Graduate Programs
department

Social Data Analytics

Brown’s one-year, on-campus master’s in social data analytics prepares students with advanced skills in data collection and analysis, crucial for careers in market research, policy and beyond.

Brown’s one-year, on-campus master’s in social data analytics prepares students with advanced skills in data collection and analysis, crucial for careers in market research, policy and beyond.

In today's data-driven world, mastering the ability to analyze large-scale data on human behavior and interactions opens doors to diverse careers in market research, policy, social sciences and financial analysis. Brown’s master’s in social data analytics offers tailored training, making it an ideal choice for early-career students with a background in statistics and social science to excel in these thriving fields.

This program offers the following degree: 

  • Master of science (Sc.M.): Coursework and an optional intensive research internship

Distinguished by rigorous training in quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection and analysis, the program’s curriculum emphasizes spatial analysis, market research and advanced multivariate methods for population analysis and behavioral modeling. Taught by internationally renowned researchers, you’ll benefit from personalized supervision for data analytic research on faculty projects or with external organizations — providing firsthand experience applying these techniques to real-world data in the social sciences.

Application Information

If you have any questions regarding the application process for this program, please email masters_admissions@brown.edu.

Application Requirements

GRE General:

Required; the GRE General Test at home version is accepted

TOEFL/IELTS:

Required for any non-native English speaker who does not have a degree from an institution where English is the sole language of instruction or from a University in the following countries: Australia, Bahamas, Botswana, Cameroon, Canada (except Quebec), Ethiopia, Ghana, Ireland, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, New Zealand, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Tanzania, Gambia, Uganda, United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales), West Indies, Zambia).

The TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition and the IELTS Indicator exam are accepted. Students from mainland China may submit the TOEFL ITP Plus exam.

Official Transcripts:

Required. All applicants may upload unofficial transcripts for application submission. Official transcripts are ONLY required for enrolling students before class start. An international transcript evaluation (WES, ECE, or SpanTran) is required for degrees from non-U.S. institutions before enrollment.

Letters of Recommendations:

Three (3) recommendations required

Personal Statement:

600-1000 word personal statement that gives your reasons to pursue graduate work in the field of your study. The statement should include examples of your past work in your chosen field, your plans for study at Brown, issues and problems you would like to address in your field and your professional goals.

Resume/CV:

Required

Dates/Deadlines

Application Deadline

5th Year Deadline

Tuition and Funding

Graduate Tuition & Fees: Please visit the Bursar's Office for up-to-date tuition rates.

Completion Requirements

The master's program in Social Data Analytics is a terminal degree program designed to be completed in two semesters. The program requires eight courses including an optional intensive Research Internship that is attached to a faculty Directed Research Practicum. Brown undergraduates who enter the program as fifth–year master's students are allowed to use up to two undergraduate courses to count towards the eight credit requirements if the courses are among the required or elective courses for the program. All entering students are required to have (1) a one–semester introductory statistics course (SOC 1100 Introductory Statistics for Social Research or an equivalent), (2) a more advanced course in statistics or a course in college calculus (MATH 0050 and 0060, or MATH 0090 or an equivalent), and (3) a one–semester course in research methods (SOC 1020 Methods of Social Research or an equivalent).

Alumni Careers

Graduates develop the pragmatic and logical skills that prepare them for a career in social research, whether basic research (such as found in academia or research institutions) or applied (such as found in policy and market research).

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Leadership

Department Chair
Sandra Barnes
Director of Graduate Studies
David Lindstrom
Associate Director
Carrie Spearin

Contact and Location

Department of Sociology

Mailing Address

Brown University
Box 1916
Visit the Department of Sociology

Resources