Social Data Science Major (INFO)
Faculty Program Co-Directors:
- Brian Kim, Ph.D.
- Scott Jackson, Ph.D.
Creating information products that capture aspects of human behavior requires an increasingly complex set of skills and knowledge. This program combines the expertise of faculty members from the College of Information (INFO) and the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences (BSOS) to prepare students to effectively, ethically and efficiently create high quality information products, such as datasets, visualizations, and models, about human activity and behavior. This critical suite of knowledge and skills is essential in many domains, including government, healthcare, sustainability, economics, entertainment, human rights, equity, and others. Students take a set of core courses housed primarily in INFO and BSOS’s Joint Program in Survey Methodology (JPSM). They then select a track discipline, in which they train in relevant theory and methods, from among the following options: African-American Studies, Anthropology, Criminology, Economics, Government and Politics/International Relations, Geography/Geospatial Information Science, Psychology, Public Health, or Sociology.
Restriction: Students are not permitted to double-major or double-degree with Social Data Science and the BSOS major associated with their track area. Students are permitted to double-major or double-degree with another BSOS major outside their Social Data Science track. Students in the Public Health track may double-major or double-degree with any School of Public Health major.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Design, execute, document, and disseminate research that applies tools and methods from data science to address a social science research question
- Develop expertise in specific contemporary social science theories and data science approaches to tackling research questions related to these theories
- Apply findings from social data science research to analyze the policy and design of socio-technical systems
- Identify and analyze social, legal, and ethical and equity issues in social data science work and in the profession
Major course requirements consist of core courses and track area courses in one of the following tracks: African American Studies, Anthropology, Economics, Geographical Sciences, Government & Politics, Psychology, Public Health, or Sociology. Students are not permitted to double-major or double-degree with Social Data Science and the BSOS major associated with their track area. Students are permitted to double-major or double-degree with another BSOS major outside their Social Data Science track. Students in the Public Health track may double-major or double-degree with any School of Public Health major. Both core courses and track courses include benchmark courses. Failure of a student to complete both sets of benchmark courses within the timeline indicated may result in probation and/or dismissal from the major. Benchmark I courses must be completed with a C- or higher within the first two semesters of the program. Benchmark II courses must be completed within the first three semesters of the program.
Social Data Sciences Requirements
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Benchmark I Core Courses: | ||
| SDSB123 | Social Data Science: Pathways and Applications | 1 |
| SDSB233 | Data Science for Social Science (Data Science for Social Science) | 3 |
| STAT100 | Elementary Statistics and Probability | 3 |
| Math Course (Based on Track Requirement): | 3 | |
For African-American Studies, Anthropology, Government & Politics, and Sociology Tracks: | ||
| Precalculus | ||
For Economics, Geographical Sciences, Psychology, and Public Health Tracks: | ||
| Elementary Calculus I | ||
| Additional Core Courses: | ||
| SDSB326 | Python Programming for the Social Sciences (Python Programming for the Social Sciences) | 3 |
| INST327 | Database Design and Modeling | 3 |
| INST366 | Privacy, Security and Ethics for Big Data | 3 |
| INST414 | Data Science Techniques | 3 |
| INST462 | Introduction to Data Visualization | 3 |
| SDSB340 | Introduction to Survey Methodology | 3 |
| Core Elective | ||
| Select one from the approved list of electives | 3 | |
| Capstone | ||
| Choose one | 3 | |
| Integrated Capstone for Social Data Science (Integrated Capstone for Social Data Science) | ||
SDSI496 | (Research Capstone for Social Data Science) | |
| Track Area Courses (see below for specific requirements) | 18-21 | |
| Total Credits | 52-55 | |
African American Studies Track
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Benchmark II Track Courses: | ||
