn’t About Sharing at All. Harvard Business Review.
Last updated on 03-11-2025