BS Social Data Analytics at Pennsylvania State University

Programme overview

Social Data Analytics is an interdisciplinary major that prepares students to participate in both a research environment where “big data” is a major source of insight into social and political processes, and an economy increasingly organized around data analytics. Students completing the major will have the technical skills to handle, analyze, apply and present big data, and the disciplinary knowledge to draw valid inferences from such information to address real world problems.

Faculty: College of the Liberal Arts | Duration: minimum 120 credits | Study mode: full-time | Location: University Park, PA, United States

What you will study

The degree requires a minimum of 120 credits, including General Education and the requirements for the major. Required courses include Programming and Computation I: Fundamentals, Programming and Computation II: Data Structures, Object Oriented Programming with Web-Based Applications, Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science, Data Management for Data Sciences, Privacy and Security for Data Sciences.

Career pathways

Businesses and governments increasingly need employees who know how to handle, analyze and communicate with and about large and complex bodies of information. Glass Door described being a data scientist as the “best job in America” in 2016 because these positions are abundant and they command high salaries.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Admission to the major requires a grade of C or better in MATH 140 , MATH 141 , and CMPSC 131 and CMPSC 132 , and a grade of B or better in PLSC 309 . These courses must be completed by the end of the semester during which the admission to major process is carried out.

Undergraduate applications are accepted for Fall, Spring and Summer entry; the application opens August 1 for Fall and Summer and June 1 for Spring.

Early Action: apply by November 1 to receive a decision by December 24. Recommended submission deadline for all applications: December 1. Applicants apply through the MyPennState application or the Common App. A nonrefundable application fee is paid by credit card; fee waivers are available to eligible students.

Apply through the official page: https://admissions.psu.edu/apply/

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