The Master of Science in Applied Data Science program develops and empowers students to use state-of-the-art political assessment models across all scales of political interactions.  Students are exposed to various political theories, domains, process, and methods knowledge to help them understand and predict human created uncertainty through the mechanism of politics.  Successful students acquire the ability to use a variety of political, economic, statistical, bit data and data analytics tools to solve policy problems that provide them with a distinct competitive advantage in their professional careers.  Topics covered span conflict and cooperation, income inequality, national policy development, economic growth, trade, exchange rates, demographic change, and sustainable development.    

For admission requirements, see the Admission  section of this Bulletin.

Degree Requirements

Coursework: 36 units; no Master’s research paper required.

Final Paper Portfolio:  All students are required to submit two papers to the program office.  One paper must be written during the student’s first semester in the program.  A second paper should represent the student’s best work and may come from any subsequent semester that the student is enrolled in the program.  Papers are used for accreditation reviews of the program.  The program’s Student Handbook provides additional details.

University Policies:  University policies detailed in the Academic Policies  section of the Bulletin apply.

Core Course Requirement (16 units)

Choose from the following:

• SP&E 486 - Data Analytics & Visualization
• SP&E 317 - Advanced Formal Models
• SP&E 448 - Seminar in Social Network Analysis
• SP&E 471 - Strategic Modeling for Politics, Economics, & Business (capstone seminar)

Research Tools (12 units)

Select one sequence only:

Sequence 1

• INST 481 - Statistical Methods for Social Sciences
• INST 483 - Multivariate Analysis in International Studies Using SAS

AND

• INST 487 - Advanced Topics in Applied Econometrics OR SP&E 317 - Advanced Formal Models OR SP&E 471 - Strategic Modeling for Politics OR Economics & Business Decisions OR INST 489 - Advanced Research Design

Sequence 2 (recommended only for those with a strong math background)

• ECON 381 - Probability & Statistics for Econometrics
• ECON 382 - Econometrics I
• ECON 383 - Econometrics II

Electives (8 units)

Choose two classes from one of the following fields:

Security  

• INST 401 - World Politics
• INST 403 - Deterrence and Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
• INST 430 - Seminar in Conflict & Peace

International Political Economy

• SP&E 411 - International Political Economy
• SP&E 410 - Political Economy of International Development
• PP 408 Seminar in Political Demography
• SP&E 429 Political Economy of China
• SP&E 371 Globalization

Computational Analytics

• SP&E 315 - Game Theory
• SP&E 316 - Seminar in Computational Agent-Based Modeling
• SP&E 438 - Dynamic Modeling

Health

• CGH 300 Theoretical Foundations in Health Promotion and Education
• CGH 302 Epidemiology

Foreign Policy

• PP 420 A-H Foreign Policy (USA, Latin America, Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, etc.)

Note: Students who wish to substitute classes or create alternative tracks must gain prior approval by a Faculty Advisor.