About

The program was created in response to a growing need to incorporate digital technologies into social science research. Social scientists in the digital age can answer questions, collect observations and conduct experiments at scales that were previously impossible using traditional research methods. At the same time, computational advances in AI and machine learning are increasingly influential in everyday social life – making an interdisciplinary dialogue between the computational and social sciences essential. Our commitment to this interdisciplinary dialogue is reflected both in the variety of backgrounds in our cohorts, as well as our diverse curriculum.

The MACSS curriculum provides students with solid foundations in data science and programming, while fostering student-tailored research interests in the social sciences. Our students acquire the knowledge, skills, and expertise to innovate in and across social science fields. The program’s combination of computational tools and experience conducting social scientific research distinguishes our students and alumni from traditional data science programs.