O'Neill School Of Public and Environmental Affairs
Graduate
Certificate Programs
Analytics in Public Affairs
The Graduate Certificate in Analytics in Public Affairs is a 15 credit hour program of study. Courses in cost-benefit analysis, public finance, and data analysis in public affairs are focused on application and practice, not on theoretical knowledge.
There is an increasing need at the regional, national, and global levels to harvest data that is newly available through the increasing use of technology and the rapid progress in technology. Every sector, including public affairs, is being exposed to a wealth of new data and possibilities.
Armed with an understanding of data analytics, students in the program will develop the tangible skills necessary to provide analytical support for decision-makers at all levels of government and to support organizations that provide
policy information to the public more broadly.
Eligibility and Application Procedure
- Any holder of a baccalaureate of higher degree from an accredited college or university is eligible for admission
- An online application and information may be obtained here. Application deadlines for the certificate programs are before May 15 for the fall semester, before September 15 for the spring semester, and before March 15 for summer sessions. Students must pay a nonrefundable application fee.
Program Restrictions
- Students admitted to an O'Neill graduate degree program are not eligible for admission nor awarding of a certificate in the same concentration of their graduate degree.
- Transfer credit, course substitutions, or course waivers are not accepted for fulfilling the certificate requirements.
- Students enrolled in a certificate program can only confer the certificate with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (B) in all required coursework.
- A student may be dismissed if, after 9 credit hours of coursework, the GPA is below a 3.0.
- Admission to or successful completion of a certificate program does not guarantee subsequent admission to an O'Neill graduate degree program.
- Students enrolled in a certificate program who apply to an O'Neill graduate degree programs must meet all existing admission requirements, or may request a waiver if they complete at least three classes towards the certificate with a 3.5 GPA or higher.
Certificate Requirements (15 credit hours)
Required Courses (12 credit hours)
FOUR of the following courses:
- SPEA-V 506 Statistical Analysis for Effective Decision Making
- SPEA-V 507 Data Analysis and Modeling for Public Affairs
- SPEA-V 541 Benefit Cost-Analysis of Public and Environmental Policies
- SPEA-V 562 Public Program Evaluation
- SPEA-V 663 Policy Analysis
Electives (3 credit hours)
ONE additional O'Neill graduate public affairs course from the following options:
- SPEA-V 532 Urban Planning and Placemaking
- SPEA-V 560 Public Finance and Budgeting
- SPEA-E 529 Application of Geographic Information Systems
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this certificate program, students shall:
- demonstrate a firm understanding of fundamental statistical terms,
- test and interpret hypotheses about sample means and goodness of fit
- derive and interpret regression analyses
- understand and apply “logic models” and a theory of change
- identify and explain alternative data sources and (data) analytical approaches common to program evaluation
