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    • Welcome to our Open Days

    Welcome to our Open Days

    We are the only major department in a top-ranked international university to offer multi-disciplinary social science degree programmes focusing on the Internet and digital data. If you are thinking about applying for one of our programmes at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, you are invited to come to one of the department’s Open Days.

    Meet our faculty and find out about our Masters and Doctoral programmes, their content and structure, and the admissions process. Our current students and alumni will also share some of their experiences of Oxford life.

    Get in touch

    Welcome from the Director of Graduate Studies

    We are an innovative department and have deliberately sought to create a teaching environment that is welcoming, supportive and stimulating for all our students. The Oxford Internet Institute is the only major department in a top-ranked international university to offer multi-disciplinary social science degree programmes focusing on the Internet, attracting top students drawn from a variety of different disciplines. Studying at the Oxford Internet Institute is a unique experience where you can benefit from the many disciplines represented and leave equipped for careers in exciting and dynamic sectors such as technology industries, journalism, finance, law and academia.

    Professor Greg Taylor, Director of Graduate Studies

    Studying at the Oxford Internet Institute

    Professor Greg Taylor provides an overview of the Oxford Internet Institute a multidisciplinary research and teaching department of the University of Oxford, dedicated to the social science of the Internet, as well introducing our degree programmes.

    This includes our MSc in Social Science of the Internet, MSc in Social Data Science, DPhil in Information, Communication and the Social Sciences and DPhil in Social Data Science (starting in 2019).

    Explore our programmes optional

    Our Degree programmes

    MSc in Social Science of the Internet

    The MSc in Social Science of the Internet provides an in-depth understanding of the social science concepts, theories and methods required to undertake and assess rigorous empirical research or policy analysis of Internet-related issues.

    In addition to core papers in Internet social dynamics, technologies and regulation, statistics and research methods, students choose from a variety of specialist options papers such as Internet law, economics, governance and politics, social networks, or more advanced study of Internet methods. In their third term, students undertake original research in their own area of interest.

    Full-time (1 year) or Part-time (2 years).

    View programme page Social Science of the Internet

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    MSc in Social Science of the Internet

    The MSc in Social Science of the Internet provides an in-depth understanding of the social science concepts, theories and methods required to undertake and assess rigorous empirical research or policy analysis of Internet-related issues.

    In addition to core papers in Internet social dynamics, technologies and regulation, statistics and research methods, students choose from a variety of specialist options papers such as Internet law, economics, governance and politics, social networks, or more advanced study of Internet methods. In their third term, students undertake original research in their own area of interest.

    Full-time (1 year) or Part-time (2 years).

    View programme page Social Science of the Internet

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    MSc in Social Data Science

    The MSc in Social Data Science provides in-depth training in how to create viable datasets out of messy, real world data; and to develop the tools and techniques to analyse them to tell us something about the world, through explanation, prediction and testing of interventions.

    In addition to foundational papers in Social Data Science, Applied Analytical Statistics, Research Methods, Visualization, students take a set of Intensive papers that introduce the programming skills for data capture and cleaning, teach statistical and machine learning fundamentals, and cover techniques for scaling analysis to large datasets.

    Social Data Science students can select two option papers which enable students to pursue issues of particular interest in greater depth, whilst developing their specialist skills.

    Full-time degree (1 Year)

    View programme page Social Data Science

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    DPhil in Information, Communication and the Social Sciences

    The DPhil in Information, Communication and the Social Sciences combines high-quality supervision from field-leading academics with tailored training in research methods and graduate skills focusing on a broad range of qualitative and quantitative approaches to understanding the Internet.

    The multi-disciplinary research environment means that our doctoral students can pursue research either within a single discipline or draw from methods and theories across a range of subjects. Our vigorous events programme ensures that students are exposed to some of the most exciting people and developments in the Internet field, and we make a big effort to get to know our students individually and to support the growth of strong peer-group networks.

    Full time (3-4 Years) or Part-time (6-8 Years)

    View programme page Information Communication and the Social Sciences

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    DPhil in Social Data Science

    The DPhil in Social Data Science combines high-quality supervision from field-leading academics with training emphasizing research applications of digitally-generated social data.

    The OII is partnering with multiple departments to jointly offer this degree, including engineering science, statistics, sociology, computer science, and other departments across the University of Oxford. This will allow students to draw on Oxford’s wide range of disciplinary expertise in their classes and from their supervisors.

    View programme page Social Data Science

    Sample courses

    Our faculty have expertise spanning a wide range of social, economic, political, legal, industrial, technical and ethical issues relating to the Internet. A sample of some of the courses is shown here. You can find a full list of courses on the programme pages.

    The Philosophy and Ethics of Information

    This option course for the OII MSc in "Social Science of the Internet" examines the philosophy and ethics of Information, its problems, approaches, and methods.

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    The Philosophy and Ethics of Information

    This option course for the OII MSc in "Social Science of the Internet" examines the philosophy and ethics of Information, its problems, approaches, and methods.

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    Digital Technology and Economic Organization

    This option course for the OII MSc in "Social Science of the Internet" will teach students how to apply basic social science theory towards analysing the impact of digital technologies on economic organization.

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    Digital Era Government and Politics

    This option course for the OII MSc in "Social Science of the Internet" examines the impact of the Internet and related technologies on the core activities and institutions of government and politics

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    Internet Economics

    This option course for the OII MSc in "Social Science of the Internet" provides an introduction to the economics of the Internet and to economics as a tool for social research more generally.

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    Digital Ethnography

    This methods option course for the OII MSc in "Social Science of the Internet" is designed to give students experience both collecting and analysing qualitative data as part of ethnographic research.

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    Wrangling Data

    This methods option course for the OII MSc in "Social Science of the Internet" will familiarize the student with a variety of techniques for cleaning and shaping data.

    Student Life

    What’s it like to be a student at the Oxford Internet Institute? Our students share their experiences of life in Oxford.

    The City of Oxford

    The Oxford Internet Institute is located in the heart of the city of Oxford, a cosmopolitan city of stunning architecture, history, and culture with plenty to see and do. In the city centre, you will find lots of shops, cafés, restaurants, theatres, cinemas, pubs and clubs.

    Oxford is also home to many historic and iconic buildings, including the Bodleian Libraries, Ashmolean Museum, Sheldonian Theatre, the cathedral and the colleges.

    There are plenty of green spaces too, including England’s oldest botanic garden, the University Parks, college gardens, and wandering riverside paths.

    Oxford also boasts a thriving arts community with concerts, exhibitions, and cultural events available daily. London is also one hour from Oxford so students can take advantage of the many opportunities for study and fun in the capital.

    Meet our Alumni

    Discover more Alumni stories

    Our students come from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds; some might have already spent some time in employment. Former Students shares career highlights, insights, and memories of being a student at the OII.