MPhil Data Science and Economic Policy

Ghana and the wider African continent face the critical task of monitoring and achieving multiple high-level development frameworks, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the African Union's Agenda 2063, and Ghana's Ghana@100 vision. Central to this effort is the effective use of data, which goes beyond simple collection and aggregation: data must be rigorously analysed and translated into actionable insights for policy decisions, monitoring, and accountability.

Within Agenda 2063, the African Union prioritises industrialisation, sustainable development, and regional integration - exemplified by initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Realising these aims requires professionals adept in big data analytics, machine learning, and robust econometric methods. In parallel, the Ghana@100 framework focuses on inclusive economic growth, human capital development, infrastructure enhancement, and environmental sustainability. Achieving these objectives calls for advanced predictive analytics, econometric modelling, and the ability to communicate data-driven strategies to policymakers and stakeholders alike. Several national policies directly underscore this need for cutting-edge analytical proficiency: the National Digitalisation Agenda, the Ghana CARES 'Obaatanpa' Programme, and the Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies (CPESDP).

To meet these policy-driven skill requirements, the MPhil in Data Science and Economic Policy equips students with a multifaceted toolkit. They gain technical competencies in machine learning, big data analytics, programming (in languages such as Python and R), and econometrics. They also develop policy-oriented knowledge, learning how to translate analytical findings into effective, evidence-based economic policies. By merging these capabilities, graduates are prepared to tackle pressing challenges such as poverty reduction, sustainable industrial growth, and social welfare enhancement. Crucially, they learn data communication and stakeholder engagement, ensuring that research outputs directly inform national development strategies and broader continental goals, aligning with SDGs 1, 4, 8, 9, 10, 13, 16 and 17, Agenda 2063, and Ghana@100.

Currently, no programme in Ghana integrates the tools of data science with economic policymaking to produce professionals who can formulate data-driven policies for both government and private sector operators. Existing offerings - such as MPhil Economics, MPhil Economic Policy Modelling, MSc Data Science, and MSc Business Analytics - tend to focus exclusively on either economics or analytics. In contrast, the MPhil in Data Science and Economic Policy uniquely bridges both fields, equipping students with advanced expertise in big data analytics, machine learning, and econometrics while also providing deep policy and economic insights. Unlike an MPhil Economics or MPhil Economic Policy Modelling - which concentrate on theoretical frameworks and policy analysis - this programme trains students in cutting-edge techniques like high-volume data processing, real-time data visualisation, and predictive modelling to inform policy decisions. It also goes beyond the scope of MSc Data Science or MSc Business Analytics by offering comprehensive macroeconomic and microeconomic policy simulation methods, impact evaluation strategies, and context-specific policy design rooted in Ghana's development priorities.

In Ghana, professionals often possess either strong economic knowledge or technical data science skills, rather than a seamless combination of both. This gap in integrating Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and in-depth economic expertise directly impedes the country's ability to design policies aligned with critical development frameworks. The MPhil in Data Science and Economic Policy addresses this shortfall by merging the best of both disciplines: intensive training in machine learning, AI, econometrics, and programming, alongside modules in economic policy evaluation, regulatory frameworks, and development policy. The programme's research components enable students to apply cutting-edge data tools to pivotal, policy-relevant questions, such as forecasting macroeconomic indicators, optimising resource allocation, or evaluating social welfare programmes.

The programme aligns with the mandate of the University to undertake teaching, research and extension services, in that it seeks to increase the knowledge base of students through teaching and research. It also aligns with the mission of the University - "An equal opportunity University uniquely placed to provide quality education through the provision of comprehensive, liberal and professional programmes that challenge learners to be creative, innovative and responsible citizens" - since the programme challenges students to provide creative and innovative economic policy solutions to the developmental challenges of Ghana and Sub-Saharan Africa as a whole.