The Data and Models in Political Science certificate teaches students to use theoretical models of institutional and behavioural political science and economics to understand choice and conflict in domestic and international politics. This substantive focus is augmented by methodological courses that provide students with the technical skills necessary to conduct behavioural research in political science. The certificate is intended for Political Science majors and was designed to serve students in the Faculty of Arts. We will consider enrolment of undergraduate students from other Faculties on a case-by-case basis.
On completion of the certificate, students will:
- possess an advanced comprehension of collective choice (e.g., democratic elections, legislative bargaining, market trade) and political conflict (e.g., between social classes, political parties, ethnic groups, or states);
- have demonstrated competence in the application of deductive modelling techniques (economic and behavioural); and
- developed capacities in the analysis of empirical data (frequently but not exclusively quantitative), the ability to evaluate the strengths and limitations of deductive modelling technique, and the ethics of data modelling research and practice.
The program is designed to prepare students for employment in areas of governmental or intergovernmental policy analysis, the private and not-for-profit sectors, political consulting, polling and survey design, and data science. The certificate will also prepare students for postgraduate study in behavioural methods in political science or cognate social sciences.
Admissions:
Students with second-year standing who complete POLI 110: Investigating Politics: An Introduction to Scientific Political Analysis (or an equivalent course) with a grade of 75 percent (B+) or higher1 may apply to the Data and Models certificate. Students are offered admission to the certificate in order of their POLI 110 grades2. Students can apply for the certificate at: https://politics.ubc.ca/undergraduate/data-and-models
For more information about the program email the Political Science Undergraduate Advisor.
Requirements:
On securing admission to the Data and Models certificate, students are required to take 18 credits in total.
Lower Level:
- POLI 220 (3) Choice and Conflict: An Introduction to Domestic Politics Around the World.
Upper Level:
- POLI 380 (3) Quantitative Methods in Political Science;3
- POLI 381 (3) Managing Quantitative Data in Political Science;
- POLI 482 (3) Data and Models Capstone
and 6 credits of any of the following 3-credit courses:4
- POLI 320: Government and Politics of the United States of America
- POLI 360: Security Studies
- POLI 328: Topics in Comparative Politics
- POLI 310: Parliament and Politics: The Strategy of Politics
- POLI 333: Issues in Comparative Politics
- POLI 385: Public Opinion and Elections
- ECON 485: Political Economy
Students must complete POLI 220 with a grade of 75% (B+) or above to remain in the Certificate program.
Footnotes
1 In the case of over-admission, students with higher grades in POLI 110 (or equivalent) will be given priority over those with lower grades.
2 Entry into the Data and Models undergraduate certificate does not preclude applying for the POLI Honours program.
3 Students may substitute ECON 325 for POLI 380.
4Students may substitute ECON 301 for any 3-credit 300-level POLI courses listed here. Subjects in POLI 328 and POLI 333 vary from year to year. Consult the Department of Political Science Undergraduate Advisor for the courses applicable to the undergraduate certificate program in any given year.