Postgraduate Module Descriptor

SOCM034: Social Data Science and Policy Analytics

This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.

Module Aims

This is the core module for the MSc in Policy Analytics/Applied Social Data Science and aims to equip you with an understanding of the core concepts related to policy analytics and social data science skills to support evidence-based decision making in the policy process. It aims to equip you with a broad range of relevant skills and knowledge, allowing you to formulate research questions and later carry out your own research projects or a consultancy project.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here - you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills	1. demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the principles of policy analytics and the policy process 2. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the policy cycle 3. demonstrate a clear understanding of the relationship between data analysis and evidence-based decision making 4. Practically apply different social data science techniques and links to policy analysis and evaluation
Discipline-Specific Skills	5. Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the issues posed by evidence based decision-making and policy analysis 6. clearly articulate the principles of research design, causal inference and data quality 7. Employ a range of advanced quantitative social data science methods
Personal and Key Skills	8. Demonstrate familiarity with a range of social data science techniques 9. Communicate analysis effectively to a broad audience

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 lectures cover the main concepts and data analysis skills of the course. (Each 12x2 hour session will entail lecture time plus seminars to discuss the material introduced)
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities	14	7 x 2 hour Computer lab sessions - Application of data analysis techniques to be demonstrated with by teaching assistant.
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.