Computational Social Science Concentration

Accelerated MAIS in Interdisciplinary Studies

Interdisciplinary Studies homepage

Merging social science with computer programming and modeling

Catalog Year: 2023-2024

Banner Code: LA-MA-ACEL-MAIS-CSS

The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on program requirements and courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes. Requirements may be different for earlier catalog years. See the University Catalog archives.

 

Bachelor's Degree (any)/Interdisciplinary Studies, Accelerated MAIS (Computational Social Science Concentration)

Overview

Highly-qualified undergraduates may be admitted to the  bachelor's/accelerated master's program and obtain a BS/BA in a chosen major and a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (MAIS) with a concentration in Computational Social Science in an accelerated time-frame after satisfactory completion of a minimum of 144 credits.

See AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degrees for policies related to thie program. 

Students in an accelerated degree program must fulfill all university requirements for the master's degree. For policies governing all graduate degrees, see AP.6 Graduate Policies.

BAM Pathway Admission Requirements

Applicants to all graduate programs at George Mason University must meet the admission standards and application requirements for graduate study as specified in Graduate Admissions Policies and Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree policies. For information specific to this program, see Application Requirements and Deadlines on the departmental website.

The accelerated MAIS with a concentration in Computational Social Science is appropriate for students in a variety of majors. Ideally applicants will have undergraduate backgrounds in both computer science/computational data science and the social sciences or humanities. Applicants pursuing an undergraduate degree in computer science/computational data science should have completed at least one upper-division course in communications, conflict analysis and resolution, criminology, economics, geography, government, history, psychology, or sociology. Applicants pursuing undergraduate degrees in these or other majors should have completed at least one upper-division computer science or computational data science course.Students will be considered for admission into the BAM Pathway after completion of a minimum of 60 credits, and an overall minimum GPA of 3.50.

Students who are accepted into the BAM Pathway will be allowed to register for graduate level courses after successful completion of a minimum of 75 undergraduate credits.

Accelerated Master's Admission Requirements

Students already admitted in the BAM Pathway will be admitted to the MAIS program, if they have met the following criteria, as verified on the Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Transition form:

  • Minimum overall GPA of 3.50
  • Minimum grade of B in all advanced standing coursework
  • Successfully meeting Mason's requirements for undergraduate degree conferral (graduation) and completing the application for graduation.

Accelerated Pathway Requirements

To maintain the integrity and quality of both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs, undergraduate students interested in taking graduate courses must choose from the following:

Advanced Standing courses (up to 12 credits with a minimum grade of B in each)

  • CSS 600 Introduction to Computational Social Science (3 credits)
  • CSS 605 Object-Oriented Modeling in Social Science (3 credits)
  • CSS 610 Agent-based Modeling and Simulation (3 credits)
  • CSS 620 Origins of Social Complexity (3 credits)

Reserve Graduate Credit courses (up to 6 credits) taken while an undergraduate and will only count for the graduate degree program

  • CSS 600 Introduction to Computational Social Science (3 credits)
  • CSS 605 Object-Oriented Modeling in Social Science (3 credits)
  • CSS 610 Agent-based Modeling and Simulation (3 credits)
  • CSS 620 Origins of Social Complexity (3 credits)
  • CSS 625 Complexity Theory in the Social Sciences (3 credits)
  • CSS 645 Spatial Agent-Based Models of Human-Environment Interactions (3 credits)
  • CSS 692 Social Network Analysis (3 credits)

For more detailed information on coursework and timeline requirements see AP.6.7 Bachelor's Accelerated Master's Degree policies.