Economics 320: Causal Inference and Research Design

The phrase “correlation does not imply causation” is often touted, but how does one practically disentangle the two when randomized control trials are not possible? This class introduces students to the modern theory of ``causal inference.” In addition to learning a variety of prominent research designs in applied microeconometrics (e.g. differences-in-differences, regression discontinuity, instrumental variables), students will gain some competency at executing these research methods. Students will grapple with and think analytically about the efficacy of data, methods, and research design. Taking Economics 327 is strongly recommended before registering for this course.