860-0033-00L Big Data for Public Policy
| Semester | Spring Semester 2020 |
| Lecturers | E. Ash, M. Guillot |
| Periodicity | yearly recurring course |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Comment | Only for MSc STP, MSc CIS, PhD students D-GESS and D-MTEC. STP students have priority. |
Courses
| Number | Title | Hours | Lecturers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 860-0033-00 G | Big Data for Public Policy | 2 hrs |
| E. Ash, M. Guillot |
Catalogue data
| Abstract | This course provides an introduction to big data methods for public policy analysis. Students will put these techniques to work on a course project using real-world data, to be designed and implemented in consultation with the instructors. |
| Objective | |
| Content | Many policy problems involve prediction. For example, a budget office might want to predict the number of applications for benefits payments next month, based on labor market conditions this month. This course provides a hands-on introduction to the "big data" techniques for making such predictions. These techniques include: -- procuring big datasets, especially through web scraping or API interfaces, including social media data; -- pre-processing and dimension reduction of massive datasets for tractable computation; -- machine learning for predicting outcomes, including how to select and tune the model, evaluate model performance using held-out test data, and report results; -- interpreting machine learning model predictions to understand what is going on inside the black box; -- data visualization including interactive web apps. Students will put these techniques to work on a course project using real-world data, to be designed and implemented in consultation with the instructors. |
Performance assessment
| Performance assessment information (valid until the course unit is held again) | |
Performance assessment as a semester course | |
| ECTS credits | 3 credits |
| Examiners | E. Ash, M. Guillot |
| Type | graded semester performance |
| Language of examination | English |
| Repetition | Repetition only possible after re-enrolling for the course unit. |
Learning materials
| No public learning materials available. | |
| Only public learning materials are listed. |
Groups
| No information on groups available. |
Restrictions
| Places | Limited number of places. Special selection procedure. |
| Priority | Registration for the course unit is only possible for the primary target group |
| Primary target group | Doctorate Management, Technology, and Economics (364002)
Science, Technology and Policy MSc (860000) Comparative and International Studies MA (863100) Doctorate Humanities, Social & Political Sciences (864002) |
| Waiting list | until 28.02.2020 |
| End of registration period | Registration only possible until 21.02.2020 |
