KOUT 2040 - Quantitative Tools – Level 1

The “Outils Quantitatifs – Niveau 1” and “Quantitative Tools – Level 1” seminar-courses are taught in French or English and are coordinated by Béatrice Merle d’Aubigné, economist and financial analyst, professor at Sciences Po. The teaching staff is composed of practitioners.

The Quantitative Tools - Level 1 course in political, economic and social sciences focuses on quantitative analysis tools.

The objective of this module is to provide the essential foundations of applied arithmetic, descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and financial mathematics.

This course is designed primarily to help students understand the main quantified and numerical issues encountered in political science, economics, demography, environmental studies, and, more broadly, to support the core training objectives of PSIA master’s programs.

The teaching approach is based on strong progressivity, starting from a minimal foundation corresponding to the technical content of the French literary-track baccalauréat, or more generally the end of secondary education.

The use of Excel will be developed through practical applications and implemented during class sessions; calculations and graphical representations will be carried out using Excel.

The course consists of 24 hours of instruction, and tutoring is also offered.

Each student taking this course must install Excel on their computer (Google Sheets is not sufficient) by downloading it from the Sciences Po website (https://www.sciencespo.fr/usages-numeriques/en/online-tools-equipment/partner-offers/).

The format chosen for this course is a seminar‑style lecture, combining a lecture component covering basic principles and theories with a practical applications component. The limited class size is intended to encourage strong interactivity. The course will allow for a gradual use of Excel throughout the semester.

Strong emphasis will be placed on the practical aspects of the discipline.

The use of Excel will be developed through hands‑on applications and implemented during class sessions.

• The assessment for this module is based on continuous evaluation, which consists of two tests held mid‑semester and at the end of the semester.
• The final examination will take the form of a written report completed in pairs, along with a 15‑minute oral presentation. The report must be submitted at the end of the semester, on 7 December 2026. Detailed instructions will be provided during the seminar.
• Continuous assessment accounts for two‑thirds of the final grade, and the report/oral presentation accounts for one‑third of the final grade.

DETAILED PROGRAM: Refer to the Syllabus