Social and Geographic Data Science MSc

With growing demand for experts who can interpret spatial and social data, this course equips students with the analytical and technical skills to thrive in social and geographical data science. You’ll study at the intersection of computing, spatial statistics, machine learning, GeoAI and the social sciences, tackling challenges in domains such as urban planning, mobility, public health, and environmental management. You’ll work with leading researchers at UCL and benefit from links to institutions such as the Consumer Data Research Centre and the Alan Turing Institute. This course prepares you for data-driven careers in government, industry, research, and NGOs. The programme aims to give you a rigorous training in the tools and theories that underpin modern data science, with a focus on spatial and social applications in areas such as urban planning, transport, public health, and environmental management. You will gain core expertise in geographic information systems (GIS), spatial analysis, statistical learning, GeoAI, data storytelling and computational social science, with the flexibility to explore advanced topics such as cartography, remote sensing, citizen science, causal inference and urban analytics. The programme equips graduates with the critical, technical, and analytical skills needed to understand and address real-world challenges using spatial and social data, and to navigate the ethical and policy contexts in which data science operates. This programme is ideal for students with a quantitative background in social science who are interested in developing advanced skills in data analysis and geographic information science. It will also appeal to professionals with experience in data science, GIS, social data science or computing seeking to enhance their expertise.