Arizona State University New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences 7 courses 30 total credits
If you are interested in the social implications of big data and the ways that data science can provide insight into the understanding of social systems, the Master of Arts program in social data science is designed for you. You engage in research at the intersection of data and society, preparing to become a leader in the field. Artificial intelligence and algorithmic structures of social interaction represent significant challenges to society, and questions of equity, privacy and autonomy have become a recurring public concern. These technologies also may provide the keys for addressing substantial social issues. The critical analysis of these socio-technical systems requires both technical abilities and an understanding of social theory. This program provides those skills. The program combines a thorough grounding in digital social science with the skills needed to analyze social data. This distinct combination enables you to understand and contribute to building ethical social platforms, to manage creative communities, and to understand network-mediated social change. You work through a series of courses that provide a grounding in social theory and digital research methods, and you produce work that exemplifies your understanding of the state of the art in applying social data science within organizational and community contexts.
| Required Core | 18 credits |
| Electives | 6 credits |
| Culminating Experience | 6 credits |
| Required Core | 18 credits |
| Electives | 12 credits |
| Total Credits | 30 credits |
Required Core
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SDS 501 | Theories of Data and Society | 3 |
| SDS 510 | Data Wrangling | 3 |
| SDS 527 | Ethics and Policies of Social Data | 3 |
| SDS 537 | Technologies of Community | 3 |
| SDS 550 | Computational Social Methods I | 3 |
| SDS 551 | Computational Social Methods II | 3 |
| Total Required Core | 18 credits | |
Electives
Culminating Experience
Required Core
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SDS 501 | Theories of Data and Society | 3 |
| SDS 510 | Data Wrangling | 3 |
| SDS 527 | Ethics and Policies of Social Data | 3 |
| SDS 537 | Technologies of Community | 3 |
| SDS 550 | Computational Social Methods I | 3 |
| SDS 551 | Computational Social Methods II | 3 |
| Total Required Core | 18 credits | |
Electives
Additional Curriculum Information
This master's degree offers a course-based option and a thesis-based option. The course-based option is ideal for students seeking a fast and flexible path to the job market. Students completing the course-based option will complete 18 credit hours from the required core classes and 12 credit hours of electives. The thesis option is best suited for students pursuing research careers or doctoral study, offering in-depth experience in hypothesis-driven investigation. Thesis students explore original research topics that intersect social theory, ethics, and data science, preparing them to make scholarly contributions to the evolving field of digital social research. Thesis students complete 18 credit hours from the required core, six credit hours of electives and six hours of thesis credit.
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