Prof Mark Schankerman

This course is compulsory on the Double Master of Public Administration (LSE-Columbia), Double Master of Public Administration (LSE-University of Toronto) and Master of Public Policy. This course is not available as an outside option.

The course introduces several econometric approaches that are widely used for quantitative and empirical evaluation which can be applied to policy-making. We will develop the basic methodology and assumptions underlying each approach, which is essential to understand in order to know when each tool can be applied, and when not.  The emphasis is on the practical application of these skills and tools to real-life situations and policy-making interventions. Topics covered include regression analysis, hypothesis testing, randomised control experiments, difference-in-differences regressions, instrumental variables, and regression discontinuity design.

This course is delivered through a combination of lectures and seminars totalling a minimum of 40 hours across Michaelmas Term. 

Each week students will complete problem sets that will give the opportunity to develop fluency with the tools covered in the course. These will be reviewed in class seminars. 

Joshua D. Angrist and Jom-Steffen Pischke, "Mastering Metrics";

James Stock & Mark Watson, "Introduction to Econometrics"

Scott Cunningham, "Casual inference: the Mixtape"

Jeffrey Wooldridge, "Introductory Econometrics".

The given texts are preparatory reading only. A full reading list will be provided at the start of the course.

Exam (65%, duration: 3 hours and 15 minutes) in the January exam period.
Problem sets (10%), policy memo (15%) and group presentation (10%) in the MT.

The exam will take place in January 2023 and will be in-person and invigilated.