​Data, Policy and Society​

Master of Science

Postgraduate Diploma

Postgraduate Certificate

Master of Science, Postgraduate Diploma, Postgraduate Certificate

PSDTPS

Dissertation

Compulsory

Elective

Core Elective

Core

Taught modules 

Programme Structure

The social and technological are merging in arguably unprecedented ways. Computational and data-centric systems are pervasive in contemporary life, just as the technological capacities for enumeration, modelling and prediction are now entangled with virtually everything from people&#39;s daily interactions to political and democratic structures. Not only is computation playing a greater role in online, social interaction, it is shaping how publics, industries, practitioners, researchers, politicians, make sense of and act in the world.  
 
The MSc Data, Policy and Society invites a new kind of professional. One both trained in the technicalities of data-centric systems and skilled in the application of social research and critical scholarship. Knowing how to design fairer and more equitable digital technologies and flourishing societies, demands both an understanding of how the data and digital operate and the ways that such technologies remediate or enact the social. 
 
The MSc Data, Policy and Society is taught by specialists from across social and data science. You will be equipped with a richer critical and ethical understanding of today’s computing industry, the social, political, and economic relations it increasingly helps scaffold. This is significant, given the growing interest tech companies or government bodies, for instance, have in understanding the social impact of their products or policies, and, therefore, employing individuals who understand and can draw on a range of data analysis and research methods that are rooted in sociological knowledge, human-computer interaction, politics and ethics. This innovative and forward-facing programme will provide you with a range of methodological skills and theoretical insights that can be applied in positions in industry or government such as social policy advisers and qualitative/quantitative data researchers in government, data-focused think-tanks and NGOs, user experience analyst, data policy adviser, data and reporting analyst, data insight manager, data strategy and performance officer. 
The part time route of academic study is intended to provide those of you who have pressing family or work commitments, with more time to reach the required level of study. While the content of the course is the same as the full-time route, the duration is different. You will deliver your dissertation in December not September.  
Part-time study occurs over two years. You receive support through the personal tutor and seminar system. Guided reading and study skills help is provided. You are encouraged to participate fully in the staff seminar and public lecture programme and, of course, in Departmental and School Social Events.

Demonstrate an ability to engage effectively with and manage the ethical, social, political, legal, and technical implications that arise at the intersection of technology and digital data. 

Knowledge

Undertake independent and original research in the field of digital and computational sociology and present findings effectively. 

Skills

Challenge prevailing explanations surrounding topics and controversies in digital and computational sociology. 

Analyse and interpret various types of research evidence with a critical perspective. 

Collect relevant information to address inquiries related to digital and computational sociology. 

Explain the various ways in which computation now influences diverse aspects of everyday life, encompassing publics, industries, practitioners, theorists, and politicians. 

Generate precise explanations and critically analyse research findings and complex texts across multiple contexts. 

Adhere to the rules and regulations of City.  

Values and attitudes

Evaluate intricate arguments, their factual basis, and determine the value and relevance of these ideas through reasoned judgments. 

Organise an extensive body of knowledge on contemporary technology industries and the sociological issues arising from them. 

Respect your peers, value their work and be conscious of the need to avoid plagiarism.  

Develop an advanced understanding of current issues in digital and computational sociology and assess a diverse range of approaches to address them. 

Critically evaluate data-centric systems. 

Analyse and evaluate the methodologies employed by digital sociologists to investigate emerging technologies and data-centric systems within the context of everyday life. 

Construct coherent arguments and provide policy recommendations when appropriate. 

Identify and evaluate empirical research findings in the realm of digital and computational sociology. 

Strategize and evaluate criminal justice interventions in various contexts. 

Critically assessing and applying research approaches grounded in digital and computational sociology and construct appropriate research methodologies for applied research projects.   

Show consideration for the ethical and political implications of criminological perspectives.  

Compare and contrast policy solutions that shape the structure of computational systems and the societal impact of data in both public and private contexts. Construct policy ideas building on this knowledge. 

PSDTPS - Data, Policy and Society

The MSc Data, Policy and Society is taught by specialists from across social science and data science. The content will equip you with a rich critical and ethical understanding of today’s technology industries.

The educational aims are achieved through a combination of lectures, interactive sessions, practical workshops, and small group classes. You will have access to online resources—ranging from digital ana digitised readings to class recordings, guided exercises in critical reading designed to facilitate self-directed learning and chat fora for interacting with staff and peers—through Moodle, the online virtual learning environment at City. You are encouraged to undertake extensive reading to understand the topics covered in lectures and classes and to broaden and deepen your knowledge of the subject. 
The Department of Sociology and Criminology also runs a personal tutorial system that provides you with additional support for your learning. Your personal tutor is your first point of contact should you encounter any problems affecting your studies.  
The part time route of academic study is intended to provide you with more time to reach the required level of study should you be unable to commit to full-time study. The content of the part-time route is the same as the full-time route, but the duration is different. Taught modules are spread out over two academic years (one academic year for full-time study), and you will be given an extra term at the end of the two academic years to submit your dissertation. You will receive support through the personal tutor system. Guided reading ad study skills help is provided. You will be encouraged to participate fully in the staff seminar and public lecture programme and, of course, in Departmental and School Social Events.

Curriculum Catalogue

Data, Policy and Society - MSc

PSDTPS