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Economist Education: Economist Education Critical Thinking: Problem-Solving and Decision-Making in a Complex World

Learn to use critical-thinking tools to thrive in an algorithmic age.

Learn to use critical-thinking tools to thrive in an algorithmic age.

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This course is offered by , an edX partner
2 weeks
4–6 hours per week
Starts Mar 10, 2025
Enroll by Mar 16, 2025
Instructor-paced
Instructor-led on a course schedule

Get more information

Want to know more? Enter your information to learn more about this course from GetSmarter (an edX partner).

Get more information

Want to know more? Enter your information to learn more about this course from GetSmarter (an edX partner).

2 weeks
4–6 hours per week
Starts Mar 10, 2025
Enroll by Mar 16, 2025
Instructor-paced
Instructor-led on a course schedule

About this Course

In an increasingly complex, algorithm-driven world, critical thinking is a vital skill for everyone in business. Professionals must use data discerningly and interrogate the assumptions and claims of others. Only then will they be able to capitalize on their competitive advantages over machines and over peers less able to harness Artificial Intelligence (AI). All this means developing tools and strategies to avoid cognitive bias and error, to make rigorous arguments and to seek truth from facts.

Critical Thinking: Problem-Solving and Decision-Making in a Complex World , a two-week online course from Economist Education, shows learners how to interrogate assumptions, use data, and combat cognitive bias to make better decisions. The course’s first module explores how everyone falls prey to uncritical thinking, including narrative oversimplification and confirmation bias, and provides tools to recognize and counteract them. The second module emphasises the importance of rigorous arguments based on data and research, while guiding learners to reframe complex problems and harness diverse perspectives.

The course is guided by Dr Tom Chatfield, an expert on critical thinking, as well as senior editors at The Economist, and features insights from guest speakers including Daniel Kahneman, a Nobel prizewinner. The curriculum uses real-world examples, including The Economist’s editorial processes, to demonstrate the crucial role of critical thinking in decision making. Realistic scenarios and case studies challenge you to overcome oversimplification and faulty reasoning. The course encourages an approach to critical thinking that you can apply in your work, by fostering strategic pauses, self-reflection, investigation, and collaboration.

By the end of the course, you will not only understand your cognitive strengths and vulnerabilities but also gain the tools to make decisions informed by data, stress-test business ideas and interrogate assumptions in a technology-driven world.

This course is designed for experienced professionals and emphasizes the value of human critical thinking in a machine-driven world. Learners from diverse fields, such as marketing, consulting, and financial services, will learn to interrogate assumptions, use data discerningly, and identify essential questions that AI cannot. By embracing critical thinking, experienced professionals and aspiring leaders will be better equipped to stress-test business ideas, enabling them to avoid costly errors and make better decisions. This course is a must for those looking to stay relevant in the age of AI.

Course curriculum

Skip Course curriculum

Learn how to think critically for business as you work through the weekly modules of this online course.

Module 1: Recognising and overcoming uncritical thinking

Module 2: Critical thinking in practice

Some facts about the subject

77%

The proportion of financial-services leaders and employees who say critical-thinking skills are crucial for their business.

PwC (Accessed October 19th 2023).

34%

The share of professionals in Britain and Germany reporting strong confidence in their critical-thinking skills.

The Stepstone Group (July 2023).

Why choose GetSmarter?

GetSmarter, an edX partner, delivers career-relevant, fully supported, and expert-led online courses from the world's leading universities and institutions. As an online learning expert with over 15 years' experience, GetSmarter leverages long-standing expertise in market research, data analysis, and business insights to ensure that you gain the skills critical to career growth.