Seminar Economics of Human Capital

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Course Description

During the seminar, we will discuss a broad range of current topics in the economics of human capital. A special focus will be on the role of beliefs, expectation, and information in the labor market. For instance, we will discuss how well informed workers are about wages and outside options, how firms search or workers when trying to fill vacancies, how expectations about the labor market affect students’ decisions to invest in human capital, and to what extent workers have accurate beliefs about social norms that are relevant for the functioning of the labor market. The list of topics provides more details, including references.

The seminar has two consecutive parts:

In the first part, students write a thesis (15 pages) under the guidance of their advisor. In an introductory session, students learn about the principles of scientific work and the scope of analysis that is expected. The thesis elaborates on the literature (see the list of topics for the main article(s) to be covered). Students are expected to search for additional literature and then work independently on their topic. Advisors provide close guidance during this process.

The second part consists of a blocked seminar (June 5^th and 6^th) of students’ presentations. This part will take place at a youth hostel located in a beautiful medieval castle about one hour from Nuremberg, where we will stay overnight. The department will cover all costs (travel costs, accommodation for one night at the castle, and meals). Before preparing their presentations for the block seminar, supervisors will provide students with detailed feedback on their thesis, enabling students to give high-quality presentations about their topic.

For application please submit the participation form to bianca.haustein@fau.de until January 31^st, 2025. The deadline for submitting the seminar theses is May 19^th, 2024. We will have a short introduction over Zoom on March 10^th, 2025, at 10:00.