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 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.
The Paris School of Economics
Faculty members are national and international experts in their research field: Philippe
Askenazy, François Bourguignon, Antoine Bozio, Denis Cogneau, Jean-Pierre Danthine, AnneCelia Disdier, Julien Grenet, Marc Gurgand, Karen Macours, Eric Maurin, Thomas Piketty,
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 (EU, OECD, UN agencies, WTO, etc.), development
agencies (World Bank, AFD, etc.), NGOs, 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.
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 first positions:
o Manon Falquerho (graduation year 2012): World Bank - United States
o Viridiana Garcia (g.y. 2010): UNDP - United States
o Andrea Garnero (g.y. 2010): Prime Minister Office - Italy
o Nolwenn Gontard (g.y. 2014): World Bank, Gender Innovation Lab - RDC
o Arthur Heim (g.y. 2013): Conseil national d'évaluation du système scolaire - France
o Yang Huang (g.y. 2012): World Bank - United States
o Marion Leroutier (g.y. 2015): Analyst at Frontier Economics - United Kingdom
o William Lobo (g.y. 2014): Associate, RBB Economics - United Kingdom
o Michael Mbate (g.y. 2012): United Nations Eco. Commission for Africa - Ethiopia
o Marcelo Montes Muñoz (g.y. 2015) : National institute of statistics of Chile - Chile
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
o Hubertus Wolff (g.y. 2015): Business taxation depart. of Univ. of Cologne - Germany
o Binta Zarah Diop (g.y. 2014): Crime Lab, University of Chicago - United States
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. 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…),
International Economic History Association (E. Monnet…), AMF Jeune chercheur en
économie (J.-E. Colliard…), M. Allais award (X. Gabaix…).
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.
Load
[Year M1] Title
ECTS
Course
Tutorial
Households & Firms
36
18
7
Competition and Regulation
12
6
3
Macroeconomic Policies
36
18
7
Economic Growth
12
6
3
Introduction to Political Economy
24
-
3
Econometrics 1
15
12
3
Econometrics 2
15
12
3
Econometrics 3
15
12
3
Measur. of policy outcomes: socioeco. variables and well-being
24
12
4
-
-
3
Eco. Policies and Strategies for Dvpt. in a Globalized world
24
-
3
Social Policies : Evaluating Antipoverty Policies
24
-
3
CEPREMAP Conferences
24
-
3
Economic History
24
-
3
Markets and market failures: theory and public policies
Macroeconomic policies and public finance
Quantitative methods
Team work in Applied Economics
Policy Design and Evaluation
Vocational Internship 2 months min.
TOTAL
285
9
96
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
two mandatory classes, the curriculum is individualized. Each
student must take and pass elective courses worth at least 28,5 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
60
7,5
Public Economics
36
4,5
Empirical methods for Policy Evaluation
24
3
228
28,5
CEPREMAP conferences
24
3
Optional EHESS seminar*
24
3
Ageing and Public Policies
24
3
Economics of education
36
4,5
Fertility and mortality in developing countries
12
1,5
Health Economics
36
4,5
Income Level, Income distribution and subjective Well-Being
18
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
Growth, Distribution and institutions in LDCs
24
3
Aid, Debt and International Finance
24
3
Political Eco. 2: conflict, institutions, media and governance
36
4,5
Development Economics
36
4,5
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
Common Core
28,5 ECTS for courses from the following list
Social Policies
Global Policies
Industrial Dynamics in Japan and Korea
24
3
Macroeconomic Policy
24
3
International Migration
24
3
National Governance
12
1,5
Insurance
12
1,5
Trade
24
3
Short-term Economic Analysis
24
3
Micro-simulations and Public Policies
24
3
Econometrics Methods
24
3
Topics in Economic History
24
3
Specialization Seminar : Source methodology**
24
3
Economic History
24
3
States and Sovereign Debts
24
3
Historical Demography
18
1,5
-
24
Min. 288
60
Quantitative Methods
Economic History
Master’s Dissertation
TOTAL
*The student chooses one seminar among the course list of the EHESS - Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (in a field other than Economics)
** Part of the Economic History Specialization: Masters dissertation, 4 optional courses and courses workshop in the field of Economic History
Resources and Staff
The programme is jointly organized by PSE’s institutional partners: EHESS, ENPC, IRD,
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 offer students a unique window into development practice
through lectures and internships. The Institute of Research for Development (IRD) also
provides 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, D. Cogneau, E. Maurin and T. Piketty.
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 and solid notions in Economics.
On the average, one tenth of the M1 applicants are successful. For M2, around 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 FAQ brochure “PSE: how to apply on line?”
For September 2016
Applications before 6th March 2016 for an answer mid-April
or before 29th May 2016 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
www.parisschoolofeconomics.eu
Brochure updated in June 2016