Because humans are complex, the questions that are asked and the data that are gathered are also complex. For decades social scientists have gathered data by using surveys, interviews, observations, and experiments. The resulting data reflected choices within the control of the researcher. Now, data are increasingly being generated without any researcher intervention. Our world is full of data coming from multiple types of devices, interaction with applications on these devices, digitized documents, and much more.
The Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences (QMSS) program seeks to unite Michigan’s excellence in social science with the current revolution in the data science. The minor in Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences will train the next generation of social scientists in the methods needed to harness all types of quantitative data in order to generate new insights and solutions to the problems of today and tomorrow. The QMSS community is relatively small and tight-knit which fosters a collaborative learning environment. Students in the program work closely with professors and there are ample opportunities for involvement in the program. QMSS students work as peer mentors, contribute to our student-run blog, Putting Methods to the Madness, and they work at the QMSS front office, so you are bound to find QMSS students anywhere you look!
More information about program requirements and our courses can be found on the curriculum tab.
Who declares the QMSS minor?
This graphic shows a breakdown of all majors that QMSS minors have declared. The size of the boxes corresponds to the number of students that declared each major.
Last updated May 2023.
Special thanks to QMSS student Connor Zahler & QMSS alumna Uma Hornish for help in creating this graphic using Tableau skills from QMSS 201!
