Program Overview

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Program Overview

The Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Social Data Science is a one-year, full-time programme that introduces students to fundamentals in quantitative social science research methods and state-of-the-art analytic approaches from the fields of statistics and machine learning.

Course Details

• Awards: NFQ Level 9
• Next Intake: September 2025
• Course Coordinator: Mr Michael Enearu
• Course Director: Dr Jeffrey Ziegler and Dr Tom Paskhalis
• Closing Date: 31st July 2025

Admission Requirements

Applicants will be expected to hold an upper second-class Honours (2.1) degree or higher from an established university. GPA scores of at least 3.3, or equivalent, are expected from international applicants. A background in a social science discipline or computer science, statistics, or other related discipline will be an advantage but is not required.

English Language Requirements

All applicants to Trinity are required to provide official evidence of proficiency in the English language. Applicants to this course are required to meet Band B (Standard Entry) English language requirements.

Course Structure

The Applied Social Data Science programme at Trinity College Dublin offers both an M.Sc. and a Postgraduate Diploma, as well as an M.Sc. top-up option for graduates of the Postgraduate Diploma programme. This one-year, full-time programme is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to apply data science techniques to real-world social problems, such as poverty, inequality, and social exclusion.

Course Content

The one-year programme covers a wide range of core modules which will help students expand their quantitative research methods toolkit.

• In their first semester, students will take modules in computer programming, applied statistical analysis, and research design.
• In their second semester, students will dig deeper by taking modules in machine learning, forecasting methods, and quantitative text analysis.
• All modules are taught around a weekly seminar with tutorial sessions and assessed with a mix of homework, exams, and research papers.
• Students are expected to bring their own laptop (Mac/Windows/Linux) for use in seminars and tutorials throughout the course. Tablets are not suitable for this course.

Career Opportunities

The Applied Social Data Science postgraduate diploma award from Trinity is expected to provide students with a competitive edge in the rapidly expanding job market for data scientists. Students will acquire valuable skills which are sought after in the high productivity sectors, including information technology, consulting, financial services, risk-assessment, logistics, as well as positions in government, NGOs, and academia.

Is This Course For Me?

This programme is for students with a strong interest in the social world and who wish to learn how to effectively apply cutting-edge quantitative methods to solve real-world political, economic, and social problems.

Course Fees

For a full list of postgraduate fees, please refer to the relevant section of the university's website.

Related Courses

• Applied Social Data Science (M.Sc.)
• Applied Social Research (M.Sc.)
• Child Protection and Welfare (M.Sc. / P.Grad.Dip.)
• Social Policy and Practice (Online) (P. Grad. Dip.)
• Social Work (M.S.W. / P.Grad.Dip.)