KAFP 6385 - Policy Analysis and Policy Evaluation - Advanced

The advanced-level course provides students with a thorough understanding of impact evaluation — its significance, methods, and challenges. Through mathematical formalization and close analysis of real-world evaluations, students will build or deepen their knowledge of key methodological approaches. By the end of the course, they will be able to critically read and assess an impact evaluation, suggest improvements, design a public policy evaluation, and conduct independent analysis.

Students registering for the advanced course must also attend the 12-hour "Programming with R" course, held every other Wednesday from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. We will contact all relevant students following course registration. In the meantime, please keep that Wednesday evening slot available if you intend to enroll in the advanced module.

Etienne Fize is an economist at the Institut des Politiques Publiques (IPP) and holds a PhD from Sciences Po Paris (2019). His research spans public economics and public policy evaluation, with additional work on consumption dynamics, international trade, and media economics. He has a particular interest in taxation — household, corporate, and environmental — as well as household finance, using an applied, empirical approach based on administrative and banking data.

The advanced level is intended for students with prior knowledge of statistical inference and causal inference, comfortable with mathematical formalization, and wishing to deepen their knowledge through the use of statistical software or students with no prior knowledge of the topics, provided they are comfortable with mathematical formalization and coding, or are willing to engage with them. This course is part of a training program that places strong emphasis on quantitative methods and the evaluation of public policies.

• A midterm test accounting for 40% of the final grade.
• A group project to be submitted by early December accounting for between. The group project will consist in the replication and extension of an impact evaluation using statistical analysis software.