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Discrete Choice Analysis: Predicting Demand and Market Shares (June 11-15, 2012 ), taught by Professor Moshe Ben-Akiva and visiting lecturers, will be offered this summer at MIT. Your help in forwarding this announcement to interested persons or groups is greatly appreciated.

An in-depth study of discrete choice models. Participants will learn practical applications, be provided with discrete choice software, and gain hands-on experience.

Discrete Choice Analysis: Predicting Demand and Market Shares [14.61s]

Date: June 11-15, 2012 | Tuition: $3,900 | CEUs: 3.0

This one-week program undertakes an in-depth study of discrete choice models (logit, nested logit, generalized extreme value, probit, logit mixtures), data collection, specification, estimation, statistical testing, forecasting, and application. The covered topics include analysis of revealed and stated preferences data, sampling, and simulation-based estimation, discrete panel data, Bayesian estimation, discrete-continuous models, menu choice, and models with latent variables. The course includes practical application sessions where participants will be provided with discrete choice software to learn how to estimate and test discrete choice models taught in lecture using real databases, and gain hands on experience in using new discrete choice techniques for practical applications. By examining actual case studies of discrete choice methods, students will be familiarized with problems of model formulation, testing, and forecasting.

Discrete choice models are widely used for the analysis of individual choice behavior and can be applied to choice problems in many fields such as economics, environmental management, urban planning, etc. For example, discrete choice modeling is used in marketing research to guide product positioning, pricing, product concept testing, and many other areas of strategic and tactical interest. Recent applications to predict changes in demand and market shares include areas such as choice of travel mode, coffee brand, telephone service, soft drinks and other foods, and choice of durables such as automobiles, air conditioners, and houses.

Additional information about the course and registration can be found at

http://web.mit.edu/professional/short-programs/courses/discrete_choice_analysis.html

Special Note for PhD Students: 

One full-tuition fellowship will be awarded to an outstanding PhD student in each course. Applications must include a CV and a motivation letter stating the relevance of the course for the applicant’s research. The full-tuition fellowship will be awarded to the best applicant. Partial fellowships may be awarded to other outstanding applicants. Please contact Katie Rosa at krosa@mit.edu with any questions. Please forward this message to others who may be interested in these courses.

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Fellowships Available for the MIT Summer Course on

Discrete Choice Analysis
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We are pleased to announce the availability of full and partial tuition fellowships for junior professors, postdocs and doctoral students to attend the annual MIT Short Course:

Discrete Choice Analysis: Predicting Demand and Market Shares [14.61s]
Date: June 11-15, 2012 | Tuition: $3,900 | CEUs: 3.0

Course Description:

 An in-depth study of discrete choice models (logit, nested logit, cross-nested logit, generalized extreme value, probit, logit mixtures, latent class), data collection, specification, estimation, statistical testing, forecasting, and application. Topics include analysis of revealed and stated preferences data, sampling, simulation-based estimation, discrete panel data, Bayesian estimation, discrete-continuous models, menu choice, models with latent variables, and behavioral mixture models.

The course also covers advanced practical topics, such as:
*How to deal with complex choice scenarios with many alternatives.
*How to address situations with customized products and services.
*How to combine stated preferences with revealed preferences data.
*How to represent dynamic effects in discrete choice models.
*When it is appropriate to use Probit and Logit mixtures.

*How to correct for endogeneity and self-selection bias
*How to effectively use simulation and Bayesian methods to estimate these models.

Participants will learn practical applications, be provided with discrete choice software, and will gain hands-on experience by estimating and testing alternative methods using real databases. The information and techniques taught in this course are useful for market researchers and analysts, economists, operations researchers, engineers, planners, managers, and researchers in industry, government or academia interested in understanding and predicting consumer choices, demand and market share.

Additional information about the course and registration can be found at:

Course Instructors:

Discrete Choice Analysis has been taught at MIT annually for over 25 years.  The instructors have both wide and deep formal credentials and practical experience in discrete choice modeling, including key academic contributions to the field. The lecturer-In-Charge is Moshe Ben-Akiva. Professor Ben-Akiva has coauthored two books, including the textbook Discrete Choice Analysis, published by MIT Press, and over 200 papers in refereed journals or conference proceedings. He has developed many of the discrete choice and demand modeling techniques that are being widely applied in a variety of disciplines and industries.

Fellowship Information:

One full-tuition and multiple half-tuition scholarships will be awarded. The tuition includes course materials and two social events, and does not include costs associated with travel and accommodations during the course. Individuals who wish to apply for a scholarship should send a current CV and motivation letter to Katie Rosa at krosa@mit.edu.  The application letter should clearly explain the following:

1. Your objectives and motivation for taking this course.
2. Your research and how this course will be relevant and helpful with your area of research.
3. Your past training and honors/recognition if applicable

Professor Ben-Akiva will evaluate all applications, and the application deadline is Monday, May 7, 2012.

**Interested in attending, but don’t meet scholarship requirements? Registrations are still being accepted for all other individuals.  Group rates are available. 

Please see  for complete information**