EC428     
Development and Growth

This information is for the 2016/17 session.

Teacher responsible

Prof Robin Burgess 32L.3.03B and Prof Maitreesh Ghatak 32L. 3.08A

Availability

This course is available on the MPA in European Public and Economic Policy, MPA in International Development, MPA in Public Policy and Management, MPA in Public and Economic Policy, MPA in Public and Social Policy, MSc in Development Studies, MSc in Economics, MSc in Economics (2 Year Programme) and MSc in Environmental Economics and Climate Change. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

Pre-requisites

Students must have completed Introductory Course in Mathematics and Statistics (EC400).

In very exceptional circumstances, students may take this course without EC400 provided they meet the necessary requirements and have received approval from the course conveners (via a face to face meeting), the MSc Economics Programme Director and their own Programme Director. Contact the Department of Economics for more information (econ.msc@lse.ac.uk).

Students should have completed courses in intermediate level microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics.

Course content

This course will cover a number of topics at forefront of development economics. These include current methodological debates; the allocation of capital and labour across firms, space and sectors; structural change during the development process; finance; psychology and development; governance and accountability; conflict and civil war; motivation of civil servants; taxation and development; firms and markets; trade; infrastructure; energy and the environment; and climate change.

Development economics is, arguably, the fastest growing and most vibrant field within economics. The course will enable the students to apply their econometric and theoretical skills to what are some the world’s most pressing problems. The experience of applying their economic knowledge to these topics will generate analytical skills that that can be used in wide variety of applied settings.

Teaching

20 hours of lectures and 10 hours of seminars in the MT. 20 hours of lectures and 10 hours of seminars in the LT.

Formative coursework

Two marked assignments per term.

Indicative reading

Most of the reading is from journal articles which appear on reading lists distributed at the start of each part of the course. However, the following references may serve as an introduction to material included in the syllabus. Handbook of Development Economics, Volumes I and II edited by Chenery and Srinivasan, Volume III and IV edited by Behrman and Srinivasan, Amsterdam: North-Holland, 1994; D Ray, Development Economics, Princeton UP, 1998.

Assessment

Exam (25%, duration: 2 hours) in the LT week 0.
Exam (25%, duration: 2 hours) in the main exam period.
Essay (50%, 6000 words) in the ST.

Key facts

Department: Economics

Total students 2015/16: 26

Average class size 2015/16: 14

Controlled access 2015/16: Yes

Lecture capture used 2015/16: Yes (MT & LT)

Value: One Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Course survey results

(2012/13 - 2014/15 combined)

1 = "best" score, 5 = "worst" score

The scores below are average responses.

Response rate: 82%

Question

Average
response

Reading list (Q2.1)

2.1

Materials (Q2.3)

2

Course satisfied (Q2.4)

2.1

Lectures (Q2.5)

2

Integration (Q2.6)

2

Contact (Q2.7)

2

Feedback (Q2.8)

2.6

Recommend (Q2.9)

Yes

76%

Maybe

22%

No

2%