Software / Tutorials

While in the Applied Economics Program, students should avail themselves of the opportunity to become proficient in one of the three widely used Econometric software packages-SAS, Stata, or Eviews.

Note, however, that Statistics instructors tend rely on Excel. They will allow you to turn in your work done with any package, but you cannot expect software support from your instructor except with Excel.

In both Core and Elective Econometrics courses, and in the more econometric software intensive electives, the software package in use correlates with the discipline of the instructor: Microeconomists tend to prefer SAS and Stata, while Macroeconomists tend to prefer Eviews. Here, too, instructors will generally allow you to turn in your work done with any package, but you cannot expect software support from the instructor, except with his or her software of choice. You might choose a software package along the same disciplinary lines, or go with one available at your place of employment. If you are completely free to choose, note that Eviews, with a graphical user interface, is easiest to learn.

From Summer Semester 2007, the Applied Economics Program will have 48 SAS, Stata, and Eviews equipped terminals available-24 for teaching purposes, and 24 for student use. Nevertheless, you should seriously consider purchasing a package for personal use, especially if you do not have access to your software of choice at work. All these are offered in relatively inexpensive student editions:

SAS https://spars.jhu.edu/logon.asp $50.00 License + $50.00 CD

Stata 10 http://www.stata.com/order/new/edu/gradplans/gp-direct.html $48/$95/$155

Eviews 6.0 Full blown will be available to students at $85.00 + shipping, but only through your instructor.

It is intended to offer three-hour introductory tutorials for a fee of $65 each:

for Eviews at the beginning of each Summer, Fall, and Spring Semester;
for Stata at the beginning of each Fall and Spring Semester; and
for SAS at the beginning of each Fall and Spring Semester. [SAS I]

It is also intended to offer two further sequential three-hour tutorials for SAS for a fee of $65 each during the course of the Fall and Spring Semesters [SAS II and SAS III].
These tutorials are open to any Johns Hopkins University affiliate. Registration takes place a few weeks before each semester starts on the "What's New?" section of our Homepage.
It is intended that a software consultant will be available to answer questions about using the three packages every Semester.