Topics in Empirical Economics II
| Module title | Topics in Empirical Economics II |
|---|---|
| Module code | BEEM149 |
| Academic year | 2025/6 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Ipek Mumcu (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 12 |
|---|
Module description
This is a graduate course in empirical economics. The course covers various applied economics topics, including development, education, migration and political economics. The course introduces seminal works and recent advances in these subject areas.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The module has two main aims: first, to equip you with the toolkit necessary to critically assess research on empirical economics ; second, to inspire you to answer your own research questions using different types of methods widely used in applied economics research.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of complex questions at the frontier of development, education, migration, health, and political economics, and their empirical foundations.
- 2. Evaluate empirical research papers, identifying their contributions, methodological rigor, and limitations.
- 3. Identify and articulate meaningful research questions in empirical economics, informed by gaps in the existing literature.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving questions on development, education, migration, health and political economics.
- 5. Advance their knowledge and understanding, and to develop new skills to a high level.
- 6. Synthesize theoretical frameworks with empirical evidence to generate well-rounded economic insights on real-world issues.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. Identify, tackle and solve relevant research problems in empirical economics.
- 8. Work independently and responsibly on complex research problems.
- 9. Present research questions and papers to diverse audiences, including academic and non-academic communities.
Syllabus plan
This PhD-level course introduces graduate students to advanced topics in empirical economics, with a focus on recent research developments in the field. It provides an overview of critical questions in development economics, education, health, migration, and political economy, exploring both theoretical frameworks and empirical challenges.
The course emphasizes modern empirical strategies for causal inference, including randomized controlled trials, instrumental variables, matching techniques, difference-in-differences, synthetic control methods, and regression discontinuity designs. Students will engage with these methodologies through real-world applications, examining how they are used to address pressing economic questions.
By the end of the course, students will gain a solid foundation in empirical methods, develop the skills to critically evaluate existing research, and apply these tools to their own scholarly work in empirical economics.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 27 | 123 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 22 | Lectures (2 hours per week) |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 5 | Seminars -small group discussions |
| Guided independent study | 123 | Reading, research, reflection; preparation for lectures; completion of assignments |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practice Problems | Varies | 1-9 | Oral/Written |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Individual Assignments | 100 | Written output up to 1000 words | 1-9 | Oral/Written |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual Assignments | Individual Assignments | 1-9 | Referral/Deferral period |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you have been deferred for any assessment you will be expected to submit the relevant assessment. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be expected to submit the relevant assessment. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 50%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
- Handout/lecture notes
- Suggested published academic papers
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | Only available to MRes Economics PhD pathway students |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 24/06/2019 |
| Last revision date | 02/01/2025 |
