Economics of Education Policy (332-0-20)

Instructors

Ofer Malamud

Meeting Info

Annenberg Hall G02: Tues, Thurs 9:30AM - 10:50AM

Overview of class

This course explores the central themes in K-12 and higher education from an economic perspective. We will examine topics such as class-size, school spending, peer effects, teacher evaluation, school accountability, charter schools, vouchers. We will also discuss the decision to invest in higher education, the returns to college, as well as financial aid and student loans. The lectures will be based on economic concepts and grounded in recent quantitative studies from the economics literature. But discussions will be open to other disciplinary perspectives and additional viewpoints will be welcomed.

Registration Requirements

SESP 210 (or equivalent). Students should be familiar with the standard concepts from statistics, such as standard errors, confidence intervals, hypothesis tests, correlation, and bivariate regression. Familiarity with multiple regression and introductory microeconomics will be helpful but not necessary.

Teaching Method

Lecture with an in-class final exam and group presentations.

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Pre-Registration -- Reserved for SESP Students until the end of preregistration, after which time enrollment will be open to everyone who has taken the prerequisites, if applicable. Pre-Req: Students need to take ECON 202 and any one 200-level statistics course