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Data Analytics

Concentration Requirements:

  • Please select a minimum of four courses (12 credits total) from the list below, including two INTAF courses.
  • Please note that this list will be reviewed and updated periodically. However, students should always check LionPATH to determine the availability of these courses in any given semester and review any mandatory prerequisites prior to enrolling.
  • Please note that enrollment in any course listed below is not guaranteed, especially when the course is outside of INTAF.
  • Classes included on the list below are approved to use as electives for this concentration. Any course that is not listed below must go through a formal review process. To begin this review process, please complete this form.
    • Courses that are not approved electives from the below list will NOT count towards your concentration unless you obtain approval through the review process.
    • SIA students are expected to complete their degree in-person at the University Park campus. Requests to enroll in a World Campus, web-based, or non-University Park class must be reviewed by the SIA faculty director and will only be granted under exceptional circumstances. Any course offered at University Park and via World Campus must be taken at University Park.

SIA Elective Courses (please select at least two courses from the following list):

  • INTAF 500 – Research Design (3 credits)
    • Please note: This course may no longer count as an elective for students entering the program after the Spring 2025 semester.
  • INTAF 502 – Science, Technology and International Policy (3 credits)
  • INTAF 504 – Political Economy of Development and Growth (3 credits)
  • INTAF 505 – Strategy, Conflict, Peace (3 credits)
  • INTAF 513 – Applied Time Series Analysis for Social Science Contexts (3 credits)
  • INTAF 803 – Multi-sector and Quantitative Analysis (3 credits)
    • Please note: This course may count as an elective only for students entering the program in Fall 2025 or later.

Penn State Graduate Elective Courses:

  • COMM 516 – Introduction to Data Analysis in Communications (3 credits)
  • HDFS 523 – Strategies for Data Analysis in Developmental Research (3 credits)
  • HM 586 – Data Analysis in Hospitality Management (3 credits)
  • PLSC 501 – Methods of Political Analysis (3 credits)
  • PLSC 502 – Statistical Methods for Political Research (3 credits)
  • PLSC 503 – Multivariate Analysis for Political Research (3 credits)
  • SOC 513 – Sociological Research Methods (3 credits)
  • SOC 515 – Research Methods in Criminology and Deviance (3 credits)
  • SOC 518 – Survey Methods I: Survey Design (3 credits)
  • SOC 519 – Survey Methods II: Analysis of Survey Data (3 credits)
  • SOC 580 – Social Network Analysis (3 credits)
  • STAT 500 – Applied Statistics (3 credits)
  • STAT 501 – Regression Methods (3 credits)
  • STAT 502 – Analysis of Variance and Design of Experiments (3 credits)
  • STAT 505 – Applied Multivariate Statistical Analysis (3 credits)

Penn State 400-Level Elective Courses (please select no more than three courses from the following list):

  • CED 404 – Community, Environment and Development Research Methods (3 credits)
  • EDTHP 497 – Introductory Data Analysis (in Educational Policy Making) (3 credits)
  • SOC 470 – Intermediate Social Statistics (3 credits)
  • SOC 471 – Research Methods in Sociology (3 credits)
  • STAT 414 – Introduction to Probability Theory (3 credits)
  • STAT 415 – Introduction to Mathematical Statistics (3 credits)
  • STAT 460 – Intermediate Applied Statistics (3 credits)
  • STAT 480 – Introduction to SAS (1 credit)

All World Campus courses, including any that appear as elective class options on this list, require enrollment permission from the SIA faculty director prior to registering for the class. Please contact the SIA academic adviser for more information.