Major

QSS is a highly individualized major that culminates in a year-long research project. A student who chooses to major in QSS will be able to draw on courses throughout the college. QSS majors may take many of the same courses and work with the same academic advisors as do students who major in traditional departments, but in QSS each student works under flexible rules and requirements that are designed for students who seek challenges and take initiative.  A student considering a QSS major is advised to set up an introductory meeting with the QSS Chair to discuss the Program and course options.

1. Programming: one of COSC 1, ENGS 20, or another programming course approved by the QSS Chair.
2. Mathematics: MATH 3 and MATH 8.
3. Introductory statistics: one of ECON 10, GOVT 10, MATH 10, QSS 15, PSYC 10, SOCY 10, or another introductory statistics course approved by the QSS Chair.
4. Intermediate statistics: one of ECON 20, GOV 19.01, MATH 40, MATH 50, QSS 54, or another intermediate statistics course approved by the QSS Chair.
5. Mathematical modeling: one of ECON 21, QSS 18, QSS 30.04, QSS 36, or another game theory course approved by the QSS Chair.
6. Introductory social science: one of ANTH 1, ANTH 3, ANTH 6, ANTH 9, ECON 1, EDUC 1, ENVS 3, GEOG 1, GEOG 6, GOVT 3, GOVT 4, GOVT 5, GOVT 6, LING 1, PBPL 5, PSYC 1, SOCY 1, SOCY 2, or another course approved by the QSS Chair.

The core curriculum for the major in quantitative social science includes QSS 17 and QSS 20.

One course from the following:
COSC 74, Machine Learning and Statistical Data Analysis
GEOG 9.01, Geographical Information Systems
GEOG 54, Geovisualization
MATH 50, Introduction to Linear Models
MATH 76, Topics in Applied Mathematics (to be approved by the QSS Chair)
QSS 19, Advanced Data Visualization
QSS 30, Special Topics in QSS
QSS 36, Mathematical Models in the Social Sciences
QSS 41, Analysis of Social Networks
QSS 45, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Social Science

The special topics course, QSS 30, may be taken more than once as long as different electives are selected.  Moreover, with permission of the QSS Chair, students may substitute other courses offered at Dartmouth for any of the courses listed above.

Four non-introductory courses that focus on a social science area of the student’s choosing.  A student pursuing the major in QSS should consider the extent to which his or her social science courses are coherent, and the QSS Chair will be available to offer guidance on this.

To graduate with a major in QSS, a student must complete an independent research project.  At the end of his or her third year on campus, each QSS major must choose one of two project options: either an intensive, one quarter project or a three quarters honors thesis.

A QSS major who elects the intensive project track will work on his or her project during one term of the student's fourth year on campus.

The honors thesis option requires approval from the program, and QSS honors theses are governed by guidelines established by the College. Per these guidelines, a student completing a thesis judged to be of sufficiently high quality will graduate from Dartmouth with Honors, or with High Honors in QSS. Students applying to write an honors thesis in QSS should have at the time of application an overall grade point average of 3.5 or higher. Participating in the thesis track requires work and engagement during the fall, winter, and spring terms of a student's fourth year.

In limited and extraordinary circumstances, a student pursuing a major in QSS will be permitted to change tracks after the start of his or her fourth year. The QSS Chair is responsible for assessing and, if necessary approving, any such proposed moves.

Students completing a one quarter research project will take QSS 82 in the student's last year on campus.  A student in the honors thesis track of the QSS major will take QSS 81 in the fall.

For further details on application and timing for the two research project tracks, consult the QSS Chair.