Big Data Solutions for Social and Economic Disparities (Harvard University)

What factors increase or decrease your likelihood of economic mobility? Does the neighbourhood you grew up in play a part? How different is your life from the family’s life just a few streets over?

It’s likely you’ve wondered what factors influence one’s success, but it’s more likely you’ve never considered that such small changes in geographical location have a statistically significant impact. In this course, you will examine the historical evidence identifying the characteristics that lead to improved outcomes. Specifically, you will explore the effects of race and access to quality education, highly invested teachers, and family support—all of which lead to higher levels of upward mobility and increased earning potential.

Through research and statistical analysis, you will apply regression models and experiment with data sets to determine how improving K–12 education leads to a more engaged population, capable of shifting the trends in mobility and decreasing significant gaps in financial and social equality.

While no formal prerequisites are required for this course, you may benefit from first taking Evaluating Upward Mobility: The Fading American Dream, which helps learners understand the history of the shifts in socioeconomic mobility and how geography can also greatly play a role in access to opportunity.