Course page
Course page
PROGRAMMING
PROGRAMMING
provided by University of Sussex
provided by University of Sussex
Course Details
(last updated: September 2025)
Instructor (main contact person): Dr. George MacKerron (a few sessions are run by invited faculty members)
Term in which taught: September – December 2025
Schedule: 2 – 5pm Tuesdays at Sussex or on Zoom
Application deadline: none
Pre-requisites: none, beyond acceptance to an economics or related PhD
Summary course description: This module introduces a range of practical quantitative tools for data collection and analysis.
Provisional syllabus
30 Sep Programming for researchers: a roadmap
7 Oct Stata (IB, 15.30 start)
14 Oct Regular Expressions and inexact matching
21 Oct Python / 1 (RD/LR)
28 Oct Python / 2 (RD/LR)
4 Nov Python / 3 (RD/LR)
11 Nov The Web: HTML, CSS and JavaScript
18 Nov Data from the Web: APIs and scraping
25 Nov Databases: OLTP, OLAP and SQL
2 Dec Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
9 Dec Using the Sussex High-Performance Computing (HPC) cluster
Aims: This module is deliberately broad and shallow. It aims to map the landscape of programming tools for quantitative research, to help students identify the ones that may be of use to them and target their own exploration more effectively. For most of these tools, students can use online tutorials, guides and references to build deeper knowledge. In many cases there are staff members in a student’s department with the expertise to help if and when a student gets stuck.
Teaching and learning methods: Teaching is blended, with sessions conducted simultaneously in-person and via Zoom. Sessions will usually combine a short lecture with practical exercises.
Contact time: There will be a live 3-hour Zoom session from 2 – 5pm each Tuesday over the 10 weeks of the module.
Assessment: Sussex students will be asked to carry out a programming task, due in week 6, and a replication exercise, due after the end of term. Module credits are not available for students joining from outside Sussex.
Administration: Live sessions via Zoom.
Materials and slides: We are not able to open the Canvas site to students outside Sussex. Relevant links and materials will be shared by email for now.
Enrolment information: University of Sussex students who have to take the module are already enrolled. For others at Sussex or elsewhere: please contact george.mackerron@sussex.ac.uk.
Maximum class size: There is a soft cap on this module of 25 students per year.
How to Apply
In order to apply for this course, you need to (1) send an Application Email to the Instructor and to (2) fill the Confirmation Form at the bottom of this page. Please complete both steps according to the instructions reported below.
Step 1 of 2: Application Email. Send an email to the Instructor of this course and to the Academic Officer of the host university: names and contact links are reported above in the section 'Course Details' (right-click on the name to copy their email address, or left-click on the name to create a new email with your default software). Please send your application email using your university email account. Sample email:
To: [INSTRUCTOR]
Cc: [ACADEMIC OFFICER]
Object: Application to your online PhD course (ShOT/SEDOT)
Dear Prof [INSTRUCTOR],
My name is [STUDENT NAME], PhD student at [HOME UNIVERSITY]. I would like to attend online your PhD course in [COURSE TITLE], shared through the ShOT/SEDOT network. Please let me know if I can join the course, I look forward to hearing from you.
Step 2 of 2: Confirmation Form. Please answer all the questions in the Confirmation Form below and press the Submit button in the last page. All fields are required. You will receive an automated notification by email.