Syllabus

This course is a fast-paced introduction to Python for PhD students in Economics and related fields. The focus of the course is to learn the core of the Python programming language. Students will learn the language by applying it to solve common problems in Economics, such as estimation and dynamic programming. The course is designed for PhD students that have completed their 1st year of coursework and are interested in learning a general-purpose programming language.

To see the recommended books and other materials, go to the Readings page.

• This course is intended for Duke PhD students.
• Graduate econometrics is required. Knowledge of macroeconomics or microeconomics at the graduate level is also assumed.
• Students should have basic programming experience (at the undergraduate level).
• Students must have a laptop and bring it to the lectures.

• Final grade will be based on completion of assignments
• Assignments are due a few days after the last lecture of the course
• Students must be present at all classes

• Problems will be assigned at the end of each discussed topic.
• Assignments are individual. Each student must do the entire problem set. This includes: writing your own code, making your own plots, interpreting the results, and preparing a .pdf report with Latex.
• The best way to learn the contents of the course is to complete the assignments yourself.
• No late projects are accepted.
• Solutions with excessive overlap with other student's answers will receive a zero grade.
• Students must uphold the Duke Community Standard.