Data Analytics for Public Policy and Social Impact

In today's data-rich environment, public sector leaders and social impact professionals must harness analytics to inform decisions, evaluate programs, and improve outcomes for communities. This course builds practical data analytics skills tailored to the needs of public policy, government agencies, nonprofits, and social sector research. It equips professionals with the tools and frameworks to collect, interpret, visualize, and communicate data in ways that drive impact-oriented decision-making.
 
Students will learn how data is gathered and produced in real-world settings, how analytical methods are applied to assess organizational performance and policy outcomes, and how to build compelling data stories that influence stakeholders. The course emphasizes ethical and equitable data practices, helping students recognize bias in measurement, choose appropriate indicators, and interpret results responsibly.
 
Through case studies and hands-on exercises, participants will use descriptive statistics, cross-sectional and longitudinal data analysis, and visualization techniques to tell meaningful stories with quantitative and qualitative data. They will explore how data supports decisions on spending, performance management, innovation, and reporting, and how analytics can be used to advance public value in constrained resource environments.
 
By the end of the course, students will be able to apply analytical thinking and data storytelling to real policy and social sector challenges, translate complex data into actionable insights, and communicate findings clearly to diverse audiences - skills that are increasingly essential for careers in public policy, public administration, research, and social impact work.
 
COURSE TOPICS:
 

• Applied statistics, including descriptive analysis related to impact assessment
• Common analytical techniques (e.g., percentiles) deployed in the social sciences
• Understanding different dimensions of data and differentiating between cross-sectional and longitudinal studies
• Data visualization, presentation, and storytelling techniques (histograms, column/row charts, tables, etc.)
• The role of ethics, equity, and engagement in quality data analytics
• Quality assurance approaches (e.g., PDSA and CQI)
• Testing and assessment design

 
This course is eligible towards the completion of the Certificate in Data Analytics. Bundle your coursework and earn a professional credential that communicates knowledge and skills gained. Declared Certificate students receive 10% off of courses within the program.
Continuing Education Units (CEU) : 2

You'll walk away with

• An understanding of the ways in which organizations and governments set out to quantify social measures and policy outcomes through various modes of assessment
• The ability to use statistics to understand and explain complex issues and drive decision making
• Examples of data-driven decision-making in the public sector
• Exposure to broadly used technologies as well as industry-specific methods for gathering, cleaning, analyzing, and reporting data
• Disaggregated data skills to advance equitable decision-making and ethical
• storytelling
• A special focus on performance management and evaluation and how it informs decision-making in public administration and policymaking
• An understanding of best practices to mitigate errors, omissions, biases, and unintended consequences in the application of data and evidence to policymaking and administrative decision-making

Ideal for

• Professionals working in the fields of public policy, public administration, social science research, and other related fields
• Students seeking career opportunities in research, public policy, public administration, and related fields