Start fresh with new skills. Get 10% off course fees with the code FRESH2026 until April 21, 2026 and set yourself up for exponential growth this year.

THE LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND POLITICAL SCIENCE
ECONOMICS FOR PUBLIC POLICY

ONLINE CERTIFICATE COURSEVIEW COURSE PROSPECTUS
Duration

8 weeks,
excluding orientation

Effort

6-8 hours per week,
entirely online

Learning Format

Weekly modules,
flexible learning

Get 10% off until April 21, 2026.

Start fresh with new skills.

It’s time for a new season of personal growth. Take 10% off this online course with the code FRESH2026.

*Offer applies to any start date for participating courses where registration is currently open as long as you register and pay by April 21, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (U.S.). To redeem the offer for executive education courses, register on getsmarter.com, using code FRESH2026 at checkout. The discount cannot be combined with any other offers for executive education courses.

ON COMPLETION OF THIS COURSE, YOU’LL WALK AWAY WITH:

  1. A foundational understanding of the economic theories and models most relevant to public policy.

  2. The confidence to apply economic reasoning to find solutions to the challenges facing public policy.

  3. A set of skills that equips you to design and analyse public policies, enhancing your career prospects in public policy, government, and consulting.

Accreditation Logo

This Economics for Public Policy online certificate course is certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service, and may be applicable to individuals who are members of, or are associated with, UK-based professional bodies. The course has an estimated 52 hours of learning.

Note: should you wish to claim CPD activity, the onus is on you. The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and GetSmarter accept no responsibility, and cannot be held responsible, for the claiming or validation of hours or points.

    COURSE CURRICULUM

    Over the duration of this online certificate course, you’ll work through the following modules:

    MODULE 1
    Understanding the market

    Explore the foundational economic principles underpinning real-world market behaviour and policy interventions.

    MODULE 2
    Intervening in the market

    Unpack the various tools governments use to regulate markets and their broader implications for both consumers and producers.

    MODULE 3
    Taming market power

    Examine how firms can exert control over markets and the ways governments intervene to maintain competition.

    MODULE 4
    Managing externalities

    Consider the kinds of market disruptions caused by externalities and possible solutions for restoring balance.

    MODULE 5
    Providing public goods

    Learn about government strategies and community-led actions aimed at solving the puzzle of public goods and common resources.

    MODULE 6
    Mitigating information asymmetry

    Discover how unequal access to information shapes transactions and how businesses and policymakers work to address its challenges.

    MODULE 7
    Measuring the economy

    Gain a comprehensive understanding of how GDP, inflation, and unemployment are used to measure economic welfare and guide policy.

    MODULE 8
    Growing the economy

    Reflect on economic growth, its determinants, and policies to enhance it.

    Please note that module titles and their contents are subject to change during course development.

    COURSE CONVENOR

    Luis Garicano

    Professor of Public Policy

    Luis Garacano’s research focuses on the intersection of technology, organisation, and economic outcomes, including wage distribution, productivity, and economic growth, with recent work addressing institutional reform in the Eurozone. In the course of his research, he has authored influential academic papers and contributed to international media.

    Luis began his academic career at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business before holding various positions at LSE, including full professor in economics and strategy. He has been a visiting professor at Columbia, the London Business School, and MIT. Professionally, he has worked as an economist for the European Commission and McKinsey & Company, and served as a member of the European Parliament from 2019 to 2022.

    “With economic frameworks influencing everything from taxation and regulation to economic development and social programmes, having a strong foundation in economics is essential to understand and design more effective public policies.”– Luis Garicano, Professor of Public Policy

    AN ONLINE EDUCATION THAT SETS YOU APART

    This LSE online certificate course is delivered in collaboration with online education provider GetSmarter. Join a growing community of global professionals and benefit from the opportunity to:
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    Gain verifiable and relevant competencies and earn invaluable recognition from a world-leading social science university, entirely online and in your own time.

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    Enjoy a personalised, people-mediated online learning experience created to make you feel supported at every step.

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    Experience a flexible but structured approach to online education as you plan your learning around your life to meet weekly milestones.