PUBPOL 3610

Law, Economics, and Public Policy

Course Description

Course information provided by the 2025-2026 Catalog.

This course examines the policy-making roles of legislatures, courts, and executive agencies. How do different branches of government make policy? What makes good evidence for policy decisions? How do each of these branches consider and use empirical evidence? How can various approaches such as traditional law and economics or behavioral law and economics help us understand the potential impacts of a policy? In this course, we will consider these questions and more as part of our inquiry into the interplay between law, economics, and public policy. Using real-world case studies, we will trace the evolution of policies from state legislatures to Congress to their interpretations by federal agencies and the judiciary. Students will critically evaluate empirical research and use the tools of microeconomic theory to understand and assess policy effectiveness and unintended consequences. This course is designed for students interested in law, public policy, economics and the role of empirical evidence and economic theory in shaping policy-making.

Enrollment Information REF-F25 Recommended prerequisite: Introductory statistics or econometrics.

Distribution Requirements (SBA-HE)

Last 3 terms offered (None)

Learning Outcomes REF-FA25

• Describe the policy-making roles of legislatures, courts, and executive agencies, and explain how these branches interact in shaping laws and regulations.
• Analyze how empirical evidence is used in policy debates, assessing its strengths, limitations, and influence on decision-making.
• Apply theoretical frameworks from law and economics to predict the potential effects of policy decisions.
• Evaluate the effectiveness and unintended consequences of policies by critically assessing empirical research and case studies.

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