2020 MSc Social Data Science

Hey edward! I have applied for the November deadline at Kebble college. I have put a lot of effort on my application for this course as this i just my dream programme. Can I ask what's your background? I am currently into third year of the Business Manamegent undergraduate degree at the University of Surrey, predicted first. I also have considerable experience with data analysis and programming, which I learnt in my free time but with great success (I believe). I also have one year of related working experience.

My obvious concern is my undergraduate degree. I have the feeling that Business Management degrees are often perceived as 'not enough' to transition to a more quantitative discipline like Social Data Science (or any non business-related discipline really), which obviously requires undegraduate understanding of math. This seems to be the case for all the master programmes that I would love to attend, which is really demotivating and made me question my undergraduate choice in the first place.

However, thanks for the post and I hope more students will participate :smile:

it would also be intereting to know when the decisions will be made for the November deadline.

Reply 2

edwardsaid

OP

Original post by Attol8

Hey edward! I have applied for the November deadline at Kebble college. I have put a lot of effort on my application for this course as this i just my dream programme. Can I ask what's your background? I am currently into third year of the Business Manamegent undergraduate degree at the University of Surrey, predicted first. I also have considerable experience with data analysis and programming, which I learnt in my free time but with great success (I believe). I also have one year of related working experience.

My obvious concern is my undergraduate degree. I have the feeling that Business Management degrees are often perceived as 'not enough' to transition to a more quantitative discipline like Social Data Science (or any non business-related discipline really), which obviously requires undegraduate understanding of math. This seems to be the case for all the master programmes that I would love to attend, which is really demotivating and made me question my undergraduate choice in the first place.

However, thanks for the post and I hope more students will participate :smile:

it would also be intereting to know when the decisions will be made for the November deadline.

Hey Attol8! My background is actually in political science and Middle East studies. I graduated summa *** laude with highest honors (GPA >3.8 and thesis grade of A) from a top US liberal arts college this past May. I have taken classes in quantitative subjects and gotten good grades in all of them, including Intro to Computer Science (Python), Intro to Data Science (R), Economic Statistics (Stata), Linear Algebra and Multivariable Calculus. I'm currently doing an internship with a foreign policy/national security think tank in Washington, DC.

I got into the interview round last year and I found the interview difficult because I was unprepared and I failed to familiarize myself with ethical issues and trends within social data science. I remember an interviewer said that many of the people who applied were qualified but was rejected in the first round of screening because their background was not a good fit. They wanted people who are interested in applying data science into social science research rather than just applications into business analytics. I imagine with your background you should really emphasize your interest in the social implications of big data and extrapolate lessons from your undergrad degree on the social sciences. And they were really interested in multidisciplinary research and what you think of it.

Reply 3

Just_looking97

Original post by edwardsaid

Hey Attol8! My background is actually in political science and Middle East studies. I graduated summa *** laude with highest honors (GPA >3.8 and thesis grade of A) from a top US liberal arts college this past May. I have taken classes in quantitative subjects and gotten good grades in all of them, including Intro to Computer Science (Python), Intro to Data Science (R), Economic Statistics (Stata), Linear Algebra and Multivariable Calculus. I'm currently doing an internship with a foreign policy/national security think tank in Washington, DC.

I got into the interview round last year and I found the interview difficult because I was unprepared and I failed to familiarize myself with ethical issues and trends within social data science. I remember an interviewer said that many of the people who applied were qualified but was rejected in the first round of screening because their background was not a good fit. They wanted people who are interested in applying data science into social science research rather than just applications into business analytics. I imagine with your background you should really emphasize your interest in the social implications of big data and extrapolate lessons from your undergrad degree on the social sciences. And they were really interested in multidisciplinary research and what you think of it.

Thanks for the precious insights Edward :smile:

you have a really competitive background, and I wish you all the best with your application!! The social science side of this MSc course is definitely what attracts me the most. I am aware that the mainstream approach is to use data to solve business problems, but there is a countless amount of academic fields in which Data Science techniques can provide valuable insights. I haven't found many masters degrees focused specifically towards this aspect of social data, which makes this one even more unique.

Another concern I have is the high amount of applicants for places available, but this is Oxford so high competition is somehow expected. Have you also applied for the November deadline?

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 4

edwardsaid

OP

Original post by Attol8

Thanks for the precious insights Edward :smile:

you have a really competitive background, and I wish you all the best with your application!! The social science side of this MSc course is definitely what attracts me the most. I am aware that the mainstream approach is to use data to solve business problems, but there is a countless amount of academic fields in which Data Science techniques can provide valuable insights. I haven't found many masters degrees focused specifically towards this aspect of social data, which makes this one even more unique.

Another concern I have is the high amount of applicants for places available, but this is Oxford so high competition is somehow expected. Have you also applied for the November deadline?

I suspect that most of the rejected applicants were more interested in data science broadly speaking, rather than social data science specifically. I remember only 40 or so people got past the first screening to the interviews. But it is a very competitive program and they really challenge you during the interviews.

Reply 5

NLSeaWave

4

Hey guys, I applied for the MSc in Social Science of the Internet, figured they might send interview invites out around the same time so lmk if you guys get one and I'll do the same.

Reply 6

pl3

1

Applied in Nov for MSc in Social Data Science as well, anyone had interviews yet? was hoping to hear something this week.

Reply 7

pl3

1

Original post by xjincomm

Just hear from the applicant of last year, they received the interview invitation on 6 Dec

Do you know if anyone's got an invitation this year? If we don't hear from them by tomorrow, probably have to wait until after new years

Reply 8

Original post by pl3

Do you know if anyone's got an invitation this year? If we don't hear from them by tomorrow, probably have to wait until after new years

I applied for nov deadline and the status is still ready for assessment

Reply 9

Original post by xjincomm

No "can be or already been assessed by department"? Mine is "been"

It is ready for assessment

Reply 10

Original post by xjincomm

Attachment not found

Does you status the same as mine?

Yes we are the same!

Reply 11

sim2222

2

Do you guys think there are no interviews this year?

Reply 12

Original post by sim2222

Do you guys think there are no interviews this year?

Did you get any news from them?

Reply 13

sim2222

2

Original post by mahiroyo

Did you get any news from them?

No! I am freaking out, I just got rejected from LSE after the waiting list for the same course.. I waited 2 months for the decision. I'm about to die of anxiety ngl. Do you have any idea if there are interviews this year/when the decision may come? I applied for the November deadline

Reply 14