More and more data is being collected about us and our activities. Our social media interactions and our online search and shopping behaviour, but also offline location tracking and sensor and surveillance networks are all generating large, often real-time data sets. Potentially, these could help answer important questions facing society today. But processing them productively represents a real challenge, at the interface of social and computer science. Meeting that challenge requires not only thorough comprehension of the methodologies involved in analyzing big data, but also a theoretical understanding of societal problems and, not least, the associated legal and ethical factors.

Course leader
Prof. Peter Groenewegen

Target group
Students of Social Sciences, Computer and Information Science and Humanities. Since some understanding of social scientific approaches is required, you should previously have studied research methods and methodology.

Course aim
You understand and can use big data.You are able to conceptualize the influences and theories surrounding big data.You learn techniques to analyse various kinds of big data.You trace the impact of big data on social agents.You understand the core legal and ethical issues of using such data for research.You can work with fellow students from different backgrounds.

Credits info
3 ECTS Contact hours: 45

Fee info
EUR 950: Includes orientation and course material. Does not include housing.

Scholarships
The Amsterdam Summer School offers twenty scholarships of 500 for highly motivated students. The deadline to apply for a scholarship is 1 April. Application for the scholarship is part of the general online application procedure.

VU University Amsterdam
Address: Study Abroad in Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1105 Amsterdam
Postal code: 1081 HV
City: Amsterdam
Country: Netherlands
Website: http://www.studyabroadinamsterdam.nl/en/summerschool/index.asp
E-mail: amsterdamsummerschool@vu.nl
Phone: +31 20 5986506