"This week, the first cohort of 22 students begin classes in MIT’s new master’s program in Data, Economics, and Development Policy (DEDP). The graduate program was created jointly by MIT’s Department of Economics and the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), a research center at MIT led by professors Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo, and Benjamin Olken. Banerjee and Duflo are co-recipients of the 2019 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics.
The 22 students beginning the master’s program this week hail from 14 countries around the world, including Brazil, India, Jordan, Lithuania, Mexico, Nigeria, the United States, and Zimbabwe.
The students are pioneers of a new approach to higher education: College degrees and standardized test scores are not required for admission. Instead, applicants prove their readiness through their performance in online MITx MicroMasters courses, completing weekly assignments and taking proctored final exams.
The program’s unique admissions process reflects Banerjee, Duflo, and Olken’s ambition to democratize higher education, leveling the playing field to enable students from all backgrounds to succeed." …