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.   

Degree Requirements

Coursework: 36 units; no Master’s research paper required. Students that require additional skills will complete this degree by taking additional classes not to exceed a maximum of 44 units.

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.

Admission. Admission requirements are detailed in the Admissions section of the current Policies and General Information Bulletin.

University Policies.  Policies detailed in the current Policies and General Information Bulletin apply.

Core Course Requirement (16 units)

• SPE 486 - Data Analytics & Visualization
• SPE 317 - Advanced Formal Models
• SPE 448 - Seminar in Social Network Analysis
• SPE 471 - Strategic Modeling for Politics, Economics, & Business Decisions (Capstone Seminar)

Research Tools (12 units)

• INST 481 - Statistical Methods for Social Sciences (4 units)
• INST 483 - Multivariate Analysis in International Studies Using SAS (4 units) And
• INST 487 - Advanced Topics in Applied Econometrics

 

Note: MA students who wish to a substitute must gain prior approval by a Faculty Advisor and the Department Chair

Electives (8 units)

Choose one of the following tracks:

Security

• INST 401 - World Politics
• INST 430 - Perspectives in Conflict & Peace, OR
• PP 432 - Seminar in Civil War
• INST 403 - Deterrence and Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

International Political Economy

• SP&E 411 - International Political Economy And
• INST 410 - Political Economy of International Development OR
• PP 408 - Seminar in World Politics: Political Demography & Development OR TNDY407I Special Seminar in Social Demography
• SP&E 429 - Political Economy of China
• SP&E 359 - International Development: Finance, Institutions and Policy

Foreign Policy (Choose two classes within a region)

• PP 420A - Foreign Policy USA
• PP 420E - Foreign Policy of Latin America
• PP 420F - Foreign Policy of the Middle East
• PP 375 Politics of Africa
• PP 417 European Public Policy
• PP 413 Politics of Pacific Asia

Computational Analytics

• ECON 317 - Game Theory & Asymmetric Information
• SP&E 316 - Computational & Agent-Based Modeling
• SP&E 438 - Dynamic Modeling

Health

• CGH 300 - Theoretical Foundations in Health Promotion and Education
• CG H302 - Epidemiology
• SP&E 349F - US Health Policy
• PP 408 - Seminar in World Politics: Political Demography & Development

Note: Students who wish to substitute a class or create additional tracks must gain prior approval by a Faculty Advisor to choose the best courses for their goals.