About the program

In CEU’s bachelor’s degree program in Data Science and Society (DSS), students learn to address some of the key questions for humanity today using a unique combination of mathematics, computer science, data analysis, and social sciences. You will study with peers from around the world, learn to present your ideas and knowledge effectively, and prepare for exciting careers, all in beautiful Vienna.

Why choose the CEU Data Science and Society bachelor’s degree?

Because you will:

• earn an American and Austrian bachelor’s degree in four years
• enjoy the American college-style undergraduate experience, in Europe
• live in Vienna, consistently ranked among the world’s most livable cities
• study in another country via study abroad in year 3
• benefit from a private university education at a reasonable cost
• learn from world-class faculty in one of Europe’s top research universities
• access a wide variety of career paths

What job could you do with a BA/BSc in Data Science and Society?

• At a STARTUP, you could collect and analyze market research data to draw conclusions and develop a new targeted marketing campaign for your product.
• At a SOCIAL MEDIA CONSULTING COMPANY, you could develop algorithms to detect organized misinformation campaigns, and attempts to manipulate public opinion.
• In a PUBLIC HEALTH GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY, you could analyze in real-time the results of measures taken to contain a pandemic, devise appropriate strategies, and model the outcomes.
• At a CITY COUNCIL, you could monitor and explore citizen response to measures implemented by the council, such as mapping the mobility of people following a traffic or public transport initiative and make recommendations for new initiatives.
• At a POLLING AGENCY, you could design, conduct and interpret polls, contributing to the development of new ways to test public opinion.
• At an INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION, GOVERNMENT BODY, or THINK TANK, you could analyze the statistics of armed conflicts and model the spread of political unrest to inform decision-making.
• At a CLIMATE CHANGE NGO, you could help analyze statistical trends and interpret them for the public, or track the formation of public opinion in order to plan and organize effective campaigns or activities.
• As a SCIENTIST at a university or research institution, you can make use of your unique interdisciplinary makeup to pose and answer scientific questions about the behavior of societies and economies that take into account their emerging complexity, and form bridges between scientific disciplines.

What will you learn in CEU’s bachelor’s degree program in DSS?

You will be able to:

• take advantage of the vast amounts of data on human and societal behavior
• examine, explain and help answer global socioeconomical questions
• analyze data using rigorous quantitative theory, computational methods, and mathematical modeling
• draw conclusions derived from qualitative theory and methods from the social sciences
• present your analysis and ideas based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative arguments

Our unique program lies at the intersection between the major scientific disciplines of mathematics, computer science, statistics and the social sciences. We challenge students to combine these disciplines in order to gain insight into how the world works, in a manner that is not possible by focusing on each discipline in isolation. You’ll delve into some of the big questions using not only the quantitative tools of data science, but also the qualitative perspectives of sociology, economics, political science, and environmental science. You’ll need to think critically and come up with your own answers to understand how humans interact with each other and with their environment. We’ve tailored the program so that you will gain a solid foundation in mathematics, data analysis, and statistics as well as four pillars of the social sciences. Then you’ll use what you’ve learned to address issues that interest you most, and you’ll emerge with analytical skills and multifaceted knowledge that you can put to use in the real world. So if you want to:

• challenge yourself in the classroom and beyond
• become an active member of an emerging interdisciplinary scientific community
• tackle the world’s biggest problems using cutting-edge analytical methods
• make a difference using your unique quantitative and qualitative knowledge and skills
• open a world of career options

…then CEU’s undergraduate degree in Data Science and Society (DSS) is for you. In your first year, you’ll take a mandatory set of courses with your classmates for comprehensive training in mathematics, computational data analysis, statistics, and data science. You’ll pair that with the fundamentals of sociology, economics, environmental science, and political science. Later you’ll choose two specializations and focus on an issue you’re passionate about for your thesis research and another for your capstone project. After your first year, you’ll focus on your choice of two of the following:

• Sociology
• Economics
• Environmental Sciences
• Political Science
• Data Science

You’ll also be able to choose from mandatory and free electives and participate in a seminar series, where you’ll learn about current research and concrete applications of data science in academia and industry from researchers from different fields. This will enable you to bridge the gap between classroom material and real-world applications. It will also inspire you to address concrete issues in your research and thesis projects during the program.

Application deadlines:

• February 1, 2025: Priority deadline for all applicants. Final deadline for students who will require a study visa in Austria, and for those who wish to be considered for any financial support.
• April 15, 2025: Final application deadline for self-financing applicants from the EU/EEA only. Subject to space availability.