Southampton University Presentation

1. MDataGov Open Day
Paul Smith & Jason Hilton
University of Southampton
14/07/2021

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MSc DataAnalytics for Government in Southampton
• MDataGov and MOffStat run by S3RI/Dept of Social Statistics and Demography since 1999
• Founder member of the European Masters in Official Statistics (EMOS) – UK membership
stopped by Brexit
• Southampton statistical departments include Maths, Social Stats and Demography, and
Medical School
• Statisticians brought together under umbrella of Southampton Statistical Sciences
Research Institute
• University of Southampton is a member of the Turing Institute

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Strong experience in official statistics
• Staff members have wide experience with official statistics
• Teaching staff work or have worked in
– ONS
– Statistics Norway
– CBS Israel
• Teaching staff current and past roles include
– chair of the European Statistics Advisory Committee
– members and chair of Statistics Netherlands Advisory Panel on Methodology and Quality
– member of ONS Methodology Advisory Committee
– member of the Advisory Panel on Consumer Prices - Technical

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Strong research interests in official statistics
• Southampton academics working with ONS Methodology since 1995
• Many research projects, including
– Population census estimation methods
– Administrative data based population estimates
– Small area estimation, including GSPREE for ethnicity estimates
– Migration modelling
– Measuring the quality of population estimates
– Regional Consumer Prices Indices, quality measures for CPI
– Coverage survey sample design
• Research and contacts mean we have many examples to draw from in teaching

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Statistics
• We offer a wide range of modules in
Statistics
• Some are compulsory, and offered every
year
• Some options also run every year
Compulsory modules
Survey Fundamentals*
provides an overview of basic sampling
and estimation methods
Statistical Programming*
Covers the use of statistical software for
data manipulation, analysis and simulation,
using R as a basis, but also introduces
Python
Statistics in Government*
Introduces scope and organisation of
Official Statistics and its processes and
products
Option modules
• Regression modelling
• Evaluation and monitoring

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Statistics options
• Many option modules run less frequently – catch them as they come along
Option modules
• Introduction to survey research
• Time series analysis
• Index numbers
• Survey data collection
• Generalised linear models
• Statistical disclosure control
• Administrative data in official
statistics
• Analysis of complex survey data
• Multilevel modelling
• Further sampling
• Further survey estimation
• Small area estimation
• Compensating for non-response
• (National Accounts)

7. MDataGov Open Day
Data Science and Demography
14/07/2021

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Data Science
We offer a range of modules in the area of data
science
- Modern techniques for prediction
- Drawing out the links to the statistical
principles taught elsewhere in the course
Modules
• Data Science Foundations*
• Data Visualisation
• Machine Learning
• Data Mining
• GIS

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Demographic Methods
The University of Southampton is a leading centre
for statistical demography. This makes us
uniquely well placed to offer modules in
demographic methods
• We host the Centre for Population Change, a
ESRC-funded centre for population research
• We advise many important governmental and
non-governmental bodies on demographic
methods including the Home Office, the ONS,
and EASO.
Modules
Demographic Methods I
Population projections, standardisation, life
tables
Demographic Methods II
Stable population theory, event history
analysis, matrix migration models, indirect
estimation

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Dissertations
• Projects often student-led – connected to the workplace
• Experienced supervisors, strong knowledge of topics related to official statistics
• Flexibility in timing (but not duration) for part-time students
– Standard is Oct-Mar in year after completing taught component
– Other starts to fit round work schedules

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Dissertations
• Some recent topics
– Assessing methods of classification conversion in UK economic statistics
– Evaluation of quality of item imputation in census data under varying missingness mechanisms
and non-response levels
– Are there differences in the characteristics of respondents using computer-assisted personal
interviewing (CAPI) and computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI) to complete Wave 9 of the
UK Household Longitudinal Survey?
– Statistical neighbours for Jersey primary schools
– The distributional impact of indirect taxation in Jersey
– Response rate trends in Canadian Official Statistics: an analysis of cross-sectional microdata user
guides, 2001-2016

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Structure of MDataGov in Southampton 21/22 – PlanA
• Modules run intensively over 5 days at the University
– Dedicated teaching room with computers
– Mix of lectures, tutorials, computer workshops
– Coursework assessments or exam assessments
• Introductory module (no credits)
• All modules available stand-alone as Continuing Professional Development courses
• 4 years part-time for taught programme
• Exit points for PG Cert (6 modules) and PGDip (12 modules without dissertation)
• 1-year full-time version available

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Expectations
• Module intro contains:

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Semester 1
MDataGov module
Dates
2021/22
Assessment
Introduction Module† 20 Sep – 24 Sep
Survey Data Collection 4 Oct – 08 Oct Coursework
Regression Modelling† 11 Oct – 15 Oct Coursework
Statistical Programming 18 Oct – 22 Oct Coursework
Demographic Methods I 1 Nov – 5 Nov Exam
Survey Sampling† 15 Nov – 19 Nov Exam
Data Science Foundations 29 Nov – 3 Dec Coursework
Data Visualisation 13 Dec – 17 Dec Coursework
† Recommended for year 1

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Semester 2
MDataGov module
Dates
2021/22
Assessment
Evaluation & Monitoring 31 Jan – 4 Feb Coursework
Generalised Linear Models 14 Feb – 18 Feb Coursework
Machine Learning 28 Feb – 4 Mar Coursework
Demographic Methods II 14 Mar – 18 Mar Exam
Data Mining 21 Mar – 25 Mar Coursework
Statistical Disclosure Control 25 Apr – 29 Apr Exam
GIS 9 May – 13 May Coursework
Statistics in Government 16 May – 20 May Exam

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COVID back-up plan
• In 20-21 changes due to COVID restrictions
– module teaching materials (pre-recorded) and tutorials (live) put on-line
– live sessions spread over 3 weeks
– almost all assessments coursework based
• If restrictions put in place for some or all of 21-22 academic year, similar structure
– backup dates not fixed yet
• No plans for regular on-line versions

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Programme and contact details
https://www.southampton.ac.uk/courses/data-analytics-for-government-masters-msc
Paul Smith
Professor of Official Statistics
MDataGov Programme Director
p.a.smith@soton.ac.uk
Jason Hilton
Lecturer in Social Statistics and Data Science
j.d.hilton@soton.ac.uk