PS: Political Science & Politics
An Undergraduate Degree in ‘Data for Political Research’: High in Demand and Student Value but Low in Supply
2025-09-29
Political science is useful for many things but especially for the suite of research methods that we teach our students that generalize to a wide range of careers. However, that training is often buried deep in the major and is not well integrated into further coursework except perhaps for senior research. In reaction to that model, we started a new program that frontloads quantitative research methods, beginning with data visualization and then modeling following an inquiry model. With their newfound independence, students are able to approach substantive upper-level courses ready to engage the worth of theory by evaluating and updating their empirical tests. This article describes the program and reports on survey results from a 2024 sample of political scientists that reveals broadscale support for the program and its operating assumptions.