J-PAL 101x Evaluating Social Programs Online
Overview
J-PAL's Evaluating Social Programs online course is a free, self-paced introduction to impact evaluation. Taught by a team of MIT faculty and J-PAL affiliated researchers, the course walks through each step of designing a randomized evaluation, from developing a theory of change to navigating design challenges and ethical considerations. Enroll today and complete the course at your own pace by December 15 >>
Who is the course for?
The course is designed for policymakers, practitioners, M&E professionals, and anyone interested in an accessible introduction to impact evaluation. Learners typically come from governments, nonprofits, foundations, and academic institutions around the world.
Course content
The course explores why and when randomized evaluations can be used to rigorously measure the impact of social programs. Through lectures taught by J-PAL affiliated professors and case studies based on real-world evaluations, participants gain a thorough understanding of:
- How to develop a theory of change and measure outcomes
- Key components of a well-designed randomized evaluation
- How to determine an appropriate sample size to estimate impact
- Common threats and pitfalls to the validity of experiments
- How to assess generalizability and use research findings
Logistics
Learners can enroll in Evaluating Social Programs on the MIT Learn platform through November 30th to complete the course at their own pace by December 15th. Enrollment is free, and participants may upgrade for $99 to receive a certificate from J-PAL and MIT Open Learning upon passing the course. The course takes an average of 20 hours to complete.
Contact
Please feel free to contact the J-PAL Global training team at [email protected] if you have any questions about the course.