Explore our Politics, Big Data and Quantitative Methods taught Master's degree.

P-M9Q1

MA

1 year full-time
2 years part-time

2 October 2023

Politics and International Studies

University of Warwick

The Politics, Big Data and Quantitative Methods MA will enable you to assess and understand the growing influence and implications of big data and quantitative methods on political processes and decisions in everyday life.

Big data and quantitative methods are transforming political processes and decisions in everyday life.

Local, national and international administrations are making ‘open data’ available to wide audiences; giant, world-level web organisations are putting more and more services in synergy; and some private companies or governments are developing strongly ideological projects in relation with big data. Therefore, there is a need for trained specialists who will have the capacity to compete and/or collaborate with strictly business or technique-oriented actors on the basis of sound knowledge from political and international studies.

Our programme provides you with an understanding of the implications of different approaches to issues concerning big data and public policy.

Modules are taught via one 2-hour seminar per week (3-hour in the case of the three core modules). Seminars give you the opportunity to interact with leading scholars as well as with your peers to explore a set topic each week. Every seminar will be based on extensive guided reading you will do each week, but there is no strict pattern to how sessions are run. This may include mini-lectures followed by discussion, Q&A sessions, organised debates, peer presentations, policy briefs, small group work, and other projects (1-hour lecture and 2-hour lab for core modules).

You can also choose to study part-time with us. Find out more about part-time study on our PAIS web pages.

Normally a maximum of 18 per seminar group in PAIS delivered modules.

6 hours of Seminars per week for 9 weeks in Terms One and Two plus advice and feedback hours when requested and Dissertation supervision in Terms Two and Three.

Assessment methods include research essays and other (written) assignments throughout the year, culminating in a 10,000 word dissertation at the end.

Reading lists

Most departments have reading lists available through Warwick Library. If you would like to view reading lists for the current cohort of students you can visit our Warwick Library web page.

Your timetable

Your personalised timetable will be complete when you are registered for all modules, compulsory and optional, and you have been allocated to your lectures, seminars and other small group classes. Your compulsory modules will be registered for you and you will be able to choose your optional modules in a module pre-registration process about which you will receive information at the beginning of September.

2:i undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a related subject.

Visit our PAIS web pages for department-specific advice on applying to ensure your application has the best chance for success.

Postgraduate FAQs (PAIS specific)

Postgraduate FAQs (General)

• Band B
• IELTS overall score of 7.0, minimum component scores of two at 6.0/6.5 and the rest at 7.0 or above.

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.

Fundamentals in Quantitative Research Methods

This module introduces you to quantitative methods for the social sciences. It involves learning how to design a quantitative research project, how to select data and relevant methods, how to apply these methods and present results convincingly. It is suitable for all students interested in applied data analysis, from a background in any social science, or at least the interest in these disciplines. Prior background in quantitative methods before the module may range from none to intermediate.

Big Data Research: Hype or Revolution?

Big data is said to be transforming science and social science. On this module, you will critically engage with this claim and explore the ways in which the rapid rise of big data impacts on research processes and practices in a growing range of disciplinary areas and fields of study. In particular, the module considers the following questions: What is big data? To what extent is 'big data' different to other kinds of data? What key issues are raised by big data? How are the 'nuts and bolts' of research practice (e.g. ethics, sampling, method, analysis, etc.) transformed with big data? How does big data transform core concepts relating to research practice - such as comparison, description, explanation and prediction?

Advanced Quantitative Research

This module builds on Fundamentals in Quantitative Research Methods. It introduces students to a selected set of advanced statistical methods that are commonly used in quantitative social research.  A further aim is to familiarise students with the key issues in the craft of applied work so that they become careful, considered and thoughtful researchers in quantitative social sciences.

• Theories and Issues in International Development
• Normative Analysis
• Theories and Traditions in Public Policy

The optional module lists are updated regularly.

You will have the freedom to select 2-3 modules that appeal to you from our extensive range of optional modules, up to a total of 120 CATS of taught modules.

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