M.Sc. in Social Data Science & Policy is a postgraduate programme offered by the School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. This programme is uniquely designed for students who are passionate about making a difference in the world and who want to learn to apply complex data science methods to inform policy and community decisions to solve social problems.
This course, among the only of its kind in India, strategically blends the fields of Data Science, Social Science, and Public Policy to prepare graduates to take on global issues, especially sustainable development in the Global South. Students will engage with critical topics related to social theory, national and international policy, economics, and sustainable development as well as technical skills in machine learning, programming, and other advanced data collection, management, and analysis techniques.
Social data and policy studies are interrelated fields that involve the use of the latest data and analytical techniques to understand and address social issues. Social data science involves the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data from social sources, such as surveys, censuses and administrative records, in order to understand and address social issues. Concurrently, policy studies utilises multiple forms of data to analyse public policies and their impacts, as well as the development of strategies and recommendations for improving policies.
Social data science and policy studies intersect in the context of policy analysis and evaluation, where data and analytical techniques are used to understand the impacts and effectiveness of different policies and interventions. Both fields are relevant for a wide range of organisations and sectors that are focused on addressing social issues, including government agencies, non-profit organisations, businesses, and academia.
The programme is unique in that students will have the opportunity to conduct field work in India’s diverse village and urban settings, gaining valuable experience in applying their skills to real-world contexts. Further, there are opportunities to collaborate with high-profile organisations, industries, and government offices to ensure more opportunities for placements post-graduation.
Graduates are prepared for careers in Government ministries and departments, international organisations, research institutions, private companies and consultancies, etc. as:
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– Issued In Public Interest By Directorate Of Admissions And Academic Outreach
Amrita School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (SSBS) and the MSc. Programme in Social Data Science and Policy offers students a unique and high-profile competitive advantage. Not only is this programme the only one of its kind in India, combining Data Sciences with Social Science and Public Policy, Amrita also leverages powerful collaboration with top-tier national and international organizations including: Government of India (MSDE, MWCD, NITI Aayog, CRPF, and more), State Governments (Kerala State Dept, Telangana TSSP, Odisha NABARD, and more), United Nations (UNESCO, UNICEF, UN Women), as well as a direct MoU for this MSc. Programme with the Centre for Research in Schemes and Policies (CRISP). We also have existing collaborations, exchange programmes, and MoUs with many top-ranked international universities including Tel Aviv University, University of Arizona, and SUNY Buffalo.
We are a new MSc. Programme under a well-established and internationally recognized School, with affiliation to India’s only UNESCO Chair in Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, and the Center for Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality (CWEGE) and AMMACHI Labs. We do innovative systems-oriented research and sustainable development initiatives that combine state-of-the-art technologies and data science with UNESCO-UNEVOC recognized best-practices in education and skill development. Under the leadership of the SSBS Advisory Committee, made up of renowned experts with multi-sectoral representation, this programme provides students with exposure and opportunities unique in India and around the world. Students will have an opportunity to join in nationally and internationally funded projects taking place across India where we work in the field with Indian villages, SC/ST communities, and vulnerable urban/peri-urban populations. To learn more about these exciting initiatives, please visit
Eligibility
Admission Procedure
Selection Process
For admissions to postgraduate programs, performance in the following is taken into account.
Note: Those who are appearing for the qualifying undergraduate examinations in May/June 2024 can also apply and notify us of the results when declared.
