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Introduction to Quantitative Methods for Economics
STAT 104

Course Information

Description

In a world where data is growing larger and more complex, it can be a challenge to turn an abundance of information into the knowledge from which sound decisions can be made. As a discipline, statistics aims to bridge the gap between knowledge and information. This course will motivate statistical methods through data analysis and visualization, in addition to discussing the underlying theory. We will discuss topics such as study design, descriptive statistics, probability, sampling distributions, hypothesis testing, linear regression, and Bayesian inference. A wide variety of applications from the economic and social sciences will be highlighted along with examples from biology, sports, politics, and more. Students with prior exposure to introductory statistics will find some overlap of material but be exposed to new applications and learn more advanced modeling techniques. This course makes use of the statistical programming language R, but no prior knowledge of computer science is required.

Course Notes

Anti-Req: may not be taken for credit if STAT 100, STAT 102, STAT 111, STAT 139, STAT 149, or STAT 244 already complete.

School Faculty of Arts & Sciences
Credits 4
Cross Reg

Available for Harvard Cross Registration

Department Statistics
Course Component Lecture
Subject Statistics
Grading Basis FAS Letter Graded
Course Requirements Anti-Req: may not be taken for credit if STAT 111, STAT 139, STAT 149 or STAT 244 already complete.
Exam/Final Deadline Dec. 12, 2025
General Education N/A
Quantitative Reasoning with Data Yes
Divisional Distribution Science & Engineering & Applied Science
Course Level For Undergraduate and Graduate Students