Program Information

Program Course Descriptions

GVPT601 – RESEARCH DESIGN FOR POLITICAL ANALYSIS

Introduction to empirical research techniques used in political science. Exploring the core questions that motivate political science research and the approaches used to answer those questions in various fields of political science, including American Politics, Comparative Politics, and International Relations. When and how to implement research designs that utilize experiments, surveys, case studies, historical data, and administrative data.

GVPT624 – NATIONAL SECURITY AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Introduction to key areas of research in national security and international relations. Students will learn the major approaches to empirical national and international security research and work with datasets focused on terrorist attacks and civil conflict.

GVPT628 – ADVANCED TOPICS IN CODING FOR POLITICAL ANALYSIS

Students will explore advanced statistical software relevant to political data analysis. Specific topics may include Python, SQL, and GIS, among others. Provides students with advanced programming and coding skills valuable to employers, and expands abilities beyond R.

GVPT635 – PUBLIC OPINION

Investigate how citizens in a democracy think about politics, form attitudes, and how the political environment shapes public opinion. While being exposed to core debates in public opinion and the study of public opinion, students will work with a number of surveys to advance their knowledge of public opinion.

GVPT685 – VOTING, CAMPAIGNS, AND ELECTIONS

Introduction to the theoretical and empirical research on political participation, campaigns, and elections. By understanding the literature and working with various data sets, including surveys and voter history files, students will be equipped to conduct their own research on these topics.

GVPT715 – APPLIED EVALUATION & ANALYSIS OF GOVERNMENT POLICY

The public policy approach at both state and federal levels; policy considerations and restrictions; methods of testing and evaluation; collecting and cleaning policy data.

GVPT728 – ADVANCED TOPICS IN MODELING

Introduction to advanced modeling and data techniques that exist beyond linear and logistic regression. Topics may include Time Series modeling, Count modeling, Multinomial Logistic Modeling, and Natural Language Processing, among other methods.

GVPT735 – APPLIED RESEARCH PRACTICUM

students will progress through the full research design process. Multiple topics and research questions are generated by students individually and are developed over the semester with feedback from their peers and the instructor. Students will deeply investigate existing research questions and designs, critically analyzing their structure and effectiveness. They will also gain structured experience giving oral presentations, speaking to a specific audience, and summarizing research into concise, memo-like deliverables. The course brings together all of the skills necessary for students to conduct their own research from beginning to end. Ultimately, students will leave with two potential and developed research designs, from which they can choose as the topic of their major 2nd year project in APAN.

GVPT 622 – STATISTICAL MODELING I (Quantitative Methods for Political Science)

Introduction to quantitative methods of data analysis, with emphasis on statistical methods and computer usage. Measures of association, probability, correlation, linear regression estimation techniques, introductory analysis of variance, and use of package computer programs.

GVPT 729Q – STATISTICAL MODELING II (Special Topics in Quantitative Political Analysis: International Political Economy and International Security)

In GVPT729, students will deepen their skills by analyzing real-world datasets, running and interpreting generalized linear models (GLMs), generating predictions, and developing their ability to conduct causal analysis. Students will also apply their skills to analyze and extend existing work in a series of replication exercises. Class sessions will blend statistical concepts central to understanding political science studies with hands-on data work in R, further developing students’ data processing and analysis capabilities.

GVPT 625 – APPLIED DATA VISUALIZATION

This course develops practical skills in designing and evaluating data visualization for applied research in the social sciences and politics. It prepares students to recognize misleading or ineffective graphics, select appropriate visualizations for different analytical tasks, and create figures that communicate evidence clearly, efficiently, and persuasively to their target audience. The course covers principles of visual design, common chart types, visualization software, and how graphical choices influence interpretation.

GVPT 613 – AI FOR SOCIAL SCIENCES

 Large language models (LLMs) are transforming professional work across fields from customer service to finance, and the social sciences are no exception. This course equips students with a broad set of skills for using LLMs in the learning, understanding, and practice of social science research. Students will read current literature on how LLMs have been applied in the social sciences while also using LLMs hands-on during most class sessions to address data and research questions. The course covers the fundamentals of how LLMs work and trains students to craft effective system messages, prompts, and workflows that maximize the quality and constructiveness of model outputs while minimizing hallucinations. Students will develop structured processes for using LLMs to critically engage with existing academic work in ways that deepen their own understanding and support the development of novel research. The course also addresses applied research applications, including LLM-assisted data collection across topics in international relations. Over the semester, students will learn to build their own LLM-driven data collection tools in R, using basic R functions and API access to a frontier model (such as those developed by Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, or xAI), culminating in a working product they can use in their own research. 

***All students will also complete a major project in their final year of the program (the 2nd year project), which combines lessons gained from the scope of courses taken in the program. Your APAN Advisor will guide and assess this final project.

***Program curriculum is likely to change periodically to maintain industry standards and needs. In such years, applicants and current students will be notified and advised as soon as possible of modifications. Any changes to course requirements will be aimed at all current and incoming students. APAN's most recent curriculum update occurred for the 2026-2027 academic year.

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