Learn data science and valuable career skills.
Present research at UNH’s Undergraduate Research Conference.
Double-count toward Inquiry requirement AND 500-level POLT elective.
NO EXAMS in this course!
This course will provide participants with the tools to become independent creators of knowledge about politics – in other words, to become a political scientist.
To become a political scientist, one must absorb a great deal of knowledge about politics. Just as importantly, though, one must like to solve puzzles. The fun thing about political science, as in other fields of study regarding human behavior, is that many fascinating puzzles remain to be solved.
In order to solve puzzles in political science, one needs tools. Fortunately, political science is a well-established discipline, and past generations have developed a comprehensive set of items for your “toolbox.” And while you will receive plenty of instruction during class time, the best way to learn how to use these tools is practice.
Remember, in order to be a good puzzle-solver, one need not be brilliant. The job, however, does require patience and persistence.
You may count this course as a Discovery Inquiry course, and toward the Political Science major as a 500-level elective.
Developing your “skill set”
This course will focus on developing the following parts of your intellectual skill set:
- Understanding the empirical approach to political science
- Creating a research question
- Finding appropriate sources and conducting a literature review
- Formulating hypotheses
- Defining and measuring concepts
- Designing a blueprint for a research project
- Taking a random sample
- Analyzing data, including the use of statistical software (R, RStudio)
If you remain patient and persistent, you will be familiar with a variety of research tools by the end of this semester. In fact, you will be ready to engage in serious research, such as writing a senior thesis.
You also will be introduced to the field of data science, which presents a number of career opportunities.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/01/education/edlife/stem-jobs-industry-careers.html
