Social Data Science, MA
Business, Business Ethics, Digital Media, Entertainment, Graphic, Media Consumption, Media Research, New Media, Researcher, Social media, Society, Software, Technology and Society, marketing
Social media manipulates opinions and influences people's views of the world. Gain a deeper understanding of the technology that powers social media's grip on society, and learn tools and insights to quantify those effects.
The Master of Arts program in social data science is designed for those interested in the social implications of big data and the ways that data science can provide insight into the understanding of social systems. Students engage in research at the intersection of data and society, preparing to become leaders 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 students to understand and contribute to building ethical social platforms, to manage creative communities, and to understand network-mediated social change. Students work through a series of courses that provide a grounding in social theory and digital research methods, and they produce work that exemplifies their understanding of the state of the art in applying social data science within organizational and community contexts.
- College/school:
New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences
- Location: West Valley or Online
- STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
30 credit hours and a thesis, or
30 credit hours including the required capstone course (STC 570)
Required Core (18 credit hours)
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)
Electives (6 or 9 credit hours)
Culminating Experience (3 or 6 credit hours)
SDS 570 Social Data Projects (3) or
SDS 599 Thesis (6)
Additional Curriculum Information
Students complete either a three credit hour capstone course (STC 570 Social Data Projects) or a six credit hour thesis (STC 599). Students who choose the capstone course complete nine hours of electives. Students who choose the thesis complete six hours of electives.
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences.
Applicants must have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution.
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in applicable master's degree program.
All applicants must submit:
- graduate admission application and application fee
- official transcripts
- statement of purpose
- academic writing sample (preferred) or professional writing sample
- proof of English proficiency
Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
This application requires a statement of purpose. The following prompts should be answered within the statement. The response to each question should be no longer than 250 words.
- What about this program attracted you to it specifically, as opposed to other programs?
- What would be your ideal career after completing this program, and what about the career appeals to you? Feel free to mention multiple alternatives.
- In your education thus far, what has been your favorite course or learning experience, and what did you love about it?
- What is a project you have completed --- either solo or as a leader of a team --- that you particularly enjoyed or that you are especially proud of, and what elements made it so?
- Among the attributes, knowledge or skills you have already developed, which do you think will be most useful to your graduate school experience? What areas do you think you most need to develop in order to be successful in your future endeavors?
ASU offers this program in an online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. Applicants may view the program’s ASU Online page for program descriptions and to request more information.
Graduates are prepared to advise institutions on appropriate policies and to draw on large-scale trace data to help address significant social issues. They are well-positioned for research roles in businesses, nonprofits and government organizations; to work with organizations to help them make ethical and effective use of social data; and for consulting roles regarding broader issues of social change and networked technologies. They also may continue on to doctoral work in cognate fields.
The program deliberately seeks to be more reflective of the diversity of those who are affected by datafication and to actively promote the careers of professionals who are underrepresented in data-related fields.
Career examples include:
- chief information officer
- communications director
- community manager
- data journalist
- intelligence or policy analyst
- program or project manager
- public affairs specialist
- research and data analyst
- social media manager
- social strategist
School of Social and Behavioral Sciences
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FAB N101
NCGradAdvising@asu.edu
602-543-3000
Admission deadlines
3 year programs
These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
