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Breadth of University Curriculum and Labor Market Outcomes

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  • Seah, Kelvin

    (National University of Singapore)

  • Pan, Jessica

    (National University of Singapore)

  • Tan, Poh Lin

    (National University of Singapore)

Abstract

We explore whether the choice of broad versus specialized university curricula affects subsequent labor market outcomes, as measured by earnings, full-time permanent employment, and unemployment six months after university graduation. We exploit a unique episode in the history of the National University of Singapore, in which a university-wide revision in graduation requirements in 2007 prompted students in one of the largest faculties to read a narrower, more specialized, curriculum. Using a difference-in-differences strategy, we compare changes in the labor market outcomes of graduate cohorts from the affected faculty, before-and-after the curriculum revision, to changes in the labor market outcomes of graduate cohorts from the other faculties. We do not find evidence that curriculum breadth matters for these labor market outcomes. Similar conclusions are obtained using regression-control strategies and rich administrative data on student characteristics and academic ability for the broader population of undergraduates at NUS.

Suggested Citation

  • Seah, Kelvin & Pan, Jessica & Tan, Poh Lin, 2020. "Breadth of University Curriculum and Labor Market Outcomes," IZA Discussion Papers 13364, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp13364
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    Cited by:

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    3. Kenneth Khoo & Jaclyn Neo, 2023. "Gender gaps in legal education: The impact of class participation assessments," Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 20(4), pages 1070-1137, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    university curriculum; curriculum breadth; difference-in-differences; earnings; employment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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