UCLA Social Sciences: Pioneering Research and Shaping the Future

UCLA's Division of Social Sciences is a hub of innovation and discovery, dedicated to exploring and addressing the most pressing societal challenges of our time. With distinguished faculty conducting cutting-edge research, the division consistently ranks among the best in the nation. Located in Los Angeles, a city that the world watches to detect the shape of the future, UCLA is considered one of the world’s preeminent sociology departments.

A Commitment to Impactful Research

The Division of Social Sciences at UCLA is driven by a commitment to advancing knowledge and addressing the challenges of our time. Faculty and students are dedicated to addressing fundamental questions. Here are some examples of research being done at UCLA.

Undocumented Migration Project (UMP)

Jason De Léon directs the Undocumented Migration Project (UMP), a long-term study of clandestine border crossing that uses a combination of approaches to understand this phenomenon. De Léon is also a MacArthur Fellow and an award-winning author.

Million Dollar Hoods

Kelly Lytle Hernandez, a MacArthur Fellow and leading expert on race, immigration, and mass incarceration, leads Million Dollar Hoods, a research project that maps the fiscal and human cost of mass incarceration in L.A.

Political Messaging

An expert on campaigns, elections, and public opinion, Lynn Vavreck's work on political messaging is considered required reading for presidential candidates by political consultants from both sides of the aisle.

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Academic Departments and Programs

The Division of Social Sciences encompasses a wide array of departments and programs, each offering unique perspectives and approaches to understanding the human experience and the complexities of society.

Anthropology

The Anthropology Department is committed to addressing fundamental questions at the heart of Anthropology as a field of intellectual inquiry.

Archaeology

The Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA is a premier research organization dedicated to the creation, dissemination, and conservation of archaeological knowledge and heritage. The UCLA / Getty Conservation Program educates and trains students in the highest standard of conservation practice.

Asian American Studies

The Asian American Studies Center specializes in studying diverse Asian American communities, diasporas, and histories both in the United States and internationally. César E. Chávez was a supporter of this program.

Economics

UCLA's Economics Department is consistently ranked among the top economics departments in the world.

Geography

The Geography Department offers undergraduate degrees (B.A.) in Geography and Environmental Studies, and graduate degrees (M.A., Ph.D.) in Geography. Their courses cover a wide range of periods and geographic contexts, from the ancient Mediterranean to twenty-first century Los Angeles, early modern China to the modern Caribbean, and colonial America to the Middle East.

History

The History Department offers courses that cover a wide range of periods and geographic contexts, from the ancient Mediterranean to twenty-first century Los Angeles, early modern China to the modern Caribbean, and colonial America to the Middle East.

Labor Studies

UCLA's Labor Studies Program is a multidisciplinary research center dedicated to advancing labor research and education for workplace justice.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Studies

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Studies Program at UCLA is an interdisciplinary program that supports teaching and research on the historical and contemporary experience of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and transgendered people.

Military Science

The Military Science program offers elective courses ranging from leadership and management to military law. Our program prepares graduates for professional research careers.

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Sociology

Located in Los Angeles, the city that the world watches to detect the shape of the future, UCLA is considered one of the world‘s preeminent sociology departments.

Research Centers and Institutes

UCLA's Division of Social Sciences is home to a number of research centers and institutes that focus on specific areas of inquiry.

UCLA Center for Behavior, Evolution, and Culture (BEC)

The UCLA Center for Behavior, Evolution, and Culture (BEC) unites scholars exploring the connections among evolution, culture, the mind, and society.

UCLA Bedari Kindness Institute

The mission of the UCLA Bedari Kindness Institute is to engage in research on kindness and to turn that learning into real-world practices through education and dynamic local, national and global partnerships.

California Center for Population Research (CCPR)

The California Center for Population Research (CCPR) was established in 1998 and has since been a leading research center for research and training in demography.

California Census Research Data Center (CCRDC)

The California Census Research Data Center (CCRDC) seeks to provide qualified researchers across California with the opportunity to perform statistical analysis on non-public Census microdata.

UCLA’s Center on the Everyday Lives of Families (CELF)

Directed by Dr. Elinor Ochs, UCLA’s Center on the Everyday Lives of Families (CELF) is one of six Sloan Centers on Working Families, supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

California Policy Lab

The California Policy Lab generates research insights for government impact.

UCLA Center for Social Theory and Comparative History

The UCLA Center for Social Theory and Comparative History was established in 1987.

UCLA Luskin Center for History and Policy

The UCLA Luskin Center for History and Policy was founded in 2017 through a generous gift from Meyer and Renee Luskin.

UCLA’s African Studies Center

UCLA’s African Studies Center is one of the US’s oldest and most distinguished research, teaching, and outreach centers.

Social Research Methodology (SRM) Division

The Social Research Methodology (SRM) Division is committed to the study and practice of methods of inquiry in educational and social research. The SRM curriculum emphasizes conceptualization of applied problems, design and conduct of research and evaluation, development and application of new methodological techniques, and analysis and interpretation of data in the context of educational theory and practice. The SRM division offers two degree programs: the M.A. and the Ph.D. SRM also offers a certificate program in Advanced Quantitative Methodology in Educational Research which is open to all UCLA graduate students.

SRM Aims

SRM aims to prepare students to:

Critically examine research and evaluation
Develop data collection designs and instruments
Conduct conceptual and statistical analyses appropriate to the field of education as well as other behavioral and social sciences

The SRM Division works with the SRM Evaluation and Assessment Group, CRESST (National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing), and the University of California Educational Evaluation Center (UCEC).

Success of SRM Graduates

The training that SRM students receive prepares them for work in a variety of fields. Recent SRM graduates have assumed positions either as faculty, consultants, or researchers in a number of institutions across the country.

Opportunities for Students

UCLA Social Sciences offers a variety of opportunities for students to engage in research, gain practical experience, and prepare for future careers.

UCLA Extension

Applying to graduate school? Required classes full? Need units to graduate on time? Explore topics in psychology, sociology, philosophy, world literature, microeconomics, foreign languages, and more. Credits are directly transferable to all UC and Cal State campuses, plus many more universities nationwide. UCLA Extension transfer credit courses feature XL 1-199 in their course number and are equivalent to undergraduate courses offered by the UCLA regular session. Some limitations may apply.

Workshops

Have you ever wondered why people have seemingly very different religious practices and preferences? This workshop presents research-based methods of teaching for long-lasting learning.

Admission to the SRM Division

Admission to the SRM Division is granted on a competitive basis. Review of dossiers is holistic and takes into consideration the unique combination of strengths and background of each candidate, in relation to their specific areas of interest. Graduate students at UCLA Department of Education benefit from - and contribute to - the resources of the country’s number one public graduate school of education. A distinguished faculty committed to research and teaching and excellent research centers and institutes offer extraordinary opportunities for graduate endeavors.

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