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SPOL41020

Academic Year 2026/2027

Data & Methods for Policy Analysis (SPOL41020)

Subject:
Social Policy
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Soc Pol, Soc Wrk & Soc Justice
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Assoc Professor Stephan Koeppe
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

The objective of this course is to provide students with the knowledge and skills required to undertake policy analysis in a professional setting. The skills acquired on this course are intended to prepare students to undertake internships, complete a research thesis and commence careers in policy related roles.
Key topics covered in the module include:
- The availability and accessibility of key data sources for national, international, and comparative policy analysis.
- The principal methods used to gather qualitative and quantitative data for policy analysis.
- How to formulate a policy research question and write a policy report.
- How to critically evaluate a policy report.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students will be able to:
- Understand and access key sources of national data for policy analysis including survey and administrative data.
- Understand and access key sources of international data for comparative policy analysis.
- Understand the major methods of data collection, both quantitative and qualitative.
- Understand and critically assess the suite of policy analysis tools available to professionals in policy analysis.
- Critically evaluate published policy analysis reports.
- Apply key policy analysis tools to consider national and international policy analysis questions.

Indicative Module Content:

The objective of this course is to provide students with the knowledge and skills required to undertake policy analysis in a professional setting. The skills acquired on this course are intended to prepare students to undertake internships, complete a research thesis and commence careers in policy related roles.
See course outline for a full description of the curriculum and the context covered by the module.

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Competent

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Proficient

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Proficient

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Proficient

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Competent

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Competent

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Proficient

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Competent

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Proficient

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Competent

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Not addressed

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

End poverty in all its forms everywhere 2

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture 1

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages 1

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 1

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 2

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all 1

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all 1

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all 1

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation 1

Reduce inequality within and among countries 3

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 1

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 1

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 1

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development 1

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss 1

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 1

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development 2
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

60
Autonomous Student Learning

118
Lectures

14
Computer Aided Lab

8
Total

200

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The course is delivered as a mixture of face-to-face and online lectures (6 classes) and computer-based classes (4 classes) and takes an applied approach. Computer-based classes will use quantitative data and datasets from official sources and qualitative sources relating to recent policy reforms.

Recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its impact on policy analysis are part of the reading material and will be critically discussed. However, AI tools will neither be taught nor used in the module.

In line with the UCD Academic Integrity Policy generative AI may only be used in assignments if transparently reported for which tasks AI was used. If detected without reporting, assignments are graded with an E or lower (see course outline document for further details).

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade Component repeat (in-module) Offered
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Participation in Lab 1 and completion of associated short skills-focused assignment (exempt from self-declared extension). Week 6 Pass/Fail Grade Scale No
5
 No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Participation in Lab 2 and completion of associated short skills-focused assignment (exempt from self-declared extension). Week 7 Pass/Fail Grade Scale No
5
 No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Participation in Lab 3 and completion of associated short skills-focused assignment (exempt from self-declared extension). Week 8 Pass/Fail Grade Scale No
5
 No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Participation in Lab 4 and completion of associated short skills-focused assignment (exempt from self-declared extension). Week 10 Pass/Fail Grade Scale No
5
 No
Group Work Assignment: Group presentation based on a critical review of an allocated policy report. Week 10, Week 11 Graded No
30
 No
Individual Project: An individual research project focused on applying the quantitative or qualitative methods introduced by the course. Week 15 Graded No
50
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Students will be provided with feedback which includes the assignment grade and some comments. These will be circulated electronically to students.

Core texts:

The following texts offer a comprehensive overview of many of the policy research approaches and methods we will discuss throughout the course. They are complemented by further specific reading corresponding to each lecture/lab topic and these are listed in the course outline.

Clark et al (2026 & 2021). Bryman’s Social research methods (6th/7th edition). Oxford, Oxford University Press. [this is the update of Bryman 2016]

Bryman, A. (2016). Social research methods (5th edition). Oxford, Oxford University Press. [earlier editions are also ok]

De Vaus, D. (2002). Analyzing Social Science Data: 50 key problems in data analysis. London, Sage.

For students who wish to explore the course material from another angle, we recommend the following textbook, which covers some topics more concisely: Flick, U. (2020) Introducing Research Methodology (3rd edition). London, Sage.

Name Role
Assoc Professor Micheal Collins Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Stephan Koeppe Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Computer Aided Lab Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 11, 12 Fri 11:00 - 12:50
Autumn Computer Aided Lab Offering 1 Week(s) - 5, 6, 7, 9 Fri 11:00 - 12:50
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