MSc Data Science for Politics & Policymaking

The aim of this class is: to appreciate the characteristics of professionalism as it relates to modern data management; to recognise and appreciate the professional aspects of other engineering and related classes in their curriculum, and how those aspects influence practice; and to form a sound basis on which they will subsequently be able to practise information Systems Engineering with a due regard for legal, ethical and social issues.

This class will provide you with an understanding of the new challenges posed by the advent for big data, as they refer to its modelling, storage, and access; an understanding of the key algorithms and techniques which are embodied in data analytics solutions; and exposure to a number of different big data technologies and techniques, showing how they can achieve efficiency and scalability, while also addressing design trade-offs and their impacts.

This class will help students develop skills in creating and managing database systems, including developing initial database specifications; formulating database queries using SQL; understanding the facilities and services which should be provided by a fully featured database management system; experiencing using a relational database management system in a client-server environment; and understanding future trends in database systems.

The aim of the class is to understand the aims and fundamental principles of machine learning; understand a range of the key algorithms and approaches to machine learning; be able to apply the algorithms covered and interpret the outcomes; understand the applicability of the algorithms to different types of data and problems along with their strengths and limitations.

This class introduces participants to the use of quantitative methods in social research; in particular, the logic and language of empirical analysis, the principal types of quantitative data (official statistics and surveys), and the use of software packages for statistical analysis.

This class trains participants in the design, application, presentation, and critical evaluation of quantitative political research using relevant software packages for statistical analysis.

This class provides an overview of the ever-expanding field of qualitative methods in social science. This includes the examination of a wide variety of approaches, including case studies, small-N comparisons, ethnographies, historical research, and discourse analysis.

It also includes the study of a range of data collection and data analysis techniques such as observation, document analysis, elite interviews, and qualitative comparative analysis (QCA).

The class introduces students to the theoretical and practical issues they will need to address when designing and conducting research in social and public policy and related areas. During this module students will critically evaluate empirical research, develop an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of different research designs, and build a foundation for their research projects and master theses.

This class introduces students to some of the most important concepts which have shaped our understanding of social policy as an academic discipline, including such concepts as need, citizenship and entitlement, equality and justice, and happiness and wellbeing.

It also looks at issues surrounding the governance and implementation of social policy and the variety of ways in which our needs for welfare provision can be addressed. We also look at some of the main theoretical perspectives which have informed the development of social policy, such as social democracy, liberalism, conservatism, feminism, environmentalism, Marxism and the New Right.

The final part of the class looks at some of the main challenges facing social policy-makers today.

This class covers key research design issues and enables you to evaluate alternative research designs and create appropriate research proposals. The class is designed to help you decide a research topic and a design that you will use for your dissertation. Topics covered include formulating research questions, developing concepts, and how to select cases to study.

Public policy is the study of how governments and other agencies acting in the name of the general public deliberate on and enact policy.

The class examines the theoretical, empirical and practical issues involved in conducting policy analysis. Included are discussions of major concepts, processes, and types of policy issues, all studied in a comparative manner. Major classics in the field will be read.

Semester 1 and 2

This course is part of the university’s new initiative in Vertically Integrated Projects for Sustainable Development (VIP4SD). VIPs are designed to provide students from second-year through to postgraduate with an opportunity to work with teams of other students on projects related to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Undergraduate students may participate in a project for up to three years.  In this VIP we will examine the linkages between the quality of democratic governance, citizenship, service delivery, and quality of life in developing countries, with a focus on Africa.  Students will have the opportunity to investigate important policy-relevant questions using various forms of survey, administrative, national accounts, and spatial data to track progress toward the sustainable development goals and investigate factors that facilitate or retard sustainable development.

The complexity of the research project will differ according to the level of the student.  At Masters level, students might investigate connections between various factors, such as the nature of the political regime, the quality of the public service, geography, ethnicity, the quality of citizenship, or violent conflict, and their impact on service delivery and quality of life. The course will also provide post-graduate students with an opportunity to identify data and develop analyses for their theses and dissertations.