Data science is a rapidly evolving field, with new tools and techniques continually emerging to support efficient and robust data analysis. This course is designed for students without a programming background, who are interested in data science, and introduces the fundamentals using the R programming language. Students will develop the ability to approach and answer research questions involving social science data. Key topics include data collection, storage, cleaning, transformation, and visualization, as well as foundational analytical techniques. Throughout the course, students will apply these skills to real-world datasets, including open-access online data, with a focus on understanding and analyzing the social world. By the end of the course, students will have developed in-demand data science skills relevant to careers in information and data-driven fields.

This course can be used to fulfil the "Technical" Professional Requirement.