Methods of Policy Analysis
This MIT OpenCourseWare course introduces the tools used to analyze public policy problems, aimed at students headed toward public or non-profit careers. It draws on concepts and methods from economics and political science, covering approaches such as cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, and program evaluation, and asks students to weigh what each approach captures and what it misses. Case studies built around current public policy problems anchor the material, with students applying and critiquing the frameworks against real decisions rather than treating them as abstract technique. Materials include the syllabus, readings, and assignments as published by MIT, distributed under a Creative Commons license with no cost to access. The course suits anyone wanting a working vocabulary for how economists and political scientists actually evaluate policy choices, not just a survey of positions on any single issue.