Social and Economic Data Science

The digitalization of various domains of society has produced an abundance of data about human behaviour and social interactions. Inside and outside academia, specialists with a solid background in computer science and statistics, as well as social science methods are needed to extract value from these data to inform decision-making. The interdisciplinary Master's programme in Social and Economic Data Science provides the knowledge and skills necessary to collect, manage and analyse diverse data sources created from administrative processes, network logs, social media, surveys or experiments. The MSc in Social and Economic Data Science puts a heavy emphasis on foundational issues including problems of measurement, representation and causal inference which are often overlooked in current big data analytics.

The MSc in Social and Economic Data Science is tailored for students with a BA degree in the behavioural and social sciences, and a proven interest in quantitative and computational methods. The modular structure of the programme covers the methodological, mathematical, computational and statistical foundation of data science, advanced computational and statistical methods, programming and scripting, and applications to question of crucial interest in economics, political science, psychology and sociology. The departments involved offer many opportunities for student exchanges, internships and collaborations with ongoing research projects. The programme's broad methodological and substantive scope prepares the students for a rapidly growing job market for data scientists in industry, government, NGOs and academia.