| Course Code | Course Title | LTP | Cr |
| 24SDS501 | Introduction to Social Data Science | 4 | |
| 24SDS502 | Economics for Public Policy | 4 | |
| 24SDS503 | Programming for Social Data Science I | 4 | |
| 24SDS504 | Research Methods for Policy Studies I | 4 | |
| 22ADM501 | Glimpses of Indian Culture | 2 0 1 | P/F |
| 24SDS505 | Immersive Data Collection | 3 | |
| Total | 19 | ||
| Course Code | Course Title | LTP | Cr |
| 24SDS511 | Sustainable Community Development | 4 | |
| 24SDS512 | Academic Writing & Communication | 3 | |
| 24SDS513 | Research Methods for Policy Studies II | 4 | |
| 24SDS514 | Programming for Social Data Science II | 4 | |
| Specialization I | 3 | ||
| *Amrita Values Program | 1 0 0 | 1 | |
| 22AVP103 | Mastery Over Mind | 2 | |
| Total | 21 | ||
| Course Code | Course Title | Cr |
| 24SDS601 | Behavioral Economics and Public Policy | 4 |
| 24SDS602 | Machine Learning for Social Data Science | 4 |
| 24SDS603 | Policy & Design Thinking | 3 |
| Specialization II | 3 | |
| 24SDS698 | Internship | 4 |
| Open Elective | 3 | |
| Total | 21 | |
| Course Code | Course Title | Cr | |
| 24SDS699 | Major Project/Dissertation | 14 | |
| Specialization III | 3 | ||
| Open Elective | 3 | ||
| Total | 20 | ||
| Course Code | Subject | Credits |
| 24SDS531 | Foundations of Development Policy | 3 |
| Course Code | Subject | Credits |
| 24SDS541 | Gender and Development | 3 |
| 24SDS542 | Gender Policy and Legislations in India | 3 |
| 24SDS543 | Critical Masculinities and Gender Equality | 3 |
| Course Code | Subject | Credits |
| 24SDS551 | Health Policy & Systems Research | 3 |
| Course Code | Subject | Credits |
| 24SDS561 | Education for Sustainable Development (SWAYAM) | 3 |
| Course Code | Subject | Credits |
| 24OEL641 | Social Welfare Policy & Administration | 3 |
| 24OEL642 | Science, Technology, & Society Interactions | 3 |
| Course Code | Subject | L T P | Credits |
| 22ADM502 | Vedanta in day-to-day life | 1-0-0 | 1 |
| 22AVP506 | Message of Swami Vivekananda | 1-0-0 | 1 |
| 22AVP508 | Indian Arts and Literature | 1-0-0 | 1 |
| 22AVP510 | Appreciation of Kerala Mural Arts Forms | 1-0-0 | 1 |
| 22AVP501 | Message of Śrī Mātā Amritanandamayi Devi | 1-0-0 | 1 |
| 22AVP502 | Insights from the Ramayana | 1-0-0 | 1 |
| 22AVP503 | Insights from the Mahabharata | 1-0-0 | 1 |
| 22AVP504 | Insights from the Upanishads | 1-0-0 | 1 |
| 22AVP505 | Insights from Bhagavad Gita | 1-0-0 | 1 |
| 22AVP512 | Ancient Indian Science and Technology | 1-0-0 | 1 |
| 22AVP507 | Great Spiritual Teachers of India | 1-0-0 | 1 |
| 22AVP509 | Yoga and Meditation 1 | 1-0-0 | 1 |
| PO1 | Scientific Knowledge and Training: Gain and apply knowledge of basic and applied scientific and analytical fundamentals within a social lens, leading to a deeper understanding of Data Sciences and Policy. |
| PO2 | Data Science & Policy for society: Apply reasoning through the contextual knowledge to assess societal, health, safety, legal and cultural issues and the consequent responsibilities relevant to the professional scientific practice. |
| PO3 | Sustainability and society: Understand the impact of data science and policy within societal and environmental contexts, and demonstrate the knowledge, and need for sustainable development. |
| PO4 | Ethics and Values: Apply ethical principles and commit to professional ethics and responsibilities and norms of scientific practice. |
| PO5 | Numerical and Data Analysis: Numerical analysis, interpretation of data, and organised representation of the information to provide valid conclusions. |
| PO6 | Scientific Communication: Communicate scientific content effectively with peers, educators, science community, and with society at large. |
| PO7 | Individual and teamwork: Think critically and work independently, and as a member or leader in diverse teams, and in multidisciplinary settings. |
| PO8 | Life-long learning: Recognize the need for and have the preparation and ability to engage in independent and life-long learning in the broadest context of scientific and technological changes for up-to-date research and teaching methods. |
| PSO1 | Acquire conceptual understanding of fundamental principles of Data Science which enables them to gain insight into the potential applications of the field. |
| PSO2 | Acquire conceptual understanding of fundamental principles of Indian and Global Policy which enables them to gain insight into the potential applications of the field. |
| PSO3 | Explore advanced areas in Data Science and provide them with the necessary subject knowledge to pursue a career in IT industries, Government, NGO sector, research institutes as well as academia. |
| PSO4 | Provide knowledge about the state-of-the-art techniques, methodologies, best practices and design and develop Data Science based solutions to complex problems related to society and sustainable development. |
| PSO5 | Establish the culture of independent learning, innovative research and productive teamwork. |
The top reasons to choose Amrita for your career
Amrita Hospital Mata Amritanandamayi Marg Sector 88,
Faridabad Haryana, 121002, India.
info_sbs@fbd.amrita.edu
Phone: +91 7708992270
