Data Analytics and Policy, Master of Science

MS in Data Analytics and Policy

advanced.jhu.edu/dataanalyticsandpolicy

The Master of Science in Data Analytics and Policy prepares students to use analytics to tackle policy challenges in the public and private sectors. Students graduate with expertise in cutting-edge analytical methods relied upon by government agencies, research institutes, private companies, and non-profit organizations. The program emphasizes the application of analytics to substantive issues to develop students into data-driven leaders.

The schedule for completing this 12-course degree program is flexible. Many students work full-time while attending the program on a part-time basis and complete their degree in two years. Full-time students can complete the degree in one year. The MS in Data Analytics and Policy is offered primarily online, though some electives are offered at the Johns Hopkins Washington, DC Center each term.

Students may choose to earn a concentration within one of the following specialized areas: political behavior and policy analysis, geospatial analysis, statistical analysis, or public management. The electives cover a wide range of analytical methods, including machine learning, predictive analysis, text analysis, database management systems, computational modeling, civic technology, economic analysis, survey methodology, risk analysis, and data privacy.

Admissions Criteria for all Advanced Academic Programs 

PROGRAM SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

In addition to the materials and credentials required for all programs, the Master of Science in Data Analytics and Policy requires:

• Statement of purpose (two pages double-spaced): Explain your reasons for seeking admission and how you will use the degree to advance your career.  Your statement should also address your ability or potential to perform quantitative analyses.
• Writing sample (5-7 pages double-spaced). The writing sample should demonstrate your ability to make and support an argument.  It does not need to be quantitative.

Program Requirements

• Five required core courses
• Seven elective courses

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Core Courses - Required
AS.470.681	Probability and Statistics	3
AS.470.768	Programming and Data Management	3
AS.470.709	Quantitative Methods	3
AS.470.673	Data Visualization	3
AS.470.862	Capstone for Data Analytics and Policy	3
Electives		21
Total Credits		36

Concentrations

There are four concentrations offered through the MS in Data Analytics and Policy.  Pursuing a concentration is optional. To earn a concentration, four of the student’s electives must be in the concentration area.

Concentration in Statistical Analysis

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.470.624	Healthcare Analytics and Policy	3
AS.470.643	Text as Data	3
AS.470.667	Machine Learning and Neural Networks	3
AS.470.699	Applied Performance Analytics	3
AS.470.700	Cloud Computing in the Public Sector	3
AS.470.703	Urban Data Analytics	3
AS.470.708	Unleashing Open Data with Python	3
AS.470.731	Privacy in a Data-driven Society	3
AS.470.743	Data Mining and Predictive Analytics	3
AS.470.758	Data-Driven Campaigns and Elections	3
AS.470.763	Database Management Systems	3
AS.470.764	Survey Methodology	3
AS.470.769	Data Science for Public Policy	3
AS.470.772	Practical Applications of Artificial Intelligence	3
AS.470.779	Computational Modeling for Policy and Security Analysis	3
AS.470.835	DC Lab: Politics, Policy, and Analytics	3
AS.420.677	Spatial Statistics (Not available as a general elective outside of the concentration)	3

Concentration in Public Management

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.470.605	Global Political Economy	3
AS.470.608	Public Policy Evaluation & the Policy Process	3
AS.470.627	Financial Management & Analysis in the Public Sector	3
AS.470.631	Economics for Public Decision-Making	3
AS.470.645	The Budgetary Process	3
AS.470.671	Risk Management Analytics	3
AS.470.694	Big Data Management Systems	3
AS.470.731	Privacy in a Data-driven Society	3
AS.470.763	Database Management Systems	3
AS.470.798	Financial Management and Analysis in Nonprofits	3

Concentration in political Behavior and Policy Analysis

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.470.608	Public Policy Evaluation & the Policy Process	3
AS.470.620	Race, Politics, and Policy (Not available as a general elective outside of the concentration)	3
AS.470.624	Healthcare Analytics and Policy	3
AS.470.636	Cognitive and Behavioral Foundations for Artificial Intelligence	3
AS.470.688	Political Institutions and the Policy Process (Not available as a general elective outside of the concentration)	3
AS.470.699	Applied Performance Analytics	3
AS.470.703	Urban Data Analytics	3
AS.470.733	Origins and Influence of Public Opinion on American Democracy and Elections	3
AS.470.736	Methods of Policy Analytics	3
AS.470.745	Terrorist Financing Analysis and Counterterrorist Finance Techniques	3
AS.470.758	Data-Driven Campaigns and Elections	3
AS.470.769	Data Science for Public Policy	3
AS.470.779	Computational Modeling for Policy and Security Analysis	3
AS.470.835	DC Lab: Politics, Policy, and Analytics	3
AS.473.602	Intelligence Analysis	3

Concentration in Geospatial Analysis

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.472.611	Analyzing Social Media and Geospatial Information	3
AS.472.612	Geospatial Analysis: Communicating with Multiple Audiences	3
AS.430.600	Web GIS	4
AS.430.601	Geographic Information Systems (GIS)	4
AS.430.603	Geospatial Statistics	4
AS.430.604	Spatial Analytics	4
AS.430.606	Programming in GIS	4
AS.430.602	Remote Sensing: Systems and Applications (Not available as a general elective outside of the concentration)	4
AS.430.605	Development and Management of GIS Projects (Not available as a general elective outside of the concentration)	4
AS.430.607	Spatial Databases and Data Interoperability (Not available as a general elective outside of the concentration)	4
AS.430.608	GIS and Spatial Decision Support Systems (Not available as a general elective outside of the concentration)	4
AS.430.609	Spatial Data Management: Quality and Control (Not available as a general elective outside of the concentration)	4
AS.430.610	GIS for Infrastructure Management (Not available as a general elective outside of the concentration)	4
AS.430.611	Geospatial Ontologies and Semantics (Not available as a general elective outside of the concentration)	4
AS.430.612	Cartographic Design and Visualization (Not available as a general elective outside of the concentration)	4
AS.430.613	Advanced Topics in Remote Sensing (Not available as a general elective outside of the concentration)	4
AS.430.615	Big Data Analytics: Tools and Techniques (Not available as a general elective outside of the concentration)	4
AS.430.617	Census Data Mining: Visualization and Analytics (Not available as a general elective outside of the concentration)	4
AS.430.618	Advanced Python Scripting for GIS (Not available as a general elective outside of the concentration)	4
AS.430.619	Web Application Development (Not available as a general elective outside of the concentration)	4
AS.430.621	GIS for Emergency Management (Not available as a general elective outside of the concentration)	4
AS.430.623	Geo Apps (Not available as a general elective outside of the concentration)	4
AS.430.625	System Architecture for Enterprise GIS (Not available as a general elective outside of the concentration)	4
AS.430.627	Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Geospatial Technology (Not available as a general elective outside of the concentration)	4
AS.430.629	Drones in Geospatial Decision Making (Not available as a general elective outside of the concentration)	4
AS.430.631	Spatial Algorithms and Data Structures (Not available as a general elective outside of the concentration)	4
AS.430.633	Advanced Spatio-Temporal Statistics (Not available as a general elective outside of the concentration)	4
AS.430.635	Urban Analytics (Not available as a general elective outside of the concentration)	4