Massachusetts Institute of Technology is offering free online course on Foundations of Development Policy: Advanced Development Economics. Students will discover modern empirical methods in economics, in particular Randomized Control Trials (RCTs).
In this twelve week course, applicants will explore the economic lives of the poor, and the ways to design and implement effective development policy. This course will start on September 26, 2017.
Course At A Glance
Length: 12 weeks
Effort: 12 hours pw
Subject: Economics & Finance
Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology and edx
Languages: English
Price: Free
Session: Course Starts on September 26, 2017
Providers’ Details
Massachusetts Institute of Technology — a coeducational, privately endowed research university founded in 1861 — is dedicated to advancing knowledge and educating students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century.
About This Course
In this course, we will study the different facets of human development in topics such as education, health, gender, the family, land relations, risk, informal and formal norms, public policy, and institutions. While studying each of these topics, we will delve into the following questions:
- What determines the decisions of poor households in developing countries?
- What constraints are poor households subject to?
- What is the scope for policy interventions (implemented by the government, international organizations, or NGOs)?
- What policies have been tried out? Have they been successful?
Why Take This Course?
This course is part of the MITx MicroMasters program in Data, Economics, and Development Policy (DEDP). To audit this course, click “Enroll Now” in the green button at the top of this page.
To enroll in the MicroMasters track or to learn more about this program and how it integrates with MIT’s new blended Master’s degree, go to MITx’s MicroMasters portal.
Learning Outcomes
- Lessons from cutting edge research in development across a range of topics
- How to build and apply economic models relevant to concrete development situations
- How to design and conduct a randomized control trial to learn more about these questions
- Data management and analysis using the software R
Instructors
Abhijit Vinayak Banerjee
Abhijit Banerjee was educated at the University of Calcutta, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and Harvard University.
Esther Duflo
Esther Duflo is the Abdul Latif Jameel Professor of Poverty Alleviation and Development Economics in the Department of Economics at MIT.
Benjamin Olken
Benjamin Olken is a Professor of Economics at MIT. His research focuses on political economy and public sector issues in developing countries, with a particular interest in corruption.
Requirements
- Familiarity with high school calculus
- Basic understanding of statistics or econometrics
- Familiarity with introductory microeconomics
How To Join This Course
- Go to the course website link
- Create an edX account to SignUp
- Choose “Register Now” to get started.
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