COST-EFFECTIVENESS & BENEFIT-COST ANALYSIS IN EDUCATION
Introduction and application of methods of economic evaluation in education focusing on the use of cost, cost-effectiveness, and benefit-cost analyses. Topics include collecting inputs; pricing; estimating costs; adjusting for inflation, amortization, and units; sensitivity analyses; measuring effectiveness; quantifying benefits; computing rates of return; and communicating results. Lecture and project based with focus on real-world application, data collection, replication, and peer review.
Topics
- collecting inputs
- pricing
- estimating costs
- adjusting for inflation
- amortization
- and units
- sensitivity analyses
- measuring effectiveness
- quantifying benefits
- computing rates of return
- and communicating results
Topics explicitly listed in official catalogue description
Prerequisites & course information
Requisites: Graduate/professional standing Course Designation: Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Fall 2025 Learning Outcomes: 1. Develop and articulate a clear understanding of economic evaluations in education Audience: Graduate 2. Discuss and write about concepts in economic evaluation Audience: Graduate 3. Assess empirical work for strengths and weaknesses of rigor of evidence Audience: Graduate 4. Distinguish cost analyses, cost-feasibility studies, benefit-cost analyses, and cost-effectiveness studies Audience: Graduate 5. Articulate the strengths and weaknesses of each approach, including what settings facilitate which type Audience: Graduate 6. Design and peer-review research employing economic evaluation in education Audience: Graduate 7. Conduct research proposal applying methods covered in class to contribute to the field Audience: Graduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Develop and articulate a clear understanding of economic evaluations in education Audience: Graduate 2. Discuss and write about concepts in economic evaluation Audience: Graduate 3. Assess empirical work for strengths and weaknesses of rigor of evidence Audience: Graduate 4. Distinguish cost analyses, cost-feasibility studies, benefit-cost analyses, and cost-effectiveness studies Audience: Graduate 5. Articulate the strengths and weaknesses of each approach, including what settings facilitate which type Audience: Graduate 6. Design and peer-review research employing economic evaluation in education Audience: Graduate 7. Conduct research proposal applying methods covered in class to contribute to the field Audience: Graduate
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027