<< Andrew Young School of Policy Studies Programs

A business woman sharing charts in a presentation speech.

What does it cost?

This program is eligible for residency neutral rates for online students.

$450 tuition per credit hour (same for all fully online students, regardless of geographic location)
$660 per semester online learning fee (if enrolled in 6 or more credit hours)

Learn more about the cost of a master’s degree, or use Georgia State’s Cost Calculator to get an idea of the investment required for your path of study. For information on how to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and to determine eligibility, visit the FAFSA tips page.

How long will it take?

A full-time student may complete this program in one semester.
A part-time student may complete this program in two semesters.

A minimum of 12 credit hours must be completed. Coursework or electives in your graduate program may count towards this certificate.

Where will I take classes?
Atlanta Campus, Online

All required classes to earn your certificate can be completed online.

Application Deadlines

Students can enter the program in Fall or Spring semester.

VIEW APPLICATION DEADLINES

View Admissions Requirements

Andrew Young School of Policy Studies

Computational Social Science, Graduate Certificate

Criminal Justice and Criminology

Adam Pah
Faculty Advisor
[email protected]
404-413-0251

Take your human observations further with data-backed reporting.

You already ask big questions, and you can answer them with accuracy. This graduate certificate helps you build technical skills in coding, data visualization, GIS, and text analysis, all grounded in the social sciences. Whether you’re exploring behavior, policy or social systems, you’ll learn to pull meaning from messy data and turn it into insight that matters. You’re ready to work smarter and stand out in a digital-first world and this is how you’ll get there.

Through courses like Introduction to Computational Social Science and Data Visualization, you’ll explore how data can illuminate real human experiences like movement, communication, organization and decision making. Electives let you focus on mapping neighborhood change with GIS, analyzing public discourse through text mining or using machine learning to uncover systemic social patters. No matter your path, you’ll gain tools to better understand the world and contribute meaningfully to the people in it.

Career Opportunities with a Graduate Certificate
in Computational Social Science

Research Associate: $68,427 average salary

Policy Analyst: $85,711 average salary

Data analyst average salary: $83,661/yr

Atlanta is the fifth highest-paying city for data analysts, with an average of $79,866/yr based on 95 salaries reported.
(Indeed.com)

View Potential Job Titles

Quantitative Researcher
Policy Analyst
Data Analyst
Behavioral Data Strategist
Social Science Researcher
Program Evaluator
Research Associate

View Notable Industries

Technology
Government
Academia / Higher Education
Public Policy
Nonprofit / NGOs
Urban Planning / Civic Technology
Legal / Criminal Justice
Think Tanks / Research Institutes

Program Details

Submitted Online Application. All online applications and materials must be received by the deadline. Paper applications are not available.
Application fee: A non-refundable fee of $50 is required for each application. This fee must be paid online by credit card.
Goal statement:
- The goal statement is your means of presenting yourself to the Graduate Admissions Committee. You should submit a short, typed statement of personal and professional goals as they relate to the certificate or degree program you are seeking.
- Most applicants write about two typed pages, summarizing their work experience, the reasons they have chosen the program, why they want to attend Georgia State, and how the degree fits in with their career goals.
International Applicants Only – TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing Systems) academic scores: International applicants are required to submit official TOEFL or IELTS academic scores.
Three letters of recommendation: All letters should be submitted through the online application.
Upload Transcripts from each post-secondary college/university attended.
- Request an official transcript from each institution to be sent to yourself (electronic preferred, paper must be scanned)
- Supply transcripts before submitting the application by uploading each to the Academic History
- Supply transcripts after submitting the application by uploading each on your application status page to the Upload Materials section.
- Failure to follow these requirements will delay your application processing. Learn more about transcript requirements.

A minimum of 12 credit hours must be completed.

Intro to Computational Social Science (3)
Text Analysis (3)
Structured Data & GIS Analysis (3)
Data Visualization (3)

You’ll find Computational Social Science certificate equips professionals in justice, social science, education, policy evaluation or applied research with data tools to uncover human behavior patterns and take meaningful, evidence-based action in your work.

This program is eligible for residency neutral rates for online students.

$450 tuition per credit hour (same for all fully online students, regardless of geographic location)
$660 per semester online learning fee (if enrolled in 6 or more credit hours)

Funding Your Graduate Education

Cost of attendance and funding opportunities are integral to your decision to attend graduate school. Georgia State University is proud to offer a variety of funding opportunities, from assistantships to fellowships.

Awards and Assistantships

Various awards, assistantships and fellowships are available to new and current graduate students.

Students pay $0 for textbooks and materials in any course labeled CRJU as part of Georgia State’s AYSOpen Initiative. Learn more about scholarships and financial assistance available to Andrew Young School students.

The Scholarship Resource Center offers guidance and support to students seeking financial assistance through scholarship opportunities, including this scholarship library.

Fellowships

The Office of Graduate Programs’ Fellowship Advisor works with students interested in applying for nationally prestigious and competitive fellowships. The Office of Graduate Programs also coordinates the application process for students applying to the Second Century Initiative, the Provost’s Dissertation Fellowship and the Dissertation Library Travel Awards.

Cost Calculator

Our calculator can help you get an idea of the costs associated with attending the university.

This graduate certificate in Computational Social Science equips you with practical, research-ready skills for analyzing human behavior. It is designed to deliver the following student learning outcomes:

You will develop data literacy and technical proficiency with tools like R, Python, GIS and data visualization to investigate complex social patterns and behavioral trends.
You will apply research methods to uncover insights in evidence-based decision making like text analysis, spatial analysis and machine learning.
You will strengthen your ability to communicate findings clearly, turning raw data into meaningful stories that inform public understanding, drive policy and improve social outcomes.