Dr Diana Weinhold CON 7.10, Dr Sandra Sequeira CON 7.09 and Dr Elliott Green CON 8.07

Head of Department, Doctoral Programme Directors, MSc Course Convenor and PhD Supervisor

This course is available on the MRes/PhD in International Development. This course is not available as an outside option.

This course is available as an option for students enrolled in the MRes/PhD in International Development only.

This course examines the microeconomic foundations of economic policy-making in developing countries. Classes will combine economic theory and rigorous empirical analysis to better understand the impact of economic development policy on development goals. We will focus on specific examples chosen from development cases worldwide to learn which policies have worked, which ones have not, and how a rigorous analysis of these experiences can inform the design of better economic development policies in the future

The course is structured around three main themes:

(i) Human Development: health policy, education policy and intra-household dynamics

(ii) Institutions and Markets: labour markets, state capacity for public service delivery and private sector development

(iii) Behavioural Economics and Development Policy Design: the importance of psychology in explaining economic behaviour and how it can inform better development policy design

Through in class discussions, lectures and coursework, students will develop analytical and quantitative skills for the study and practice of international development policy. These skills will enable students to interpret and critique both conceptual arguments and the empirical evidence used in the development economics literature and discourse.

Coursework will include a combination of class discussions with guest lecturers engaged in international development, problem sets, presentations and computer-lab based sessions for students to explore programming and statistical skills.

Students are strongly encouraged to take DV492, as a highly complementary course that will also apply the empirical methods taught in DV490 to topics in government policy such as redistribution, taxation and social insurance.

20 hours of lectures and 15 hours of seminars in the LT.

Students will be expected to produce 1 piece of coursework in the LT.

A plan for the research paper (1500-2000 words) on which the student will receive feedback and topic approval

Indicative reading: The bulk of the course will be taught using journal articles. A reading list will be handed out by the lecturers at the beginning of their sessions. Useful reference texts include D Ray, Development Economics (1998) which will serve as the course text, W Easterly, The Quest for Growth;

Essay (100%, 5000 words) in the ST.

1 x 5000 word research paper to be submitted on the first Friday of the Summer Term.  The research paper will be co-marked by the course convenor and the student's PhD supervisor