Politics, Big Data and Quantitative Methods (MA)

Politics, Big Data and Quantitative Methods MA is Warwick's answer to the growing power of big data and quantitative methods influence over political processes and decisions in everyday life. On this course you'll gain an understanding of the implications and issues of these themes.

Course Overview

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.

Teaching

Modules are taught via one 2-hour seminar per week. 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.

Careers

Graduates from these courses have gone on to work for employers including: Deloitte; Japan Ministry of Defense; Nationwide Building Society; The Cabinet Office; University of Kent; Transport for London and West Midlands Police. They have pursued roles such as: business and financial project management professionals; economists; finance officers; management consultants; business analysts and public services associate professionals.

Our department has a dedicated professionally qualified Senior Careers Consultant offering impartial advice and guidance together with workshops and events throughout the year. Previous examples of workshops and events include:

• Your future awaits - the many things you can do after your degree in the PaIS department
• Careers in Government and Politics
• Warwick careers fairs throughout the year
• After your PAIS Master’s – What Next?
• Assessment Centres and Interviews: an overview of what to expect for PaIS students