Master in Computational Social Systems

Master in Computational Social Systems is one of 8 English-taught Computer Science & IT programmes at master’s level in the register, offered by 7 institutions. 8 of them list an annual fee for students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, from EUR 727 to EUR 1,453; this programme lists EUR 1,453 a year. 5 are at a public university, where EU, EEA and Swiss students pay no tuition within the standard duration plus two semesters. The same programme title is offered at 2 institutions, so compare the content, campus and requirements before you choose.

What you study

This is an English-language master's programme run jointly by TU Graz and the University of Graz. It is built for people who want to understand what digitalisation does to society and how to analyse the data that society leaves behind. You start with a basic module, Introduction to Computational Social Systems, where you learn research methods for analysing social systems and how to use technologies and statistics to process, evaluate and interpret data. You also get a grounding in informatics: data structures, algorithms, statistics, machine learning and data science.

Then you pick one of four specialisations, depending on your previous degree:

• Business Analytics: data-based business models, decision support systems, Business Intelligence concepts, managing large amounts of data, statistical analyses and machine learning.
• Societies, Technologies and Social Research: culture, social change and technology; empirical research projects from research question to presentation; qualitative and quantitative methods; sociology of scientific knowledge; philosophical and socio-political perspectives on information technologies; generating datasets and evaluating them with machine learning.
• Human Factors: cognitive psychology, decision research, behavioural and neuroscientific studies, empirical investigations, artificial life and robotics, complex system modelling, human-computer interaction and wearable devices.
• Law and Computer Science: fundamental and human rights in the context of information technologies, case law of the ECJ and ECHR, data protection, legal analysis of user-generated data and social media, and implementing legal requirements in IT systems.

How the programme is organised

The degree takes four semesters and 120 ECTS credits. Teaching mixes seminars and study projects where you work with students from other disciplines. The programme draws on lecturers from both universities and from an international research network. Current research at TU Graz includes analysing social media posts published right after critical events such as natural disasters or terrorist attacks, using IT methods to understand behaviour in those situations.

Who it suits

The programme is designed for graduates from business administration, sociology, psychology, law and computer science who want to examine digitalisation across disciplines. You do not need a technical bachelor's to apply. The specialisation lets you build on your background, and the mix of students in seminars is part of the point.

Admission, language and next steps

You need a completed bachelor's degree in a relevant subject and proof of English competence. Graduates of certain programmes are admitted without further requirements: at TU Graz, Computer Science and the subject Computer Science and Digital Education; at the University of Graz, Business Administration, Sociology, Psychology, Teaching subject Psychology/Philosophy (with allocation to preliminary studies in psychology), and Law, Business and Society in Times of Digital Transformation (with allocation to law). Others should check the curriculum for exact requirements. You can complete the admission procedure before finishing your bachelor's. Registration for the academic year 2027/28 runs from 15 October to 15 December 2026. As part of admission you declare your specialisation. Applications go directly to the institution, not through a central portal. Teaching is in English. EU/EEA and Swiss students pay no tuition at a public university within the standard duration plus two semesters; other students pay a fee per semester.

The degree programme has been developed for students from the fields of business administration, sociology, psychology, law and computer science who would like to examine the effects of digitisation in detail on their own discipline and other disciplines as well as analyse the resulting challenges and opportunities. During your studies you will receive an academic education in informatics topics such as data structures, algorithms, statistics, machine learning and data science and learn how to understand, classify and predict the behaviour of people using digital technologies. You will rely on this knowledge for the specific fields of application in your subject. Depending on the focus, you will become familiar with, for example, data-based business models, socio-technical issues, artificial life or robotics, or data law aspects.

Technischen Universität Graz gemeinsam mit der Universität Graz.

There is no central application portal in Austria: you apply to the institution, here Graz University of Technology. A public university sets the admission requirements and dates for this level, so read them on the programme page. Entrance examination, as the register states it: No. Entry requirements and language tests are set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, the student residence permit and housing.