Undergraduate Degrees

B.S. in Computational Social Science

This major prepares students to understand, engage with, and innovatively solve evolving, complex multi-scale challenges such as climate change, transnational political violence, cybersecurity and privacy, social polarization, and inequality. This major will draw on and enhance Pitt’s strength in both social science theory, broadly construed, as well as computing, informatics, and networked systems. Students will gain an understanding of modern computational tools and resources, and social, political, and economic concepts from core social science classes.

What can you do with a degree in computational social science?

Students have a broad range of professional opportunities. Many students go on to pursue graduate degrees in information science, social science, and data science, and to work in fields like consulting, tech, start-ups, analytics firms, non-profits, and beyond.

View full computational social science degree requirements in the Pitt Course Catalog.

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Required Courses

CSS Class Courses

Choose one of the following courses:

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Social Science Courses

Choose one of the following courses:

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Computational Approaches and Basic Tools

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Then choose two of the following courses:

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  • *Students can take INFSCI 0201 - INTERMEDIATE PROGRAMMING WITH PYTHON instead of CMPINF 0401.

Social Science Research Design Course

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Modeling Social Interactions and Motivations Courses

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Computational Skills Classes

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Choose two courses from the following:

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Students will delve deeper into their domain specialization with two classes. One class should pair with the theme chosen for the student's Introductory Social Science Class (under Core Courses). Students then choose another substantive class that can be outside the previous theme. Students should refer to the major's academic advisement (degree progress) report for a complete list of course options.

The major culminates in the production of a research project that uses computational tools to create: an online, interactive data visualization; a replicable research report that uses unstructured data; or a module/library. In all cases, the project will engage with or help to resolve an important social problem. This project can be created through independent or directed research, or in a relevant course. All students will present their projects as digital posters to faculty, alumni, and potential employers from around the Pittsburgh area at an end-of-the-year event.