Mastering Economics Course (MRU)

Free online course offered in partnership with the Marginal Revolution University (MRU) and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

What you will learn

If you're looking to untangle cause and effect in a complex world, then econometrics is what you seek.

Join MIT professor Josh Angrist and learn to master the econometrics "Furious Five": random assignment,regression, instrumental variables, regression discontinuity designs, and differences-in-differences methods.

Think econometrics is boring? So it was once, but will be no more! Skipping theoretical tedium, we use real empirical questions to bring the numbers to life. Does a private university education pay off with higher earnings? Do lower drinking ages cost lives? Econometrics uncovers the answers.

Econometrics is a journey, grasshopper. Start yours today.

Course Outline

• Introduction

  • The Path from Cause to Effect

• Think Like a Master

  • Ceteris Paribus

  • Selection Bias

• The Furious Five

  • Randomized Trials

  • Regression Analysis

  • Instrumental Variables

  • Regression Discontinuity Designs

  • Differences-in-Differences

• Bonus: Q&A with Master Joshway

  • Isn't Econometrics Boring?

  • What's the Difference between Econometrics and Statistics?

  • Are Machine Learning and Big Data Changing Econometrics?

  • What's With All the Kung Fu Stuff?

  • What's the Difference between Econometrics and Data Science?

• Advanced Material: AEA Lecture Videos

  • Causality, Experiments, and Potential Outcomes