Stockholm university
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Quantitative Methods

The course builds on knowledge of quantitative methods from basic education in international relations and economic history, or equivalent social science method courses.

The aim of the course is for the student to deepen their knowledge of and skills in statistical methods. As quantitative methods are used to an increasing extent in international social science research, these skills and knowledge are necessary if the student is to understand and evaluate what is written in, among other things, international journals in international relations and economic history.

The course also introduces students to independently perform statistical analyses in statistical software and to exercises in presenting results from quantitative analyses in written form.

 

Important Notice: 

In the academic year of 2024/2025, this course runs as

(1) an online part-time course during the summer of 2024, open to all eligable students, and

(2) an on-campus full-time course during the autumn term (December/January 2024/25), open only to students enrolled in the department's master's programmes.

  • Course structure

    Teaching format

    For the online course, summer of 2024, the teaching consists of live and pre-recorded lectures, as well as live seminars.

    For the on-campus course, autumn term of 2024, the teaching consists of lectures, seminars and/or computer labs.

    Attendance at seminars and computer labs is mandatory. In case of absence, supplementation is made in accordance with the course convener's instructions. No more than one-fourth of the mandatory classes can be compensated.

    The language of teaching is English.

    For more detailed information, please refer to the course description. The course description is available on Stockholm University's teaching and collaboration platform at least one month prior the course start of the course.

    Learning outcomes

    To obtain a passing grade in the course, the student must be able to:

    • read and critically review research in economic history and international relations where quantitative methods are used.
    • formulate statistical models and conduct hypothesis testing.
    • solve basic problems using probability theory, correlation, simple and multiple regression, dummy variable, and non-linear regression.
    • conduct data analyses of source material using statistical software and present the results within given time frames.
    • demonstrate awareness of various ethical aspects of research work.

    Assessment

    The course is assessed through (1) written and/or oral tasks and (2) participation in seminars/labs. For further information, please refer to the course description.

  • Schedule

    The schedule will be available no later than one month before the start of the course. We do not recommend print-outs as changes can occur. At the start of the course, your department will advise where you can find your schedule during the course.
  • Course literature

    Note that the course literature can be changed up to two months before the start of the course.
  • Contact

    For general enquiries regarding applications, registration, and more:

    Contact the Department's Master's Student Office: masterstudenter@ekohist.su.se 

     

    For enquiries regarding the course content:

    Contact the course convenor, Steven Miller.