This course is the first of a two-semester sequence in econometrics for masters students. The course is designed to expose you to the statistical techniques that economists use for exploring, estimating, testing, and forecasting economic relationships to inform decisions. Topics include hypothesis testing, regression analysis, indicator and categorical variables, and methods to establish causal inference. The emphasis is on learning the techniques involved as well as interpreting what the results of empirical analysis tell us in terms of the economic problems being studied. Successful completion of this course should give you the statistical toolbox needed for understanding existing empirical economic research and for planning and executing independent research projects.