Course Descriptions

SOC611 Sociology in Action: Theories and Applications
This course introduces sociology as an applied analytical framework for understanding and addressing complex social problems. It emphasizes the practical use of sociological theories to analyse issues such as inequality, technological change, demographic shifts, and environmental challenges, linking theory with research, policy, and public discourse.

SOC612 Data Analytics for Social Research
This course introduces the principles and practices of social data analytics, combining conceptual foundations with hands-on experience in analysing large and complex social datasets. Students learn to use R and Python to clean, visualise, and analyse data, while critically reflecting on the ethical implications of data analytics.

SOC613 Applied Analytical Statistics for Social Scientists
This course provides an application-oriented introduction to statistical reasoning in the social sciences, covering multivariate analysis, regression techniques, and basic causal inference. Students develop skills to formulate research questions, apply appropriate methods, and interpret quantitative findings using real-world social data.

SOC615 Topical Seminars
This seminar-based course introduces students to current research in sociology and data analytics through faculty-led and invited talks. Students engage with data-driven studies across diverse topics and reflect on how sociological theory and empirical research are integrated in practice.

SOC616 Social Theory in the Digital Era
This course examines how classical and contemporary sociological theories can be used to analyse social transformations driven by digital technologies. Key topics include platform society, algorithmic governance, digital labour, surveillance, and online identity, linking theory with empirical case studies.

SOC617 Social Network Analysis
This course offers a hands-on introduction to the analysis and visualisation of social networks. Students learn to work with relational data and interpret network patterns such as centrality, clustering, and diffusion using real-world social applications.

SOC618 Machine Learning with Social Data
This course introduces machine learning methods for analysing social data, focusing on how algorithms can reveal, predict, and sometimes reproduce social patterns. Students gain practical experience with supervised and unsupervised models while engaging with issues of fairness and interpretability.

SOC619 Sociology & Data Analytics Research Project
This capstone course enables students to design and conduct an applied sociological research project that integrates theoretical reasoning with data analytics. Working in pairs, students analyse primary or secondary data and communicate their findings in a professional research report.

SOC607 Applied Survey Methodology

This course introduces the principles of survey design and implementation for social research and policy analysis. Students learn questionnaire construction, data processing, and basic statistical analysis, with an emphasis on scientific integrity and practical application.

SOC608 Qualitative Methods for Policy Analysis

This course explores qualitative research methods commonly used in social policy, including interviews, ethnography, content analysis, and focus groups. It emphasizes research design, ethical practice, and analytical skills for policy-relevant qualitative inquiry.

CDS539 Natural Language Processing

This course provides an introduction to Natural Language Processing, covering key text analysis tasks such as classification, summarisation, topic modelling, and question answering, alongside an overview of contemporary computational approaches.

CDS542 Data Visualization

This course introduces fundamental principles and tools for transforming complex data into effective visual representations. Through hands-on projects, students learn data preparation, visual design, and storytelling using widely used visualisation platforms.