Curriculum
The Objective
Designed for students who wish to pursue careers in universities, research institutions, or government, the program offers a specialized interdisciplinary approach that integrates law and economics within a rigorous curriculum. Students receive a solid grounding in microeconomic theory, econometrics, and law and economics theory. Our principal fields include behavioral law and economics, risk and environmental regulation, and labor and human resources.
Ph.D. Program Requirements
Students admitted to the program are required to successfully complete 72 hours of coursework and research. This includes a minimum of 45 hours of formal coursework in core, field, and elective courses and 6 hours of Ph.D. Law and Economics Workshop. The core consists of 27 hours in law and economics, economic theory, and empirical analysis. After their first year of study, students select two fields of concentration from a pre-approved list of fields and begin taking the associated field courses. Currently, the list of identified fields includes behavioral law and economics, risk and environmental regulation, and labor and human resources. Field requirements include 12 hours of coursework (6 hours in each field). In some circumstances, and with the consent of the director of graduate studies and program faculty, students are allowed to develop a new field.
The core curriculum includes:
Year 1
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Year 2
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Years 3 and 4 are devoted to completing field requirements, taking additional electives and performing Ph.D. dissertation research.
To ensure that students receive an adequate amount of exposure to teaching and research, all funded students, after their first year of study, are required to perform teaching and/or research assistantship work.
J.D./Ph.D. Program Requirements
The program's director of graduate studies works with students who have been admitted into the joint degree program to help them coordinate the course of study so that all requirements of both degrees are met. Please visit the Law School's main curriculum page to learn more about the requirements of the J.D. program.
New Law and Economics Courses
LWEC 401. Law and Economics Theory I
Principles of economic analysis as applied to legal issues. Topics include, among others, torts, property, litigation, and government regulation.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ECON 300, ECON 304A, and ECON 307. [3 units]
LWEC 402. Law and Economics Theory II
Analysis of the law and economics of legal rulemaking, civil and criminal procedure, law enforcement, and an introduction to antitrust.
Prerequisite: LWEC 401. [3 units]
LWEC 403. Behavioral Law and Economics I
Economic principles underlying behavioral law and economics research. Analyses of the rationality of individual choice will be undertaken, including research that involves the interaction of economics, psychology, and decision sciences. Applications of behavioral law and economics methods will be applied to the analysis of jury behavior.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ECON 300, ECON 304A, ECON 307, ECON 309, ECON 304B. [3 units]
LWEC 404. Behavioral Law and Economics II
Research contributions at the frontier of behavioral law and economics research. Each student will structure a controlled experiment to test the rationality of jury behavior, the effect of alternative jury instructions, or a similar kind of scientifically controlled study of behavior relating to the performance of the legal system. Students will administer and analyze the survey results and will prepare an original research paper on their chosen topic.
Prerequisite: LWEC 403. [3 units]
LWEC 405. Econometrics for Legal Research
Analysis and critique of empirical legal research using advanced econometric techniques. Topics will be drawn from the program's core fields. Students will perform independent empirical research using primary data sources.
Prerequisite or corequisite: ECON 300, ECON 304A, ECON 307, ECON 309, LWEC 401. ECON 304B is recommended. [3 units]
LWEC 420. Labor Markets and Human Resources I
An introduction to labor market analysis and the law. Economic models of labor supply, labor demand, and human capital. Applications may include the analysis of discrimination, poverty, inequality, and welfare reform.
[3 units]
LWEC 421. Labor Markets and Human Resources II
An introduction to labor market analysis and the law. Applications may include the analysis of migration, health, education, social security and pension reform.
[3 units]
LWEC 430. Risk and Environmental Regulation
Analyses of the sources of market failure that create a rationale for risk and environmental regulation. Methodologies pertaining to appropriate valuation and enforcement of these regulatory policies. Applications will include procedures for estimating the value of statistical life, perception of risk, the role of hazard warnings, risk analysis by government agencies, and the enforcement of regulatory programs.
[3 units]
LWEC 490. Ph.D. Law and Economics Workshop
Research workshop on the presentation and interpretation of research and literature on law and economics. Topics vary with student and faculty interest.
[3 units]
LWEC 399. Ph.D. Dissertation Research
