Bachelor of Science in Applied Sociology and Social Data Analytics

The undergraduate program in Applied Sociology and Social Data Analytics fills a gap in the educational market by preparing highly qualified professionals for careers that utilize applied sociology tools and social data analysis skills to tackle social, organizational, public health, marketing, consumption, and human resources challenges. Students will be equipped with key concepts and practical skills for data collection and analysis in a variety of fields, including applied sociology, sociology of consumption, economics, marketing, digital sociology, social data analysis, quantitative and qualitative methodology of data collection, data mining and big data analytics for the social sciences, public health, sociology of medicine, sociology of well-being, social policy, quality of life studies and life-style research. The program introduces students to concepts, methods, theories and tools that will enable them to tackle a wide variety of social challenges. With a wide offering of predominantly hands-on, lab-based courses, the program aims to produce students with the ability to apply sociological thinking and research methods in a variety of practical fields where there is a need to analyze, explain and predict human behavior. These include analyzing data on population and social trends for organizations in both public and private sectors; understanding consumer behavior; public opinion research; and policy development and management in the fields of public health, community development and social well-being. The graduates will be able to develop and run their own research projects, work out research designs, organize and implement social data collection, analyze and manage different types of social data, work out policy recommendations, implement policy interventions and evaluate their effectiveness. The distinctive features of the program in Applied Sociology and Social Data Analytics are: 1) the inclusion of three interdisciplinary cutting-edge concentrations; 2) a strong combination of grounded knowledge, applied skills and practical competences to enhance employability of the graduates; 3) a focus on research engagement of the students through onsite practical research projects

Program Objectives

• Knowledge of theoretical frameworks and methodologies in applied sociology and social data analysis
• Practical competences in use of cutting-edge qualitative and quantitative data analysis tools and software packages for social data analysis
• Capacity to design and implement research projects applying theoretical frameworks and methodologies in sociology and social data analysis.
• Application of ethical principles in conducting research
• Effective communication of research results
• Application of social data analysis in formulating policy recommendations and managerial decision-making

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

• Identify the theoretical frameworks of applied sociology applicable to the main trends and contemporary social challenges
• Design and implement research projects addressing contemporary social problems
• Demonstrate ethical awareness, the ability to do ethical reflection, and the ability to apply ethical principles in social research
• Collect and analyze social data employing quantitative and qualitative methodological tools
• Communicate the research findings in written and oral forms to diverse audiences
• Develop policy recommendations at different levels of expertise, including managerial solutions at organizational, municipal, regional, and national levels

Degree Requirements

Required Credit Hours : minimum 120 hours

General Education (Req. Ch: 33) Cluster 1: Skills for the Future (Req. Ch:15)

Cluster 2: The Human Community (Req. Ch:12)

Cluster 3: The Natural World (Req. Ch:6)

Compulsory Core Courses in ASSDA (45 credit hours)

Essential Soft Skills (9 – credit hours)

Concentrations

Concentration 1: Sociology of Consumption (Req. CH: 33)

Concentration 2: Social Policy Analysis (Req. CH: 33)

Concentration 3: Quality of Life Analysis (Req. CH:33)