Advanced Standing Track

The Advanced Standing Track is intended for individuals with previous foundational computational methods and social sciences coursework. Advanced Standing students complete the MACSS degree in just one year, as opposed to the standard two-years for the General Track.

Please note that the Advanced Standing Track is not available for MACSS-Economics. Students interested in a one-year Economics program are encouraged to consider the Master of Arts in Economics. 

Advanced Standing Prerequisites

Prospective Advanced Standing students must have completed the following coursework at an accredited, post-secondary institution:

  1. One Machine Learning course equivalent to, or more advanced than, Machine Learning for Computational Social Science (MACS 30100).
  2. Two Computer Science courses equivalent to, or more advanced than, Python Programming with Social Science Applications (MACS 30111) and Python Data Management with Social Science Application (MACS 30112).
  3. Two non-methods, post-introductory social science elective courses. 

Curriculum

Advanced Standing students complete the following requirements, for a total of nine (9) courses and a master’s thesis:

  • September placement examination for MACS 30123 (Large-scale Computing for the Social Sciences)
  • Introduction to Computational Social Science (MACS 30000) [Autumn Quarter]
  • Computational Research Design (MACS 30200) [Winter Quarter]
  • Large Scale Computing for the Social Sciences (MACS 30123) or approved Computational Method elective if the student placed out of MACS 30123 via the placement examination [Spring Quarter]
  • Two Computational Method Electives
  • Three Social Science Electives
  • One graduate elective
  • Three quarters participation in the CSS Workshop (non-credit)
  • MA thesis

Considerations for International Students

International students requiring a student visa to enroll in an academic program should be aware that they will not be able to switch to the 2-year track once a visa is issued. 

Applying

Students interested in the Advanced Standing track indicate their interest in the online application. Students who indicate they are interested in the Advanced Standing track but are not admitted to it are automatically considered for admission to the General Track.