EC307 One Unit
Development Economics
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
Prof Oriana Bandiera
Prof Robin Burgess
Availability
This course is available on the BSc in Econometrics and Mathematical Economics, BSc in Economics, BSc in Economics and Economic History, BSc in Environment and Sustainable Development with Economics, BSc in Environmental Policy with Economics, BSc in Geography with Economics, BSc in International Social and Public Policy with Economics, BSc in Mathematics and Economics, BSc in Philosophy and Economics, BSc in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, BSc in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (with a Year Abroad), BSc in Politics and Economics, Erasmus Reciprocal Programme of Study and Exchange Programme for Students from University of California, Berkeley. This course is freely available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit. It does not require permission. This course is available with permission to General Course students.
Requisites
Additional requisites:
This course makes use of key concepts in economic theory as well as econometric analysis. We welcome all students with a strong background and proven record in quantitative courses, such as econometrics (EC2C1 or EC2C3 and EC2C4, or equivalent), statistics (ST107 or ST102, or ST109 combined with EC1C1), microeconomics (EC2A1 or EC2A3, or equivalent) and mathematics (MA107, MA108 or MA100).
Course content
This course explores the microeconomic foundations of economic development. We will discuss economic growth, inequality, poverty traps, labour markets, capital markets, education, health, gender, service delivery, taxation, the role of the state, governance and accountability, conflict, access to finance, infrastructure, trade, firms and markets, energy, environment and climate change. In studying each of these topics, we will ask: what determines the decisions of households and firms in less developed countries? What constraints do they face? Is there scope to improve livelihoods and productivity through the actions of governments, international organizations, NGOs, or market participants? What policies have been tried? How have they fared? This course combines theory and empirics but maintains a strong applied focus. Under each theme, we will derive testable implications from the theory, subject these predictions to econometric testing, comment on the robustness of the results obtained, and seek to draw policy conclusions.
Teaching
1 hours of classes in the Spring Term.
15 hours of lectures and 9 hours of classes in the Winter Term.
15 hours of lectures and 10 hours of classes in the Autumn Term.
This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Winter Term.
There will be a reading week in Week 6 of WT (no lectures or classes that week).
This course is delivered through a combination of classes and lectures totalling a minimum of 50 hours across Autumn Term, Winter Term, and Spring Term.
Formative assessment
Feedback will be provided on four assignments (two in AT and two in WT).
Indicative reading
Teaching in the course will be done mainly from journal articles drawn from the forefront of theoretical and applied research in development economics. Background texts for the course are A. Banerjee and E. Duflo, Poor Economics, Public Affairs, 2011 and D. Ray, Development Economics, Princeton UP, 1998.
Assessment
Exam (100%), duration: 180 Minutes, reading time: 15 minutes in the Spring exam period
Key facts
Department: Economics
Course Study Period: Autumn, Winter and Spring Term
Unit value: One unit
FHEQ Level: Level 6
CEFR Level: Null
Total students 2024/25: 255
Average class size 2024/25: 20
Capped 2024/25: NoCourse selection videos
Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.
Personal development skills
- Self-management
- Problem solving
- Application of numeracy skills