THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
C3S2 pedagogy emphasizes that computation should deepen, not replace, social science inquiry.
Faculty oversight ensures that students learn to connect technical skills with questions of meaning, power, and human behavior. Courses and workshops emphasize theory-driven methods, ethical reflection, and experiential learning that connect classroom instruction to real-world research challenges. In this way, faculty leadership sustains C3S2’s commitment to producing researchers rather than technicians, advancing a model of computational social science that is analytically sophisticated, conceptually rich, and socially engaged.
Going forward, C3S2 will align and grow pedagogical programs across the pipeline: It will launch a new undergraduate major in Computational Social Science and become the new home of the GIScience Minor; it will strengthen the MACSS program through the addition of thematic tracks and capstone partnerships; and it will extend the SISRM program and inaugurate a Summer Institute that brings external participants to campus, providing a platform for both pedagogical and public engagement. This work deepens existing collaborations (e.g., KnowledgeLab; MACSS–spatial data science initiatives) and ensures that curricular innovation keeps pace with research.
Masters in Computational Social Science
With disciplinary backgrounds spanning the social, physical, and natural sciences and varied expertise in computational methods and programming, MACSS students acquire the knowledge and skills to innovate in and across social science fields. Immersed in a community of scholars across the social and behavioral sciences as well as computer science, the program’s flexible curriculum offers opportunities to tailor coursework and research interests for a distinctively UChicago degree.
Graduate Certificate
The Computational Social Science Certificate provides an innovative, cutting-edge approach to computational skills valuable to students looking to deepen their research skills or develop a competitive portfolio for industry positions. The certificate is designed to complement the student’s training at the University of Chicago, allowing them to broaden their methodological expertise and apply this across a range of social scientific domains.
Undergraduate Programs
At the University of Chicago, undergraduates can explore Computational Social Science—a growing field that combines the rigor of social science inquiry with the power of computational tools such as machine learning, big data analytics, and simulation. UChicago undergraduates can explore computational social science through the college minor or the 4+1 Program pathway to a master’s degree. In both, students gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge methods and technologies that are reshaping how we understand human behavior and society. These programs prepare students to think critically across disciplines, conduct innovative research, and graduate with a competitive edge in both academic and applied careers.