Methods and Statistics

To obtain a Bachelor degree in Social Science, your curriculum must satisfy a number of criteria. One of these criteria is that students must take two courses in Methods and Statistics.

Methods and Statistics classes form an integral part of the curriculum for all Social Science students. Not only are the students introduced to various statistical analysis techniques, but they also learn about the scientific method, the research cycle, sampling, ethical principles, measurement tools, and various data collection techniques, such as experiments, surveys, open interviews, etc.

If students wish to enter a research Master after the completion of their Bachelor’s degree, a minor in Methods and Statistics will be beneficial (and sometimes even required). University College Utrecht Social Science students have the opportunity to do a minor in Methods and Statistics.

UCACCMET12: Research in Practice – Methods and Statistics for the Social Scientist

This course gives a general introduction to research Methodology and Statistics for the Social Sciences. The methodology introduction includes the logic and design of social research and some specific techniques. The introduction to statistics includes descriptive statistics, covering graphs, measures of central tendency and variation, distributions, and measures of association. It also includes inferential statistics, such as t-tests, Chi-square tests, correlation, and regression.

UCACCMET22: Methods and Statistics II (Applied Multivariate Statistics)

The summer course is equivalent to UCACCMET23 (see below). It satisfies all the same requirements as the fall and spring classes. However, the content of the course is predetermined.

UCACCMET23: Methods and Statistics II (Applied Multivariate Statistics)

This course covers the theory and application of multivariate statistical models. The techniques that are dealt with include multiple regression analysis, ANOVA, factorial ANOVA, ANCOVA, repeated measures analysis, and MANOVA. These models can be used to investigate the relations among many variables simultaneously.

As part of this course, students must select one of the following modules:

UCACCMET2A: Analysis of Behavioral Data

This module is recommended for students with an interest in different areas of psychology and cognitive sciences and focuses mainly on factor analysis and reliability analysis.

UCACCMET2B: Analysis of Societal Data

This module is recommended for students with an interest in sociology, economics, geography, criminology, empirical political sciences, social psychology and focuses mainly on logistic regression analysis.

UCACCMET2D: Qualitative Research Techniques
This module is recommended for students with an interest in non-quantitative data, as often used in for instance anthropology.

Check Osiris to see which modules are on offer each semester.

Prerequisites: UCACCMET12: Research in Practice – Methods and Statistics for the Social Scientist

For all University College Utrecht courses students must earn a C- or better in the prerequisite courses. To qualify for admission to Methods and Statistics II, students must satisfy the following additional requirement:

at least a D- on the SPSS proficiency test

UCACCMET24: Qualitative Inquiry in Everyday Life

The purpose of this course is to equip students to critically design, conduct, report, read, and evaluate qualitative research projects and methodologies, e.g., ethnography, grounded theory, and discourse analysis. The course has the dual aim of equipping students with conceptual understandings of different methods and the practical skills to put those methods into practice. It covers the classic sources of qualitative data, such as interviews, focus groups, and participant observation, and deals with modern sources of data, such as visual materials, internet, and social media. It also discusses data analysis methods, in particular, thematic analysis and the integrative procedures that support qualitative data analysis. The course will train students in understanding the life cycle of a qualitative research project, from design to data collection, analysis, reporting and dissemination.

UCACCMET31: Methods and Statistics III (Structural Equation Modeling: The Analysis of "Causal" Models)
This course is aimed at students in social, behavioural, and economic sciences who plan to go into research. Theories in social, behavioural, and economic science are becoming more complex as modern research produces data that requires sophisticated analysis methods. As a result, social scientists use increasingly complex statistical modelling to test their theories. Modern modelling software avoids difficult mathematical equations. The emergence of these powerful and easy-to-use modelling tools makes it important for students to understand both the possibilities and limitations of such techniques.

Prerequisites: UCACCMET22 or UCACCMET23.

UCACCMET25: The Humanities Lab: Logic, Discourse and Representation
‘The Humanities Lab: Logic, Discourse and Representation’ is mandatory for all Humanities students, as well as Social Science students who wish to finish tracks in Law or Political Sciences. It can be an elective for other students.

UCACCMET2M: Power, Positionality & Self-Reflexivity in International Experiential Learning

UCACCMET2J: Making Sense of Data: Programming for Research