Navigating the Realm of Social Science College Majors: A Comprehensive Guide

The College of Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies (SSIS) offers dynamic curricula and activities that examine all aspects of human society through the study of social justice, policy, mental and physical health, culture, social behavior, and the natural environment within innovative departments, programs, and centers/institutes. Social Sciences deals with how human behavior impacts society.

Introduction to Social Sciences

Social sciences offer a fascinating lens through which to view the complexities of human society and behavior. As a social sciences major, you will learn to apply scientific principles to identify social issues and research how and why human behaviors contribute to those problems. Through a variety of disciplines, students gain critical thinking skills, analytical abilities, and a deep understanding of the forces shaping our world. The knowledge and skills developed by the College's programs are applicable to a wide variety of careers. Key to our students’ success is their awareness of culture and community, scientific thinking and analysis, anti-racist practices, and ethical decision-making.

Core Disciplines within Social Sciences

The field of social sciences encompasses a wide array of disciplines, each offering a unique perspective on human society. Here's a look at some of the core areas:

Anthropology: Understanding Human Diversity

Located at the nexus of the natural and social sciences and humanities, Anthropology is the study of human cultural, social, and biological diversity, past and present. Anthropology takes culture as its central object of study, giving students a framework for viewing culture in the context of the natural world and evolutionary processes.

Economics: Analyzing Economic Systems

The Economics major offers students a comprehensive education, focusing on the economic perspectives of society and equipping them with analytical tools to address current economic issues. The Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics emphasizes the use of advanced math and science in the analysis of economic theories.

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Political Science: Exploring Power and Governance

Political Science studies the allocation of power in political systems, as well as, the forms and roles of governance systems. The Department of Political Science offers three majors including Political Science, International Relations, and Political-Science Journalism.

Sociology: Investigating Social Structures and Human Behavior

The bachelor of arts degree in sociology teaches students to apply the rigors of science to the humanistic concerns of the social world. Sociologists collect and analyze data about society and human behavior using statistical analysis, interviews, surveys, and observation. The American sociologist C. Wright Mills’s book The Sociological Imagination, published in 1959, is often used as a textbook in introductory sociology.

History: Unveiling the Past to Understand the Present

History, the study of humanity's past, is a flexible and practical bachelor of arts degree. All courses in history have the goal of helping students learn how to think and write historically in a critical manner. The latest book by Professor of History Sarah Stein explores a Sephardic Jewish family’s journey through the 20th century.

Geography: Examining the Earth and Its Inhabitants

The Bachelor of Science Degree in Geographic Information Science provides a rigorous, in-depth program for students interested in the application of information technology to the spatial dimensions of the Earth’s human and physical systems.

Psychology: Unraveling the Human Mind

Psychology is both a biological and social science, a scholarly discipline, and a profession.

Interdisciplinary Approaches

Many institutions also offer interdisciplinary programs that combine elements of multiple social science disciplines:

Environmental Studies: Addressing Environmental Challenges

The Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies provides students with an interdisciplinary understanding of challenging issues like pollution, wildlife and wilderness preservation and restoration, land use, biodiversity loss, resource depletion, energy and natural resource conservation. IoES generates knowledge and provides solutions for regional and global environmental problems.

Ethnic Studies: Exploring Culture, History, and Contemporary Issues

Ethnic Studies offers an undergraduate degree through an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the cultures, languages, historical, and contemporary issues relating to Asian American Studies, Chicanx/Latinx Studies, Native American Studies, and Pan African Studies. The CSRC plays a pivotal role in the development of scholarly research on the Chicanx-Latinx population, now the largest minority group in the United States.

Gerontology: Focusing on an Aging World

Gerontology is an applied interdisciplinary program that focuses on our aging world. The Program prepares students to work with dynamic and diverse older adults - the fastest growing population in the US and worldwide. Students learn to address challenges and positive life transitions related to individual and family health.

Liberal Studies: A Multidisciplinary Curriculum

The Liberal Studies program is an interdisciplinary major, which encompasses a wide variety of areas of knowledge in a multidisciplinary curriculum. It is a major designed for students who either (i) intend on becoming elementary or special education teachers in California, or (ii) who have an interest in an interdisciplinary course of study. The Liberal Studies major is a California Commission on Teacher Credentialing-approved subject matter program.

Social Science: A Multidisciplinary Major

The Social Science major is offered by the departments of Anthropology, Economics, Ethnic Studies, Geography, Government, History, Sociology, and Women's and Gender Studies. It serves both as (i) a multidisciplinary major for the Bachelor of Arts degree and (ii) subject matter preparation for those interested in teaching History and Social Science at the middle or high school level. The Social Science major is a California Commission on Teacher Credentialing-approved subject matter program. Social Sciences majors are required to complete 48 units. All courses in the major must be completed with a grade equivalent of 2.00 or better. Additionally, students must complete a Social Sciences graduation portfolio.

Women’s and Gender Studies: Examining Gender and Social Justice

Women’s and Gender Studies is a dynamic interdisciplinary field preparing students to be future leaders, scholars, and social justice activists. We are dedicated to studying the social production of gender, and women’s experiences in relation to formations of sexuality, race, class, nationality, ability, ageism, and other categories of difference.

Specialized Programs

Some institutions offer specialized programs that focus on specific aspects of social sciences:

Child Development and Early Childhood Education: Nurturing Young Minds

The Bachelor of Arts in Child Development and Early Childhood Education: Birth to Kindergarten and Special Education degree leads to teacher certification for birth to kindergarten in the state of Michigan upon successful completion of the degree requirements and certification requirements of the state of Michigan (including successful completion of the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification). This degree program combines a primary education in child development and family studies with a focus on high-quality, equitable early childhood educational practices including special education.

