Spring 2013 - 63030 - PA393L - Advanced Policy Economics

Human Capital

The primary purpose of this course is to provide students with a thorough grounding in human capital theory, its applications to contemporary policy issues and problems, as well as human capital critiques and alternative views. The course will be conducted as a seminar relying heavily on weekly student presentations, student-led discussions, and preparation of a major paper on a human capital topic—e.g., financing postsecondary education, employer/worker investments in job training, early childhood development—to be jointly determined. Successful course completion should prepare students to perform human capital analysis, contribute to informed policymaking and pursue further study in related courses. 
Required textbooks will include the following, among others:

Harry J. Holzer, Julia I. Lane, David B. Rosenblum & Frederick Andersson, Where Are All the Good Jobs Going? What National and Local Job Quality and Dynamics Mean for U.S. Workers (Russell Sage Foundation, 2011

Peter Auer, Umit Efendioglu & Janine Leschke, Active Labour Market Policies Around the World: Coping with the Consequences of Globalization (International Labour Office, 2008, 2nd Ed)

David Finegold, Mary Gatta, Hal Salzman & Susan J. Schurman, Eds., Transforming the U.S. Workforce Development System: Lessons from Research and Practice (Champaign, IL: Labor and Employment Relations Association Series, 2010)

Silvain Giguère, Ed., More Than Just Jobs: Workforce Development in a Skills-based Economy (OECD, 2008)

Extensive additional readings from economics and policy journals will be assigned as well. 
Grades will be based on class participation and presentations (30%), a midterm exam (35%), and a research paper (35%).