Advanced Statistical Methods
Author:
Office:
Phone:
E-mail:
Office Hours:
Virtual Office Hours:
Valentina V. Kuskova
Kirpichnaya 33/5, Office 803
+7-916-974-9287
vkuskova@hse.ru
T, Th 13:00-16:00, and by appointment
Any time I am online (see the note on virtual office hours below)
Сourse Summary
This course is designed for masters’ and doctoral (candidate) students and faculty who would like
to acquire a significant familiarity with the statistical techniques known collectively as "structural
equation modeling," "causal modeling," or "analysis of covariance structures." As learning in
this course demands basic understanding of statistical principles and techniques such as
regression and factor analysis, the course will start with an overview of basic applied statistics
and linear algebra, and will progress to more complex models in a sequential manner.
Course Description
This course is about statistics, applied to the business world. Specifically, we will focus on
certain statistical competencies that help managers make better decisions. Whether you plan to
work in the corporate world, or develop your career in academia, you will be forced to work with
real-life data, combine it into increasingly complex models, and base your professional decisions
on the results of your analysis.
Assumptions
We will start from scratch: I expect you to have only the basic understanding of math and intro
level statistics. Everything else we will learn in this class. As you will see, we will use a lot of
business applications, and I am concerned more with your understanding on how statistic works
as opposed to memorizing the formulas. This class will be unique in a sense that I will bring a lot
of non-statistical material to help you understand the world of decision sciences.
Many students are afraid of statistics. Please don’t be. I promise you, you don’t have to have the
brain of Einstein to master it. You do have to work hard and keep on top of the material, because
it is cumulative. If you feel that you start falling behind, see me immediately – we’ll develop a
strategy to help you catch up.
Grading Procedures
Graded assignments and percent of your intermediate grade (out of 10 possible points for the
course) are listed above. They will account for 80% of your final grade. Cumulative Written
Final Exam will account for the remaining 20%. Therefore, your final grade will be calculated as
follows:
Final Grade = Cumulative Grade 10x.08 + Final Exam Grade 10x0.2
Students demonstrating exceptional performance during the semester (achieved cumulative grade
of 8-10 points) may be exempt from the final exam, and will receive the grade earned during the
semester as their final grade.
If you have any concerns about your grade as semester progresses, please see me as soon as
possible. At the end of the semester, it will be difficult to catch up on projects and other
assignments.