FSU launches new graduate certificate to equip students with advanced digital tools and ethical frameworks

Florida State University’s College of Social Sciences and Public Policy (COSSPP) and College of Communication and Information (CCI) now offer a graduate certificate in Digital Applied Social Science (DASS) to address complex social science questions using cutting-edge digital tools and ethical frameworks. Graduates of the DASS program will be uniquely prepared for impactful careers at the intersection of data science and social science, with opportunities in various fields including social research, public policy, marketing, communications, business intelligence and academia.

“The Digital Applied Social Science graduate certificate provides students with insights into and hands-on experience with AI and big data on issues central to the social science and policy fields,” said Tim Chapin, dean of COSSPP. “This new certificate ensures that students are well-equipped to work on social and policy problems using the latest tools and frameworks, and that they enter the modern workforce with the skills and confidence to tackle these challenges.”

This 18-credit graduate certificate includes four core courses and two electives, teaching students how to gather data from databases, crowdsourcing and application programing interfaces (APIs). It also builds essential skills in data management, analysis and visualization to ensure accurate and efficient results.

Hands-on training in computational tools, such as network analysis, natural language processing and artificial intelligence (AI), prepares DASS students to engage with social challenges thoughtfully and effectively.

“This new certificate ensures that students are well-equipped to work on social and policy problems using the latest tools and frameworks, and that they enter the modern workforce with the skills and confidence to tackle these challenges.”

– Tim Chapin, dean of FSU’s College of Social Sciences and Public Policy

The program embraces an “ethics as practice” approach, which embeds ethical reasoning throughout the research process and emphasizes responsible use of digital data and tools.

The coursework equips students with the skills and knowledge to navigate information policy issues, with special attention to information ownership rights, privacy rights and public access to information. The approved course electives are offered by both COSSPP and CCI.

“Collaboration among disciplines provides the opportunity for students to gain more knowledge from more sources, and in ways they may not otherwise have imagined, to approach an issue or a topic,” said Dean Michelle Kazmer of the CCI. “We are proud to partner with the COSSPP for this certificate and thrilled to be able to provide students with a multidisciplinary approach that will inform their worldview as they enter the modern workforce and society.”

Admission is competitive, with applications for this cycle due by April 1, 2025. Students must apply in the spring each year for admission to start the certificate program in the fall semester or wait for the next application cycle.

Eligible applicants are graduate students with a 3.50 GPA currently enrolled in select colleges: Communication & Information, Social Sciences & Public Policy, Criminology & Criminal Justice, Social Work or Business. Students from other colleges and non-degree-seeking students are not eligible at this time.

To learn more about the Graduate Certificate in Digital Applied Social Science (DASS) and specific course requirements, visit cosspp.fsu.edu.

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