Specialization in Survey Research

The collection of data directly from individuals or other entities provides the foundation for modern public policy in the fields of official government statistics and social research. The Specialization in Survey Research is designed to cover a range of methodologies and applications to prepare students either to work directly in the area of data collection or to become informed users and evaluators of data collected by others.

Students who complete this specialization will be able to:

• Understand the provenance of data

• Appreciate the implications of survey design for the analysis of data

• Understand the importance of blending survey data collected for research purposes with real-world administrative data

Harris specializations function as areas of specialization within the degree. specializations assume knowledge of the 6-course Harris Core and build upon that foundation with coursework in specific policy areas or technical skills.

Application Process

The specialization is open to Harris Public Policy graduate students only. Please indicate your intent to pursue this specialization using the Harris Specialization Declaration Form.

For specialization registration questions, please reach out to harrisregistration@uchicago.edu.

Planning for the Specialization

For information on which quarter(s) each course will be offered see the Harris Courses page and filter by specialization. 

Specialization Requirements

The specialization requires completion of one required course, along with two additional courses. Students must achieve at least a B- grade in each course. No specialization course may be taken on a pass/fail grading basis. The courses do not need to be taken in a particular order.

Required course

• PPHA 41600: Survey Research Methodology

Elective courses

Students must complete two of the following courses to fulfill the requirement:

• PPHA 38520: GIS Applications in the Social Sciences
• PPHA 41800: Survey Questionnaire Design
• PPHA 60000: Policy Labs (with permission of the Specialization Director)
• GISC 38702 / PPHA 38712: Introduction to GIS and Spatial Analysis
• STAT 33100: Sample Surveys
• Not offered in 24-25
  • PPHA 44900: Methods of Data Collection: Social Experiments, Quasi-Experiments and Surveys

Consider a Policy Lab

Harris Policy Labs can be an excellent complement to specializations. Specialization programs allow students to specialize in particular areas of inquiry, while Policy Labs allow students to apply their knowledge to real world policy challenges for actual client organizations.

Descriptions of Policy Labs projects for the current academic year are available in the Current Student portal. Please consult with Policy Labs staff, or the specialization program director, to see which one is right for you.

Specialization Contact

Colm O'Muircheartaigh, Specialization Director

Marc Farinella, Administrative Director