Quantitative methods reform

Quantitative methods reform I just attended a meeting of the Graduate Joint Consultative Committee (GJCC) that was focused on reforming the statistics course for next year. For those not up to speed, the quantitative methods section of the M.Phil in International Relations was considered disastrously bad by almost all the students and faculty. On the basis of a petition signed by 27 of the 28 people in the program, as well as many personal complaints, a major overhaul has been commissioned. I still have my doubts about whether a faculty so dismissive of statistically-based IR can provide an adequate introduction in eight weeks, but with luck the new course will be dramatically better than ours was.

Mostly, the suggestions seem to be quite good. Yuen Foong Khong is chairing the IR Working Group on Research Methods, and the major change being suggested is to reclaim more of the quantitative methods teaching into the department, rather than relying on relative outsiders. The plan calls for cutting the number of STATA workshops from six to two and introducing some short problem sets that involve the kind of computation we had to do on the exam, but hadn’t ever done prior to it.

The most important thing is that there is broad recognition within the department that this year’s quantitative methods training was unacceptably bad. I would call it a major blot on an otherwise excellent program.

On Monday, these recommendations will go to the Graduate Studies Committee. Apparently, it basically need to be hammered out before the end of the term, if it is going to be substantially different next term. For the sake of those who will enter the program later, let us hope that the review is extensive and effective.

I have a handout detailing all the proposed changes that I can lend to anyone who’s interested.

• This announcement has me thinking about the Kilimanjaro climb I want to do in summer of 2007.

Author: Milan

In the spring of 2005, I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in International Relations and a general focus in the area of environmental politics. In the fall of 2005, I began reading for an M.Phil in IR at Wadham College, Oxford. Outside school, I am very interested in photography, writing, and the outdoors. I am writing this blog to keep in touch with friends and family around the world, provide a more personal view of graduate student life in Oxford, and pass on some lessons I've learned here. View all posts by Milan