Most policy relevant research questions in the social sciences face the same challenge: How can we identify a causal impact of one variable on another when we cannot use a controlled experiment? This course will teach program evaluation methods for causal analysis based on non-experimental (i.e. observational) data, derive the underlying theory and discuss recent applications.

In this lecture, you learn how modern labor markets function and change through data-driven insights. Topics include labor supply and demand, minimum wages, unemployment, wage inequality between men and women, discrimination, and the labor market effects of digital technologies. Students also engage with modern data science tools to uncover causal relationships in labor markets.

The success of economic research depends on the way researchers present it to readers. This course provides practical insights on how to structure, frame, and present applied economic research papers by discussing and analyzing well-crafted economic research papers in a reading group. It also provides practical tips on the publication process in economics and involves small writing assignments.