| AAAS101 | Public Policy and the Black Community | 3 |
| Track I Requirement: | ||
| AAAS210 | Intro to Research Design and Analysis in African American and Africana Studies | 3 |
| AAAS395 | Fundamentals of Quantitative Research in Socio-Cultural Perspective | 3 |
| or INST314 | Statistics for Information Science | |
| Track II Requirement: | ||
| Nine credits from the following list: | 9 | |
| Applied Policy Analysis and the Black Community | ||
| African Slave Trade | ||
| Poverty and African American Children | ||
| Selected Topics in the African Diaspora | ||
| Directed Readings in African American and Africana Studies | ||
| Classic Readings in African American and Africana Studies | ||
| Black Resistance Movements | ||
| Science, Technology, and the Black Community | ||
| Law and the Black Community | ||
| Special Topics in Black Culture | ||
| Advanced Topics in Public Policy and the Black Community | ||
| Total Credits | 18 | |
Anthropology Track
Students in the Anthropology track choose one of three tracks: Health, Heritage, or Environment.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Anthropology-Health Track | ||
| Benchmark II Anthropology-Health Track Courses: | ||
| ANTH210 | Introduction to Medical Anthropology and Global Health | 3 |
| Anthropology-Health Track I Requirement: | ||
| INST314 | Statistics for Information Science | 3 |
| ANTH310 | Method & Theory in Medical Anthropology and Global Health | 3 |
| Anthropology-Health Track II Requirement: | ||
| Nine credits from the following list: | 9 | |
| Global Migration and Health | ||
| Hypermarginality and Urban Health | ||
| Health Inequities, Care, and Justice in the United States | ||
| Critical Global Health | ||
| Anthropology of Global Violence | ||
| Anthropology-Heritage Track | ||
| Benchmark II Anthropology-Heritage Track Courses: | ||
| ANTH240 | Introduction to Archaeology | 3 |
| INST314 | Statistics for Information Science | 3 |
| Anthropology-Heritage Track I Requirement: | ||
| ANTH340 | Method and Theory in Archaeology | 3 |
| Anthropology-Heritage Track II Requirement: | ||
| Nine credits from the following list: | 9 | |
| Introduction to Zooarchaeology | ||
| Theory and Practice of Historical Archaeology | ||
| Archaeology of Diaspora | ||
| Material Culture Studies in Archaeology | ||
| Special Topics in Archaeology | ||
| Environmental Archaeology | ||
| Anthropology of Cultural Heritage | ||
| Field Methods in Archaeology | ||
| Anthropology-Environment Track | ||
| Bookmark II Anthropology-Environment Track Courses: | ||
| ANTH222 | Introduction to Ecological and Evolutionary Anthropology | 4 |
| INST314 | Statistics for Information Science | 3 |
| Anthropology-Environment Track I Requirement: | ||
| ANTH322 | Method and Theory in Ecological Anthropology | 3 |
| Anthropology-Environment Track II Requirement: | ||
| Nine credits from the following list: | 9 | |
ANTH450 | ||
| Political Ecology | ||
| Researching Environment and Culture | ||
Criminology Track
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Benchmark II Courses | ||
| CCJS100 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| Track I Requirements | ||
| CCJS105 | Introduction to Criminology | 3 |
| CCJS200 | Statistics for Criminology and Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CCJS300 | Criminological and Criminal Justice Research Methods | 3 |
| Track II Requirements | ||
| Choose 6 credits from the list below | 6 | |
| Introduction to Criminalistics | ||
| Policing | ||
| Corrections | ||
| Courts and Sentencing | ||
| Domestic Violence | ||
| Drugs and Crime | ||
| Victimology | ||
| Gangs | ||
| Seminar in Criminology and Criminal Justice | ||
| Advanced Law Enforcement Administration | ||
| Advanced Juvenile Delinquency | ||
| Crime and Delinquency Prevention | ||
| Contemporary Criminological Theory | ||
| Total Credits | 18 | |
Economics Track
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Benchmark II Track Courses: | ||
| ECON200 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| Track I Requirement: | ||
| ECON201 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| ECON230 | Applied Economic Statistics | 3 |
| ECON305 | Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory and Policy | 4 |
| or ECON306 | Intermediate Microeconomic Theory & Policy | |
| Track II Requirement: 1 | ||
| Six credits of ECON coursework at the 300-400 levels selected from the approved course list 2 | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 19 | |
- 1
The course taken for the Track I requirement may not also be used for the Track II requirement. No double-count for these two categories.
