Labor Economics

Catalog description

Why do people choose to work? What factors contribute to wage differences among workers? How do firms navigate hiring and compensation decisions? This course will give students an introduction to labor economics with an emphasis on applied microeconomic theory and hands-on data exploration that addresses these and other questions. We are especially interested in the link between the labor market and public policy. While some concepts may be more familiar to students who have taken Intermediate Microeconomics (Econ 3010), the course is tailored to accommodate both early and advanced students. Topics may include labor supply and demands, taxes and transfers, minimum wages, immigration, human capital, education production, inequality, discrimination, and unemployment, among others.