The Social Science Major

Bachelor of Arts

The Social Science Program addresses the interests of students who are drawn to the social science area of the liberal arts curriculum. The major in social science leads to a bachelor of arts degree. The program is interdisciplinary in character and, thus, offers students the opportunity to invest initiative and creativity in a combination of social science disciplines. These disciplines include anthropology, economics, history, linguistics, political science, psychology, and sociology. From among these disciplines, three must be selected for emphasis. Students plan their course of study, with the director of the program, to meet their interests and fulfill the requirements of the major. Together they seek a combination of depth and breadth, in part by using a suggested model of a minimum of three courses in two of the selected disciplines and two in the third, distributed across the major required courses/electives as appropriate.

Required Courses

The major requires a minimum of 10 courses chosen from among the social science disciplines; and requires maintenance of a minimum GPA of 2.0.

• These 10 courses must include a research methods course (either Anthropology 360, Economics 214, History 100, Political Science 102, Psychology 201, or Sociology 209), a theory course (either Anthropology 401, Economics 309; 484, Political Science 341; 342; 343; 344; 348; 480, Psychology 481; 486, or Sociology 403; 417), and the Social Science Capstone Seminar (SSC 480).
• At least six courses must be at the upper-division level, designated in the Social Science Program as offered at the 300-400 level.

Calculation of Major GPA:

• Research methods course
• Theory course
• Social Science Capstone Seminar (SSC 480)
• Seven electives (may only be fulfilled with courses from the student’s 3 areas of emphasis)
• Plus any additional courses taken from these three disciplines