Public Policy Evaluation
Seminar in Applied Microeconometrics
Syllabus – Winter Semester 2024/25
Dr. Patrick Schneider – p.schneider@uni-konstanz.de
Course Overview
The seminar in Applied Microeconometrics aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of
the application of widely used research designs. In an era marked by growing interest in assessing the impact
of various interventions and policies, this seminar offers an in-depth exploration of research designs
commonly used in applied microeconomics. Through individual presentations and term papers, students will
delve into specific topics within key areas of applied microeconomics, including Education, Gender, Labor
Markets, Crime, Political Economy, Public Health, and Taxes.
This seminar has strong synergies with the lecture Introduction to Causal Inferences
Course Objectives:
1. Develop a critical understanding of the evaluation of intervention and policies.
2. Choose and analyze a specific policy topic within the mentioned areas.
3. Explore the challenges associated with evaluating chosen policies and develop strategies to
overcome them.
4. Gain proficiency in widely used research designs such as difference-in-differences, instrumental
variables, and regression discontinuity designs.
5. Enhance the ability to assess and judge the credibility of research designs
Prerequisites:
Successful completion of introductory econometrics courses is recommended. Students should already be
familiar with research designs such as difference-in-differences, instrumental variables, and regression
discontinuity designs. For those needing a refresher, it is highly recommended to take the course Introduction
to Causal Inferences and/or read Causal Inference: The Mixtape by Scott Cunningham, available at
Assessment:
Students will be evaluated based on a term paper and an accompanying presentation. Attendance is
mandatory
Organizational Details:
• Introduction: Wednesday, 23.10.2024, 11:45 - 13:15
• Student Presentations: Friday and Saturday, 31.01. and 01.02.2025
Contact Information:
For inquiries and further information, please contact Patrick Schneider at p.schneider@uni-konstanz.de.