module
Postgraduate Module Descriptor
SOCM034: Social Data Science and Policy Analytics
This module descriptor refers to the 2022/3 academic year.
Module Content
Syllabus Plan
Whilst the module’s precise content and order of syllabus coverage may vary, it is envisaged that it will include the following topics:
Term 1 Seminars
- Policy analytics and evidence based decision making: definition and key themes
- The politics of the policy process and evidence based decision making
- Types of data for policy analytics
- Decision making Under Uncertainty
- Causal Inference and Mechanisms: principles of research design
- Policy Analytics Techniques Regression Models
- Policy Analytics Techniques: Logistic and Probit Regression Models
Term 1 Computer-based Analytics Sessions
- Data Sources: Secondary Data Analysis
- Data Management and Extraction
- Basics of Analysis Regression Models
- Logit and Probit Models
Term 2 Seminars
- Analysis, Evaluation, Cost Benefit and Decision-making
- Randomised Control Trials and policy interventions
- Meta-analysis: combining evidence and multi-level analysis
- Time series analysis
- Duration Models
Term 2 Computer-based Analytics Sessions
- Designing Surveys
- Communicating Evidence
- Difference in Differences
- Regression Discontinuity Designs
Learning and Teaching
This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 38 | 262 |
...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities | 24 | 12 x 2 hours of lectures, seminars and practical labs |
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities | 14 | 7 x 2 hour Computer lab sessions |
| Guided independent study | 66 | Reading and preparing for seminars (around 4-6 hours per week); |
| Guided independent study | 196 | Researching and writing assessments and assignments (researching, planning and writing the course work). |
Online Resources
This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).
UK Data Services - https://www.ukdataservice.ac.uk
NCRM - http://www.ncrm.ac.uk
Other Learning Resources
There are a range of data sets that will be used in the course (available from the UKDS):
British Household Panel Survey: Waves 1-18, 1991-2009
Understanding Society: Waves 1-6, 2009-2015
Please be aware this is suggestive, the data used may vary.