The School of Professional Studies (SPS) has announced the appointment of Columbia University Political Science Professor Gregory J. Wawro as the director of the new Master of Science in Political Analytics program. The program combines the strengths of SPS, known for its excellence in graduate professional training, and Columbia’s Department of Political Science, known for its cutting-edge research and instruction.
“We are enormously excited and gratified to count Professor Wawro as one of our program directors at SPS,” said SPS Dean Troy J. Eggers. “His impressive scholarship and substantial contributions to the field of political science will provide the specialized leadership that this program requires.”
Professor Wawro is also the program founder and previously served as the chair of the Department of Political Science at Columbia. He holds his Ph.D. from Cornell University and specializes in American politics, including Congress, elections, campaign finance, judicial politics, political economy, and political methodology. He is the author of Legislative Entrepreneurship in the U.S. House of Representatives and coauthor (with Eric Schickler) of Filibuster: Obstruction and Lawmaking in the United States Senate, which is a historical analysis of the causes and consequences of filibusters. His most recent book, Time Counts: Quantitative Analysis for Historical Social Science (with Ira Katznelson), seeks to advance historical research in the social sciences by bridging the divide between qualitative and quantitative analysis through an expansion of the standard quantitative methodological toolkit with a set of innovative approaches that capture nuances missed by more commonly used statistical methods. Professor Wawro is currently working on projects that explore the role that social media is playing in congressional elections and democratic participation. “While analytics and data-driven decision-making are becoming more and more central in modern politics, there are very few academic programs that specifically equip individuals with the necessary skills to meet industry demand,” said Professor Wawro. “Political campaigns, polling organizations, advocacy groups, and media outlets need professionals who are both grounded in the history and substance of politics and possess the quantitative abilities necessary to perform, understand, and communicate effectively. This program will provide that.”
The program’s curriculum is designed to meet the needs of professionals who aspire to build careers in the political analytics space with courses that are unique to the program. Through a broad range of courses offered across Columbia, students will receive instruction from preeminent and prominent scholars and will learn from practitioners who hold influential roles in industry. “We are witnessing rapid and profound changes that are presenting new challenges across the political landscape, and the need for data to inform decision-making will only grow,” said Dean Eggers. “This program will train the next generation of political professionals to deploy quantitative analytics to meet these challenges, and in Greg, we now have exactly the right leader to help our students thrive.”
The program is strictly nonpartisan and is open to applicants from any political or professional background. The 36-credit degree will be offered full-time, with a part-time option for working professionals. The full-time option enables completion of study within one year, and full-time students are expected to complete the degree in three semesters. Part-time students are expected to complete the degree requirements in six semesters.
Join an upcoming information session or visit our website to learn more about the Columbia University M.S. in Political Analytics program. Application priority deadline: February 15, 2023. The final application deadline is June 15, 2023.
For general information and admissions questions, please call 212-854-9666 or email politicalanalytics [[at]] sps [[dot]] columbia [[dot]] edu
