Info 288

Big Data and Development

3 units

Course Description

As new sources of digital data proliferate in developing economies, there is the exciting possibility that such data could be used to benefit the world’s poor. Through a careful reading of recent research and through hands-on analysis of large-scale datasets, this course introduces students to the opportunities and challenges for data-intensive approaches to international development. Students should be prepared to dissect, discuss, and replicate academic publications from several fields including development economics, machine learning, information science, and computational social science. Students will also conduct original statistical and computational analysis of real-world data.

Previously offered as Info 290.

Prerequisites

Students are expected to have prior graduate training in machine learning, econometrics, or a related field

Requirements Satisfied

MIMS: Social Science and Policy Requirement
Ph.D. Breadth — Social Aspects of Information
Ph.D. Major/Minor Areas — Social Aspects of Information
Ph.D. Major/Minor Areas — Information and Communication Technologies and Development
Applied Data Science Certificate — Elective

Last updated:

July 7, 2022