Graduate Programs
Curriculum - M.P.A./M.P.P.
Field IV - Economics and Public Policy
Anne Case M.P.A. '83
Field IV Coordinator; Professor of Economics and Public Affairs
Overview
Students in Field IV are expected to master the fundamental principles and tools of economic analysis and to develop the ability to assess and apply the results of professional economic studies. This field stresses both the analysis of economic problems that prompt public policy decisions and the study of the economic effects of various policies. Analyses of this kind are critical to both public- and private-sector decision making. Field IV builds the skills necessary to evaluate a wide range of public policies and devise solutions to problems.
Field IV overlaps the other three fields, but goes beyond the traditional study of policy issues by providing more intensive training in the economic analysis of public policy. In planning coursework, Field IV students frequently choose between a domestic or an international orientation, although other organizing principles may be employed.
Curriculum
All M.P.A. students in Field IV are required to take the advanced mathematically based courses in economic theory, including either WWS 511c Advanced Microeconomic Analysis or 511d Accelerated Microeconomic Analysis, and WWS 512c Advanced Macroeconomic Analysis, as well as WWS 507c Advanced Quantitative Analysis and WWS 508c Advanced Econometrics and Public Policy. Study plans are adjusted to meet individual interests and preparation. Students with strong economics backgrounds will have the opportunity to develop technical skills that are integral to economic policy in industrialized and developing countries.
A satisfactory program of study for Field IV M.P.A. students requires at least five economics-related courses beyond the basic core curriculum. This will include at least one advanced microeconomics course and one advanced macroeconomics course, as well as at least one other advanced course (micro or macro), either domestically or internationally focused. Recent elective courses designed for students in this field have focused on methods for decision making, game theory, and behavioral economics and its applications. As in the other fields, Field IV M.P.A. students are required to take a policy workshop that typically involves a group of eight to 12 students working on a specific policy problem under faculty supervision. Recent workshops in economics and public policy have covered topics including:
- The Commercialization of Microfinance
- Pension Reform for Transition Economies and Developing Countries
Field IV graduates acquire the most advanced quantitative and economics training available at the School and often take doctoral courses in the economics department or other social science departments at Princeton. Such preparation enables them to compete successfully for employment in a highly selective job market.
Internships and Careers
The M.P.A. program requires students to complete a summer internship between their first and second years. The internship portion of the curriculum is managed by the School's Office of Graduate Career Services; please visit the Career Services web site for a list of internships taken by Field IV students, as well as a list of careers that Field IV graduates have pursued.
