Graduate Programme Public Policy and Development (PPD) There is a growing demand for expertise in public policy evaluation. National and local governments, international organizations, civil society and the private sector increasingly require experts able to provide economic policy solutions in a challenging context of globalization, transparency, and tight budget constraints. To meet these challenges, the Paris School of Economics (PSE) and its institutional partners created the Public Policy and Development (PPD) Masters Programme, an integrated approach to public policy and economic analysis in both developed and developing countries. The PPD Masters prepares students to become experts in the design, analysis and evaluation of public policies. It combines rigorous training in analytical and quantitative economic methods with an emphasis on policy and practice in both developed and developing countries.
The Paris School of Economics Faculty members are national and international experts in their research field: Philippe Askenazy, François Bourguignon, Antoine Bozio, Anne-Celia Disdier, Julien Grenet, Marc Gurgand, Karen Macours, Eric Maurin, Thomas Piketty, Romain Rancière, Claudia Senik, David Spector, Ekaterina Zhuravskaya Some recently invited scholars: Richard Brooks, Sandrine Duchêne, Francisco Ferreira, Philipp Hoffman, Alice Mesnard, Martin Ravallion, Patrick Weil The Paris School of Economics is a French research center of international standing in Economics, resulting from the merger of leading research and teaching institutions. It brings together more than 500 students enrolled in Master s and PhD programmes. PSE offers highly selective programmes, entirely in English, leading to careers in teaching and research, business, public administration or international organizations. www.parisschoolofeconomics.eu
Career Opportunities For students with the Master s degree, some choose to continue studying within a PhD programme. Many of them enter directly the professional world as economist and statistician in national administrations in France and other countries, international organizations (European Union, OECD, UN agencies, WTO, etc.), development agencies (World Bank, AFD, etc.), non-governmental organizations, but also in banks and companies. The career opportunities for young PhDs are academic positions in French or international universities, research institutions and international organizations. Students benefit from the excellence of the PSE research units when entering the Academic Job Market. PPD Alumni After their PPD Master degree, some students continue their studies. Either them, or those who start directly their professional career, manage to obtain various key positions: o Manon Falquerho (graduation year 2012): World Bank - United States o Viridiana Garcia (g.y. 2010): OECD - France o Andrea Garnero (g.y. 2010): Prime Minister Office - Italy o Yang Huang (g.y. 2012): World Bank - United States o Florian Le Bris (g.y. 2012): Libraries Without Borders - France o Michael Mbate (g.y. 2012): United Nations Eco. Commission for Africa - Ethiopia o Olivier Meslin (g. y. 2011): Tresor and INSEE - France o Arnaud Riegert (g.y. 2012): INSEE - France o Liviu Stirbat (g.y. 2012): European Commission - Belgium o Olivier Trecco (g.y. 2012): Banque de France (ACPR) - France Undertaking a PhD at PSE Students can access the PSE doctoral programme after they have completed, with the required academic results, a PSE Master s programme. Around 5% of our 200 PhD students have joined the programme through external applications. The thesis work, which is indispensable training for research, is carried out under the direction of a thesis supervisor, with the support of a thesis committee. In an encouraging environment with high academic standards, PSE offers exceptional scholarly training, as shown by the prizes won every year by our young doctors, notably : Young Economist Award (G. Zucman, N. Guyon ), AFSE Thesis Prize (F. Henriet, G. Cassan ), Banque de France (F. Le Grand, J. Hagenbach ).
PPD Master s Programme: Detailed Curriculum The curriculum combines classes taught using a traditional lecture format for methodological and conceptual coursework (especially in M1) and classes taught using a case method that emphasizes policy applications over pure theory (particularly in M2). Most policy areas are addressed thematically with examples and implications from developed and developing countries. In M2, students choose electives freely from two policy tracks, social policies and global policies. All compulsory courses and most elective courses are offered in English. The M1 year includes general microeconomics, macroeconomics and quantitative methods. Courses prepare students for quantitative policy analysis, in addition to classes focused on empirical policy design and evaluation and a series of conferences by CEPREMAP with renowned academics, experts and influential policy-makers. [Year M1] Title Course Load Tutorial ECTS Markets and market failures: theory and public policies Households & Firms 36 18 6 Competition and Regulation 12 6 3 Macroeconomic policies and public finance Macroeconomic Policies 36 18 6 Economic Growth 12 6 3 Public Economics : Tax and Transfer Policies 24-3 Quantitative methods Econometrics 1 15 12 4 Econometrics 2 15 12 4 Econometrics 3 15 12 4 Measur. of policy outcomes: socioeco. variables and well-being 24 12 3 Team work in Applied Economics - - 3 Mathematics and Statistics for Economic Analysis (optional) 24 12 - Policy Design and Evaluation The distributional challenges of globalization 24-3 Social Policies 24-3 CEPREMAP Conferences 24-3 Economic History 24-3 Vocational Internship 2 months min. 9 TOTAL 309 108 60