- 2
See the program website for a listing of courses that count for this elective category.
Geographical Sciences Track
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Benchmark II Track Courses: | ||
| GEOG202 | Introduction to Human Geography | 3 |
| Track I Requirement: | ||
| GEOG306 | Introduction to Quantitative Methods for the Geographical Environmental Sciences | 3 |
| GEOG373 | Geographic Information Systems | 3 |
| Track II Requirement: | ||
| 9 credits from the following list (six must be at the 400-level): | 9 | |
| Principles of Python Programming and Geocomputing | ||
| As the World Turns: Society and Sustainability in a Time of Great Change | ||
| Introduction to Human Dimensions of Global Change | ||
| The Social Geography of Metropolitan Areas in Global Perspective | ||
| Artificial Intelligence for Spatial Data | ||
| Land Use, Climate Change, and Sustainability | ||
| Conceptualizing and Modeling Human-Environmental Interactions | ||
| Changing Geographies of Sub-Saharan Africa | ||
| Culture and Natural Resource Management | ||
| Spatial Econometrics | ||
| Algorithms for Geospatial Computing | ||
| Geographic Information Systems and Spatial Analysis | ||
| Geographic Visualization and Digital Mapping | ||
| Total Credits | 18 | |
Government and Politics Track
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Benchmark II Track Courses: | ||
| GVPT170 | American Government | 3 |
| Track I Requirement: | ||
| GVPT200 | International Political Relations | 3 |
| GVPT201 | Scope and Methods for Political Science Research | 3 |
| GVPT320 | Advanced Empirical Research | 3 |
| Track II Requirement: | ||
| Any six credits of GVPT coursework at the 300- or 400- levels | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 18 | |
Psychology Track
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Benchmark II Track Courses: | ||
| PSYC100 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| Track I Requirement: | ||
| PSYC200 | Statistical Methods in Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC300 | Research Methods in Psychology Laboratory | 4 |
| Track II Requirement: 1 | ||
| Nine credits of PSYC coursework at the 300 or 400-level. | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 19 | |
- 1
Courses taken for the Track I requirement may not also be used for the Track II requirement. No double-count for these two categories.
Public Health Track
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Benchmark II Track Courses: | ||
| SPHL100 | Foundations of Public Health | 3 |
| Track I Requirement: | ||
| EPIB301 | Epidemiology for Public Health Practice | 3 |
| EPIB315 | Biostatistics for Public Health Practice | 3 |
| HLTH200 | Introduction to Research in Community Health | 3 |
| Track II Requirement: | ||
| Nine credits from the following list: | 9 | |
| Introduction to Infectious Disease Epidemiology | ||
| Introduction to Programming in R | ||
| Maternal, Child and Family Health | ||
| Children in Families | ||
| Violence in Families | ||
| Introduction to Health Policy and Services | ||
| Redesigning Mental Health Services | ||
| Redesigning Health Care: Developing a Clinic to Meet Community Needs | ||
| Human Sexuality | ||
| Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Health | ||
| Health Literacy in Action | ||
| Introduction to Public Health Informatics | ||
| Multicultural Population Health | ||
| Zip Code: Prediction of Physical Activity & Health | ||
| Food, Policy, and Public Health | ||
| Total Credits | 21 | |
Sociology Track
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Benchmark II Track Courses: | ||
| SOCY100 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| Track I Requirement: | ||
| SOCY201 | Introductory Statistics for Sociology | 4 |
| SOCY202 | Introduction to Research Methods in Sociology | 4 |
| Track II Requirement: | ||
| Nine credits of SOCY coursework at the 300 or 400-level | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 20 | |
Click here for roadmaps for graduation plans in the College of Information.
Additional information on developing a graduation plan can be found on the following pages:
- http://4yearplans.umd.edu
- the Student Academic Success-Degree Completion Policy section of this catalog