Courses NonDegree Display 2017-2018

Course Description To PDF
Course title Economic and Social Policy Research
Course code EBC4089
ECTS credits 6,5
Assessment None
Period
Period Start End Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
1 4-9-2017 27-10-2017 X X
4 5-2-2018 6-4-2018 X X
Level Advanced
Coordinator Bart Golsteyn
For more information: b.golsteyn@maastrichtuniversity.nl
Language of instruction English
Goals
- A critical attitude towards the use of data and the tools to analyse real world events
- How empirical observations can be interpreted and evaluated from an economic point of view
- Experience in working with modern statistical packages and tools
Description
People who retire earlier, die earlier. Would you conclude from this evidence that it is better not to retire early? This course offers you (1) tools with which you can take a critical look at such claims, (2) tools with which you can investigate data yourself. In case of this example, causality might run in the opposite direction: people who are healthier work longer than those who are less healthy. So deceasing earlier might not be caused by earlier retirement but be due to worse health of early retirees. To estimate whether early retirement really increases health risks we need a better research strategy.
This course offers such methods and tools along with assignments to see how it works in practice. It consists of two parts: (i) basic tools and methods (ii) applying the methods to a data set by writing a short paper.
The first part develops an understanding of the tools with which empirical claims can be established or refuted. The philosophy is to explain the empirical strategies in an intuitive way. We focus on analysing economic phenomena, such as labour market effects on health, wage and earnings equations, the Philips curve or money demand. In this part of the course, the group will be split up in two subgroups which will focus on specific topics in line with their field of study.
Literature
Chapters from books like:
Angrist, J.D. and J.S. Pischke (2009), Mostly Harmless Econometrics: An Empiricist’s Companion, Princeton University Press, NJ, http://www.mostlyharmlesseconometrics.com.
Levitt, S.D. and S.J. Dubner (2005), Freakonomics, A Roque Eonomist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything, Harper Collins, NY, http://freakonomicsbook.com.
Wooldridge J.M. (2009), Introductory Econometrics, A Modern Approach, 4th ed. Thomsom, South-Western, Mason.
Asteriou, D. and S.G. Hall (2007), A Modern Approach Using Eviews and Microfit, 2nd ed., Palgrave MacMillan, New York.
A reader with articles and background material
Prerequisites
Basic econometrics, some experience with statistical software such as Stata
An advanced level of English
Teaching methods (indicative; course manual is definitive) PBL / Lecture / Assignment / Groupwork
Assessment methods (indicative; course manual is definitive) Final Paper / Participation / Written Exam
Evaluation in previous academic year For the complete evaluation of this course please click "here"
This course belongs to the following programmes / specialisations
Master Economics Electives
Master Economics European Economic Policy
Master Economics Global Innovation Economics
Master Economics Social Economics
Master Human Decision Science Electives
Master Information and Network Economics Economics Electives
SBE Exchange Master Master Exchange Courses
SBE Non Degree Courses Master Courses