PUBPOL-810
MICRO ECO/PUB POL MAKING
Offered Fall 2026
Term
Instructor
Overview
Feedback leans negative. The main complaint is that the ratings are soft even if the comments do not converge on one neat complaint. The clearest upside is that the readings, films, or examples carry real weight. Best for students who will engage with the materials instead of skimming everything.
DepartmentPPS
Terms offeredFall
Typical enrollment35–61
Semesters of data3
5.2
Hrs / week
90
Responses
149
Enrollment
60%
Response Rate
Evaluation Scores
Overall quality
Teaching, content, and experience combined.
2.6
Intellectually stimulating
Challenges students to think deeply.
3.3
Instructor effectiveness
Explains concepts and facilitates learning.
2.8
Difficulty
Higher means harder.
4.2
Feedback Analysis
Feedback Analysishigh
Analysis based on student evaluations
Based on 111 comments across 3 sections
Feedback leans negative. The main complaint is that the ratings are soft even if the comments do not converge on one neat complaint. The clearest upside is that the readings, films, or examples carry real weight. Best for students who will engage with the materials instead of skimming everything.
Student Reports
How hard is the A?
Hard to get an A
Students repeatedly frame high grades as something you have to earn. This reads as hard to ace rather than casually easy, especially once the course pace or grading standards ramp up.
Homework Load
Heavy homework load
Homework load is one of the clearest friction points. Students repeatedly describe assignments, readings, or problem sets as time-consuming.
Lecture Load
Regular lecture load
Lectures matter here, but the evidence points to a fairly standard lecture burden rather than a course dominated by long or exceptionally dense lectures.
Strengths
• Readings, films, or outside materials come up repeatedly as a real strength rather than filler.
• Students repeatedly say the course teaches something concrete, whether that is content mastery, research skill, or a strong foundation.
Tradeoffs
• The numeric ratings are soft even if the comments do not converge on one dominant complaint.
Best fit for
Best for students who will engage with the materials instead of skimming everything.
Student Responses
Everything I learned in this course I had to teach to myself. There was little productive instruction happening during class time. So the skill I developed in this course is teaching myself complex econ concepts.
Fall 2023 · Johnson, Matthew
Supply and Demand Firms and monopolies production functions and feasibility frontiers
Fall 2023 · Johnson, Matthew
My learning was facilitated by my friends, YouTube videos, and the MPP quantitative tutor. I elaborate in a later question about the learning. However, I did learn a lot more than I knew coming in. - Supply and Demand - Pareto Efficiency - Elasticity
Fall 2023 · Johnson, Matthew
- game theory - supply-demand - policy applications
Fall 2023 · Johnson, Matthew
How a typical supply and demand market works, how constraints influence people and firm's decision making
Fall 2023 · Johnson, Matthew
Rating History
Rating history
Error bars show \u00B11 std dev
| Term | Instructor | Overall | Difficulty | Hrs/wk | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2025 | Johnson, Matthew 3.0Rate My ProfessorsQuality3.0Difficulty3.5Would retake40%Based on 10 ratingsClick to view on RMP → | — | — | 5.6 | 35 |
| Fall 2024 | Zhang, Jonathan | — | — | 4.8 | 53 |
| Fall 2023 | Johnson, Matthew 3.0Rate My ProfessorsQuality3.0Difficulty3.5Would retake40%Based on 10 ratingsClick to view on RMP → | 2.6 | 4.2 | — | 61 |
Instructor
Also teaches
PUBPOL-303D MICROECONOMIC POLICY TOOLS3.8PUBPOL-590 ADV TOP IN PUBLIC POLICY4.5