This course introduces students to the economic analysis of education. It examines how education decisions are made by individuals and families, how education affects economic outcomes (individual earnings and economic growth), and how education policies impact efficiency and equity. Topics include human capital theory, job market signalling, the returns to education, causal methods of educational research, early-childhood, school, higher and further education, education and labour market outcomes, the role of education in economic growth.

The course has an empirical focus. We will not only study theoretical foundations but also examine policy-relevant examples from key papers in the field. In addition, several topics will include hands-on work in Stata, where we will learn how to analyze educational data—including international datasets—using key methods of policy evaluation, such as instrumental variables (IV), difference-in-differences (DID), and regression discontinuity design (RDD).