Data, Economics, and Development Policy MicroMasters Program
Tackle the most pressing problems facing the world’s poor from a rigorous, evidence-driven perspective with content and faculty from MIT’s Department of Economics and J-PAL.
MIT’s Department of Economics and the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) designed the MicroMasters® program credential in Data, Economics, and Development Policy (DEDP). The program equips learners with the practical skills and theoretical knowledge to tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing developing countries and the world’s poor.
Through a series of five online courses and in-person exams, learners will gain a strong foundation in microeconomics, development economics, and probability and statistics, while engaging with cutting-edge research in the field. The program is unique in its focus on designing and running randomized evaluations to assess the effectiveness of social programs and its emphasis on hands-on skills in data analysis.
To earn the DEDP MicroMasters program credential, learners complete three core courses (Microeconomics, Data Analysis for Social Scientists, and Designing and Running Randomized Evaluations) and two of three electives (The Challenges of Global Poverty, Foundations of Development Policy, and Political Economy and Economic Development) online and pass their corresponding in-person exams. The five courses can be taken in any sequence, and the curriculum gives learners the flexibility to choose which electives they take.
Learners who receive the MicroMasters program credential will then be eligible to apply to MIT’s new blended Master program in Data, Economics, and Development Policy. If accepted, students will earn MIT credit for the MicroMasters program courses, and will be able to pursue an accelerated on-campus Master’s degree at MIT.
What You'll Learn
To identify and analyze the root causes of underdevelopment using principles of economics
To interpret the findings of empirical research that evaluates the effectiveness of anti-poverty strategies, policies, and interventions
Practical knowledge on how to design and implement rigorous randomized evaluations and other econometric methods of evaluating policies and programs
Tools of comparative cost-effectiveness analysis for informed policy-making
Fundamentals of microeconomics, development economics, probability, and statistics
Hands-on skills in data analysis using the R programming language
How To Enroll in the MicroMasters Program
This program offers a pricing structure based solely on income. Learners are charged a personalized course fee determined by their ability to pay, no matter where in the world they live. There are two ways learners can enroll in the program:
You can enroll in the audit-only track for a MicroMasters program course on edX and choose to upgrade to receive a course certificate via the MITx MicroMasters portal at a later date. Please note, simply enrolling in one of the courses on edX will not automatically enroll you in the overall MicroMasters Program.
You can enroll in the MicroMasters program via the MITx MicroMasters portal and start working towards the MicroMasters credential today.
More About The Program
What You'll Learn
- To identify and analyze the root causes of underdevelopment using principles of economics.
- To interpret the findings of empirical research that evaluates the effectiveness of anti-poverty strategies, policies, and interventions.
- Practical knowledge on how to design and implement rigorous randomized evaluations and other econometric methods of evaluating policies and programs.
- Tools of comparative cost-effectiveness analysis for informed policy-making.
- Fundamentals of microeconomics, development economics, probability, and statistics.
- Hands-on skills in data analysis using the R programming language.
How To Enroll in the MicroMasters Program
This program offers a pricing structure based solely on income. Learners are charged a personalized course fee determined by their ability to pay, no matter where in the world they live. There are two ways learners can enroll in the program:
-
You can enroll in the audit-only track for a MicroMasters program course on edX and choose to upgrade to receive a course certificate via the MITx MicroMasters portal at a later date. Please note, simply enrolling in one of the courses on edX will not automatically enroll you in the overall MicroMasters Program.
-
You can enroll in the MicroMasters program via the MITx MicroMasters portal and start working towards the MicroMasters credential today.
Online to On-Campus
MIT’s Department of Economics is now offering a Master’s program in Data, Economics, and Development Policy, which combines online coursework with a short residential campus stay. The blended Master’s in Data, Economics, and Development Policy is the first Master’s program to be offered by MIT’s Department of Economics. It is also the first program at MIT to exist exclusively in a blended (online/residential) form. All students must first successfully complete the online MITx MicroMasters credential at their own pace before applying to MIT for the blended Master’s program. The blended Master’s program will run on-campus each spring semester, beginning in spring 2020.
In addition to the new MIT blended Master’s program, learners who successfully earn the MITx MicroMasters credential in Data, Economics and Development Policy are now eligible to earn credit at a number of universities across the globe to fast track their pursuit of a full Master’s degree.