April 18, 2023
Students in the Data and Society concentration gain a broad understanding of the methods used to analyze systematic features of social behavior and the wide range of possible sources that can be used to research social patterns. This concentration focuses on methods of analysis, such as social networks, computational sociology, statistics, computational modeling, natural language processing, and others, but students are expected to also expose themselves to substantive areas of research to gain insight in the application of these methods to social problems. Requirements for the concentration are the following:
- Thirteen term courses (including the senior requirement). At least one must be an introductory Sociology course or a substitute approved by the DUS, but no more than two introductory courses in any department or program may count toward the total. Up to four courses relevant to the concentration may be drawn from outside the Sociology department with approval from the DUS. GLBL 121 and S&DS 130 count toward the four courses from outside the department.
- SOCY 100 or 130, the gateway courses for the concentration (or other similar course with approval of DUS)
- One theory course (SOCY 151 or 152)
- One course in research design (SOCY 160), usually completed in spring of junior year
- One introductory course in statistics (e.g. SOCY 163, S&DS 130, GLBL 121)
- One intermediate or advanced course in statistics (e.g. SOCY 580, 581)
- Two additional quantitative methods courses
- Two intermediate or advanced courses in areas of sociological interest (courses other than methods)
- One semester of independent study as a research assistant on a sociological topic, ideally with Sociology faculty
- The senior requirement, integrating data-intensive approaches to social science