The coursework period ends in early May and is followed by a vocational internship (minimum 2 months) at an institution responsible for the design and/or evaluation of public policies. In the past years, many international and French renowned institutions hosted PSE students: OECD, United Nations, J-PAL, World Bank, INSEE, DGTPE, DIAL, AMF etc. The M2 year offers in-depth and applied courses that cover pressing policy questions at the national and global level, along with state of the art best practices in policy evaluation. Apart from three mandatory classes, the curriculum is individualized. Each student must take and pass elective courses worth at least 27 ECTS from among more than twenty classes offered. Students must complete a master s thesis ( mémoire ) supervised by a PPD faculty member, optionally co-supervised by a professional from a public institution. [Year M2] Title Load (hrs) ECTS Common Core 72 9 Evaluating public policies 24 3 Empirical methods for Policy Evaluation 24 3 Introduction to Political Economy 24 3 9 courses from the following list 216 27 CEPREMAP conferences 24 3 Social Policies Ageing and Public Policies 24 3 Economics of education 24 3 Fertility, mortality and population policies in developing countries 12 1,5 Health Economics and Health Policy 24 3 Income Level, Income distribution and subjective Well-Being 12 1,5 Labour Market Policies 24 3 Public Finance 24 3 Risk, incomplete contingency markets and microfinance policy 24 3 Social interactions and public policy 24 3 Global Policies Aid, Debt and International Finance 24 3 Citizenship, Immigration Policies and Development 24 3 Conflict and Development 24 3 Development Economics 24 3 Economic geography, spatial inequality and regional development 12 1,5 Sustainable Development and Climate Change 24 3 Economics of Corruption 12 1,5 Economics of Regulation in Developing Countries 24 3
Industrial Dynamics in Japan and Korea 24 3 The Evaluation of Macroeconomic Policies 24 3 International Migration 24 3 National Governance 24 3 Sustainable Development and Climate Change 24 3 Trade 24 3 Quantitative Methods Short-term Economic Analysis 24 3 Micro-simulations and Public Policies 24 3 Econometrics Methods 24 3 Economic History Topics in Economic History 24 3 Historical Demography 12 1,5 Master s Dissertation - 24 TOTAL 288 60 Resources and Staff The programme is jointly organized by PSE s institutional partners: EHESS, ENPC, IRD, AFD, CEPREMAP and ENS. Many PPD instructors are affiliated with CEPREMAP or have strong ties to International Organizations and the French agencies including the Treasury (DGTPE), Ministry of Labor and Solidarity and Ministry of Health. Researchers from IRD/DIAL and professionals from the French Development Agency (AFD) offer students a unique window into development practice through lectures and internships. The Institute of Research for Development (IRD) and AFD also provide funding for the programme and financial support for PPD students from developing countries to participate in the programme and offers internship opportunities. CEPREMAP serves as an interface between economic research and public administration, and coordinates a network of researchers. The center finances a course and a series of conferences with prestigious policy makers as part of the PPD Masters. Many researchers involved in the PPD masters play an active role in the design and evaluation of public policies, including F. Bourguignon, E. Duflo, E. Maurin and T. Piketty. The J-PAL Europe has been hosted at the PSE since May 2007. It supports researchers working on randomized control trials, to evaluate social and labor policies in Europe and developing countries. PPD students have participated extensively in J-PAL field research.
Applications All candidates for the PPD Master s degree are subject to a selective admission process. The PPD programme receives applications from all over the world. In particular, the selection committee encourages applications from developing countries of all continents. Multidisciplinary curricula (social sciences, natural sciences, engineering), as well as work experience in the public policy field, are very much welcome. Nonetheless, candidates are invited to check they have the required level of mathematical aptitude. On the average, one fifth of the M1 applicants are successful. For M2, 15% of the external M2 applicants get admitted: most of the slots are dedicated to M1 students, and the M2 required entry level is very demanding, notably due to a rigorous and thorough training in quantitative methods (over 100 hours) in M1. The average PPD cohort counts around 40% of foreign students, especially from low or middle income countries (around 30% in total). Dedicated website www.pse-application.eu See the dedicated brochure PSE: how to apply on line? For September 2015 Applications before 6 th March 2015 for an answer mid-april or before 29 th May 2015 for an answer mid- July The probability of acceptance is equal whether you apply in March or May*. However, we encourage foreign candidates to apply in March to have more time to better prepare their stay in Paris. From a formal point of view, PPD Master s students are registered at the EHESS. The final degrees are thus delivered by the EHESS. * Applications rejected in March will not be reconsidered in May PPD Master s Fees Fees are around 250 euros per year, in addition to approximately 210 euros for social security (for those under the age of 28). Studying at PSE is free of any additional fees. Some grants are available for foreign students: see the dedicated brochure and the FAQs. Contact information Tel: +33 143 136 343/2 E-mail: master-ppd@psemail.eu Website : www.parisschoolofeconomics.eu Brochure updated in July 2015