PUBPOL 5750

Causal Analysis and Impact Evaluation in Public Policy

Course Description

Course information provided by the 2025-2026 Catalog.

Second semester of a two-semester sequence in applied statistics for Public Policy. Review of key material (regression analysis, and statistical inference for regression). Advanced topics in regression analysis such as: interaction terms, log transformations, binary independent and dependent variables. Introduction to research design for causal analysis, including: experiments, Differences-in-Differences, and Regression Discontinuity.

Prerequisites PUBPOL 5310.

Last 4 Terms Offered 2025SP

Outcomes

• Correctly interpret results from linear regressions.
• Run and correctly interpret regression models using interactions, data transformations, and binary variables as both independent and dependent variables.
• Describe and diagnose ways that regression analysis can break down (violations of model assumptions).
• Correctly use causal research designs to identify and estimate causal effects of policy interventions.

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