2025-2026 Descriptions
ECON 490 (Seminar in Applied Economics) is the capstone course for BA Economics students. It is an opportunity to showcase everything you’ve learned in your degree, and one of the most valuable learning experiences in the economics program. It’s also a signature of the VSE experience. However, to get the most out of this course, you should pay close attention the differences between the sections of ECON 490:
- Section topic and focus: each section of ECON 490 has a different topic, chosen by the instructor, based on their interests and expertise. It is a good idea to choose a section that matches your interests! Some sections allow you to be more independent, while others guide you more closely along the way: being thoughtful about the skills and time you bring to the course will help you to choose a section that’s right for you.
- Section format: some sections of ECON 490 are offered in different formats, ranging from individual thesis-style projects, to group-learning, to community-engaged learning. Choose a section that matches the kinds of skills you want to demonstrate and learn.
You can learn more about both of these types of ECON 490 sections below.
Please note that it is your exclusive responsibility to verify that you meet the prerequisites for every course you register in. In particular, it is very important to note that UBC’s online graduation-check tools, as well as Arts Advising, will only verify whether you will satisfy your graduation requirements if you complete all of your courses successfully. They will not check if your intended order will cause a prerequisite conflict.
Example: Suppose you need to take courses A and B to graduate, and A is a prerequisite for B. You register in course B in term 1 and in course A in term 2. In this case, the graduation check will say that you satisfy the graduation requirements. However, you will not be allowed to complete course B in term 1, because you are missing course A as prerequisite. As a result, you will not be able to graduate on time.
It is therefore essential that you verify that you will satisfy the prerequisites for each course you intend to register in, in the sequence you intend to take them.
Please also note that all upper-level economics courses have prerequisites (including 490), which you must complete before you can start the upper-level course. You may not complete any prerequisite at the same time as the relevant course – you need to satisfy them in advance. This is particularly important as you plan your ECON 490 registration.
For reference, all of ECON 301, 302, 325 and 326 are prerequisites for ECON 490. They must all be successfully completed before enrolling in ECON 490. They may not be taken concurrently with ECON 490.
ABSOLUTELY NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
ECON 490 Section Formats
In order to accommodate different student goals and needs, the VSE offers ECON 490 in two different formats. Please familiarize yourself with the features of each ECON 490 format in order to select the one most appropriate for your academic background and objectives.
Most sections of ECON 490 are offered in the course’s traditional format, with sections containing approximately 20 students. The first weeks of the course will include a brief econometrics refresher and a general discussion of research methods. Each student will then design and carry out an individual empirical research project, with guidance provided by the instructor in one-on-one meetings.
Students then usually present their research projects to the class prior to submitting their individual final papers. Many traditional format sections have a predetermined theme (e.g., development economics, labour economics, international finance, etc.). Students who choose to register in traditional format sections should:
- Be comfortable with the material taught in ECON 326, and familiar with econometric software (STATA or R). A grade of 75 or above in ECON 326 is recommended.
- Be interested in the theme of the section, and expect to conduct a project in that field of economics.
- Be prepared to work independently, with occasional guidance from the instructor
In 2025, these are ECON490 sections 001 ,002,004, 007 and 008.
In the team research section, students conduct their research project in a small group setting (max 4 members), rather than individually. The instructor provides a research direction and guidance on how to work in a group. The team research section will have a higher enrolment than traditional ones.
However, the structure of this format allows the instructor to spend twice as much time meeting with a given group than would normally be available to an individual student in traditional format sections. The team research section also features a more thorough review of econometric concepts and the use of statistical software at the beginning of the course. Students who feel they need a stronger refresher of the concepts taught in ECON 326, who are not comfortable with independent research, or who would like to build their teamwork skills should strongly consider registering in the team research section.
In 2025, this is ECON490 section 006.
ECON 490 Section Descriptions
In addition to the formats described above, each section of ECON 490 has a different topic, chosen by the instructor. You can find the current list below, separated by term.
Important Note
Term 1
The main goal of this course is to expose students to the process of conducting independent research in empirical economics and effectively communicating the results of the research. The course emphasizes topics related to development economics, political economy, and the use of econometric analysis. Each student will choose an original topic, perform appropriate econometric analysis, and deliver oral and written project reports. Students will learn the necessary tools to evaluate a research paper and will have individual meetings to discuss how to apply these tools to pursue their own research ideas.
Prof Miguel Ortiz
The primary objective of this course is to teach students how to write a research paper in economics. The course is structured in three main parts. First, we will discuss the principles of causal inference and how to formulate a good research question in economics. Second, we will review the four key econometric methodologies used to answer causal questions: regression analysis, difference-in-differences, instrumental variables, and regression discontinuity design. This section will include the analysis of academic papers that effectively apply these methods. Third, students will develop their own original research idea. The course will conclude with student presentations and the submission of a complete research paper.
While class examples will primarily focus on topics in political economy, development economics, and public policy, students are encouraged to pursue research in any area of interest to them.
The course is meant to facilitate the development of research skills. Focus will be on producing new research and learning how to give feedback on research by others. We will overview practical aspects such as accessing useful data sources, editing documents, using software for data work, providing comments on other students' papers and actively participating in class presentations. Students will present their work to each other and in a class setting. Learning how to provide feedback and help each other will be an integral part of the course. While students will have a choice of topics to work on, the instructor will provide an overview of topics related to his own research, including current work on the distribution of income and consumption using microdata.
Term 2
This section will guide students through their own original analysis of a law or government policy (e.g. health, education, etc). The first half of the course will build upon the skills developed in ECON 325 and ECON 326 with an emphasis on their practical application to policy analysis and causal inference. In the second half of the course, students will work independently to apply these skills to the production of an original research paper.
The main goal of this course is to help students write a research paper in public economics and policy. To do so, the course is divided into two parts: (1) it will expose students to a set of topics in public economics, and (2) it will provide them with econometric tools to analyze data and make statistical inference. Near the end, students will present their research papers in class. Possible topics include tax and innovation policies.