Teaching

 

Cost Benefit Analysis For Policy

Syllabus

 

Course Description

Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is an essential tool for policy decision-making used by government and private sector decision-makers. Founded in welfare economics, CBA addresses how to efficiently allocate scarce resources. 

In this course, you will learn the principles of cost-benefit analysis and how to apply them to a variety of public policy issues. Through lectures and case studies, we will explore the techniques used to identify potential outcomes of policy interventions and estimate their associated costs and benefits. Additionally, we will discuss the ethical considerations of cost-benefit analysis and implications for policy design. 

During class, we will cover foundational topics and discuss their application to current events. Outside of class, you are expected to review the literature and practice problem-solving by applying the topics covered in class. By the end of the course, you should be able to evaluate the consequences of policy interventions through cost-benefit analysis as well as critically analyze other cost-benefit analyses.

Economics of the Environment

Syllabus

Course Material

 

Course Description

Environmental issues are becoming increasingly apparent in the 21st century. The integration of economic and environmental systems places economists in a unique position to analyze these issues. This course will provide you with an introduction to how economists think about and mitigate environmental issues. Through a mixture of discussion and problem-solving, we will learn about key environmental issues, such as climate change, resource management, and pollution control. Together we will apply an economic lens to break down real world observations as well as identify possible policy interventions and their impact.

During class, we will cover foundational topics and discuss their application to current events. Outside of class, you are expected to review the literature and practice problem solving by applying the topics discussed in class. By the conclusion of the course, you should be able to describe key environmental issues through the lens of an economist, prescribe potential policy interventions, and explain its impact.

Principles of Microeconomics

Syllabus

 

Course Description

This course will provide you with an overview of the foundational topics of economic analysis, equip you with a basis for informed decision-making, and improve your understanding of economic policy. Through a mixture of discussion and problem-solving, we will learn about microeconomics – the study of how individuals and firms behave and make choices through the lens of economic decision-making. Together we will apply the fundamentals to break down real world observations. While topics may appear simple in isolation, real world applications can be much messier. 

During class, we will cover foundational topics and discuss their application to current events. Outside of class, you are expected to review the literature and practice problem solving by applying the topics discussed in class. By the conclusion of the course, you should be able to provide intuition for economically informed choices, rationalize the state of markets and economies, and apply economic tools to predict the consequences of microeconomic policies.

Economics and Policy

Syllabus (Residential)

Syllabus (Remote)

 

Course Description

This course will provide you with an overview of the foundational topics of economic analysis that can equip you with a basis for informed decision-making and improve your understanding of economic policy. Through a mixture of discussion and problem-solving, we will learn about microeconomics – the study of how individuals and firms behave and make choices through the lens of economic decision-making. Building up to a broader scope, we will learn about macroeconomics – the study of the behavior of aggregate markets and economies. 

During class, we will cover foundational topics and discuss their application to current events. Outside of class, you are expected to review the literature and practice problem solving by applying the topics discussed in class. By the conclusion of the course, you should be able to provide intuition for economically informed choices, rationalize the state of markets and economies, and apply economic tools to predict the consequences of economic policies.