Program Information
The Social Data Analytics (SDA) Minor is the only degree program of its kind in Canada to provide the skills to effectively navigate, analyze and communicate 鈥渂ig data鈥� in the social science context.
With core courses taken from economics, political science, philosophy and linguistics, this minor provides students with a foundation in computational and statistical methods with an emphasis on the privacy, ethical, and societal issues surrounding technology and big data.
Where will it take you?
Skills in analyzing, interpreting and communicating data are in high demand. A minor in Social Data Analytics will help prepare you for careers such as:
- data scientist
- digital marketer
- market research analyst
- policy analyst
- social media analyst
What you'll learn
At the end of your minor you'll be able to:
- collect, analyze and critically evaluate lagre volumes of digitized, real-world data
- communicate data-driven insights to various audiences indlucing the public, scholarly community and policymakers
- create impactful visuals using R for data-driven storytelling
- respect and uphold the privacy and ethical concerns that have emerged in the big data era
Program requirements
Students must complete at least 27 units to complete an SDA minor. The required courses are:
- Data Visualization (SDA 100)
- Computational Text Analysis (LING or SDA 250)
- one required course in statistics (see course calendar)
- the Capstone Project Seminar (SDA 490) where students work in teams to apply their skills to a real-world social or policy problem
Elective courses can be taken outside these disciplines, providing students the opportunity to pursue their areas of interest within the field.
How to apply
We welcome undergraduate students from any 51社区黑料faculty. To declare your minor please email the SDA advisor at sda_adv@sfu.ca
"Social Data Analytics taught me where to gather data, how to analyze it, how to visualize it, and most importantly how to share my results with various audiences. I now use data effectively, both in my graduate research and as an analyst at a consulting firm."
Rachel Way, SDA Alumnus 2024
GET IN TOUCH
Curious about the program? Take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions or send us an email at sda_adv@sfu.ca.