Policy Seminars and Policy Brief

URL study guide

https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2025-2026/E_EC_PSPB

Course Objective

The ultimate goal of this course is to have students show proficiency in independent policy oriented writing, from an economic perspective. Main procedural or learning objective is to acquire and apply practical skills that characterize a good public policy economist. Those skills relate to the ability to identify and critically reflect on relevant contributions from the academic literature, to apply economic reasoning to societal problems and to develop and present ideas on improving and designing public policies. Students are required to present their knowledge in a structured way, both as a written report and in the form of an oral presentation. After successfully completing this course you will be able to:identify the relevant contributions in the academic literature;take a critical attitude towards the scientific literature;identify the economic dimension of relevant societal issues;apply economic reasoning to societal problems;translate contributions from the academic literature to useful policy analysis;write a clear policy advice;present your findings to both expert and non-expert academic audiences;work independently.

Course Content

A critical attitude towards scientific papers as well as the ability to apply economic reasoning to societal issues is essential for a public policy oriented economist. In this course students present an economic analysis of a topical societal problem and provide a clear policy recommendation grounded in the academic literature. The process requires to identify the relevance and urgency of your topic for policy makers, identify and critically reflect on relevant contributions from the academic literature, apply economic reasoning, discuss policy implications, identify alternative policy options and provide a clear policy recommendation targeting the audience of policy makers. Formally, the project embodies formulating a clear and focused policy issue, providing a clear and convincing policy recommendation by applying economic reasoning based on a thorough understanding of the relevant scientific literature. Regarding the underlying academic literature and scientific evidence, students need to select a coherent set of six to eight relevant scientific papers, critically reflect on those contributions, put them into perspective, link them to the policy issue under consideration, and, where relevant, compare and confront different insights obtained from various approaches. Students develop and write a final paper (policy brief) under close supervision of a faculty member. The main results will be discussed and presented in public. Furthermore, students participate in seminars.

Teaching Methods

Individual supervision by faculty member. Seminars.

Method of Assessment

Paper and presentation in public. Participation in Seminars.

Target Audience

MSc Economics students
- Public Policy track

Additional Information

MSc Economics students (Public Policy track) need to have completed Policy Seminars and Policy Brief before they can start their master's thesis.

Recommended background knowledge

Strongly recommended courses from the MSc Economics (Public Policy track): Microeconomics; Introduction to Econometrics; Public Economics and Policy.