University of Sussex School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
MSc in Human and Social Data Science

Falmer, United Kingdom

DEGREE TYPE

MSc

DURATION

1 up to

2 years

LANGUAGES

English

PACE

Full time, Part time

APPLICATION DEADLINE

EARLIEST START DATE

STUDY FORMAT

On-Campus

* international: 1 August 2024 / UK: 1 September 2024

Key Summary

About : The MSc in Human and Social Data Science focuses on understanding the role of data in human and social contexts. The program balances theory and practical application over a duration of one year, equipping students with skills to analyze complex social phenomena using data science methods. It combines technical training with insights into social issues, fostering an interdisciplinary approach.

Career Outcomes : Graduates can pursue careers in various fields such as data analysis, social research, public policy, and consultancy. Potential roles include data scientist, social data analyst, and policy advisor. This program prepares students for careers that shape decisions based on human behavior and societal trends.

Please note: this course is now closed for international applicants for 2023. It remains open for UK applicants.

Data is everywhere and affects every aspect of our lives and our society – from fitness trackers to online shopping to social media. Data is used to understand human behaviour, and to inform policy, journalism and strategy.

This course is for you if you:

Are a graduate in the social sciences, business or the humanities;
Have an interest in data and data-driven methods;
Plan a career in the field of data science.

Understanding how and why data is used, and the societal and ethical implications of doing so, are at the heart of this MSc. On the course, you’ll explore:

Modern information and communication technologies
The python programming language
Probability theory, statistics, linear algebra and calculus
Machine-learning techniques
Ethics and interpretability.

You can choose to focus your studies on digital media, or on innovation and policy.

You’ll learn from experts at the forefront of their fields. Collaboration with our industry partners will give you career development opportunities.

Choose to study this course full time or part-time, to fit around your work and personal life. Modules for the full-time course are listed below.

For details about the part-time course, contact us.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2022/23. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to COVID-19, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let our applicants know of material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.

We’ll do our best to provide as much optional choice as we can, but timetabling constraints mean it may not be possible to take some module combinations. The structure of a small number of courses means that the order of modules or the streams you choose may determine whether modules are core or optional. This means that your core modules or options may differ from what’s shown below.

Core modules

Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.

All year

Dissertation (Human and Social Data Science)

Autumn teaching

Data Science Research Methods
Mathematics and Computational Methods for Complex Systems
Systems for Information Management

Spring teaching

Data Science Masters Research Proposal
Machine Learning
Wider Topics in Data Science

Options

Alongside your core modules, you can choose options to broaden your horizons and tailor your course to your interests. This list gives you a flavour of our options, which are kept under review and may change, for example in response to student feedback or the latest research.

While it’s our aim for students to take their preferred combinations of options, this can’t be guaranteed and will be subject to timetabling. Options may be grouped and if so, students will be able to choose a set number of options from the selection available in any particular group.

Autumn teaching