Overview

We live in the connected age. In the first half of the course we will learn foundational ideas describing the structure of networks and the processes through which things, such as information and disease, spread through them. Then, in the second half of the course, we will apply these ideas in three main areas: 1) personal networks and life outcomes; 2) social media; and 3) social contagion. As the course develops students will go from being consumers of research to producers of research.

Learning objectives

• Students will be able to describe foundational ideas used in the study of networks.
• Students will be able to describe the interconnections between these ideas.
• Students will be able to use these ideas to gain insight into real-world phenomena.
• Students will be able to evaluate research that applies these ideas to real-world phenomena.
• Students will be able to create research about real-world phenomena.