Family and Consumer Sciences: Addressing Family and Individual Needs

The Family and Consumer Sciences Department offers Bachelor of Science degrees in the following three majors: Fashion Merchandising and Management, Family Studies and Human Development, and Family and Consumer Sciences (a Single Subject Pre-credential Program).

Human Resources and Labor Relations: Understanding People and Work

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Resources and Labor Relations provides a general social science understanding of the complex nature of people and work.

Public Policy and Administration: Shaping Public Service

The Department of Public Policy and Administration focuses on professional training for graduate students interested in working in or adjacent to the public sector. The Public Policy major is designed to prepare students for careers in public service, advocacy, and analysis. CAPPP is committed to promoting significant research on American politics and public policy.

Social Work: Advocating for Individuals and Communities

The Social Work program emphasizes person-in-environment framework within a systems perspective.

World Politics: Analyzing Global Political Systems

The World Politics major is designed to educate students about governments and political systems of many different nations and the interactions among them. If cultures, social structure and the complexity of the sociopolitical world excite you, this field may be a good fit.

Course Examples within a Social Science Major

Here's a sample course list for a Social Science major, demonstrating the breadth of topics covered:

Required Introductory Courses

Students must take at least one course per area, with an additional course in two of the areas:

Economics:
- ECON 201: Microeconomic Principles
- ECON 202: Macroeconomic Principles
History:
- HIST 102: Europe: From the Age of Caesar to the Age of Calvin, First to Seventeenth Century
- HIST 103: History of European Civilization from the 17th Century
- HIST 145: History of the United States to the Civil War
- HIST 146: History of the United States Since the Civil War
- HIST 160: World History Before 1300
- HIST 161: World History Since 1300
Geography:
- GEOG 102: World Regional Geography
- GEOG 105: Geography of International Affairs
- GEOG 109: Introduction to Human Geography
- GEOG 221: Introduction to Geospatial Technology
Political Science:
- POSC 101: Introduction to Political Science
- POSC 103: American National Government
- POSC 105: Governments of the World
- POSC 107: Introduction to International Relations
- POSC 207: State Government
Anthropology/Criminal Justice/Sociology:
- ANTH 207: Cultural Anthropology
- CRMJ 254: Introduction to Criminal Justice
- SOCI 101: Introduction to Sociology

Upper-Level Requirements

Select eight courses at the upper-level (300-400) from the seven subjects ANTH, CRMJ, ECON, GEOG, HIST, POSC, and SOCI. Courses must be from at least four and no more than five of the seven subjects. Students may include a maximum of three courses from any one subject.

Sample Four-Year Plan

The selected course sequence below is an example of the simplest path to degree completion. Based on course schedules, student needs, and student choice, individual plans may vary. Students should consult with their adviser to make the most appropriate elective choices and to ensure that they have completed the required number of units (120) to graduate.

Freshman Year

Term 1: Introductory HIST course, Introductory POSC course, Core 2, Core 4, Elective
Term 2: Introductory GEOG course, Introductory SOCI/CRMJ/ANTH course, Core 1, Core 7, Core 3

Sophomore Year

Term 1: Introductory ECON course, Introductory Course for the major #6, Introductory Course for the major #7, Upper-level course for the major #1, Core 10
Term 2: Upper-level course for the major #2, Upper-level course for the major #3, Upper-level course for the major #4, Core 8, Core 13

Junior Year

Term 1: Upper-level course for the major #5, Upper-level course for the major #6, Core 9 (upper-level), Core 14, Elective
Term 2: Upper-level course for the major #7, Upper-level course for the major #8, Lower- or upper-level elective for the major, Elective, Elective

Senior Year

Term 1: Elective (any upper-level course), Elective (any upper-level course), Elective (any lower- or upper-level course), Elective (any lower- or upper-level course), Elective (any lower- or upper-level course)
Term 2: Elective (any lower- or upper-level course), Elective (any lower- or upper-level course), Elective (any lower- or upper-level course), Elective (any lower- or upper-level course), Elective (any lower- or upper-level course)

Career Paths with a Social Science Degree

A degree in the social sciences can prepare you for a wide range of careers including law, business, human services, health care, and politics. Bruins have achieved great heights in all walks of life - health, sports, entertainment, public service, science and technology, and arts and letters. Areas where this exciting field of study is growing and developing include:

Management Analysts: Demand for consulting services is expected to grow as organizations seek ways to improve efficiency and cut costs.

Resources for Social Science Students

Many universities offer resources to support social science students:

Social Sciences Academic Resource Center (SSARC): Offers valuable services, programming, and resources ranging from resume consultation, internship opportunities, and graduate school guidance, to research and leadership training.
Social Sciences Undergraduate Student Affairs (SSUSA): Provides general and detailed information about UCI, the School of Social Sciences, and specific requirements exclusive to the majors and minors in the school.
Research Centers and Institutes: UCLA offers many resources for deepening your knowledge in your chosen field, including hundreds of research centers, institutes and labs that encourage collaboration across disciplines. The Institute is the central hub for global and area studies on campus. It supports innovative research on specific regions and pressing global issues.

Research Opportunities

Many universities have dedicated research facilities for social science students and faculty:

Social Sciences Research Laboratory: Used for both faculty and student research.
Experimental Social Science Laboratory: Dedicated to experimental studies on individual and interactive decision making in the social sciences.
Facility for Imaging & Brain Research (FIBRE): Provides researchers access to the latest technology in structural MRI, fMRI, MRS and diffusion imaging.

Centers and Programs

Universities often house centers and programs dedicated to specific areas within the social sciences:

Center for Administrative Data Analysis (CADA): Partners with organizations to help better utilize data to answer core questions and advance scientific understanding.
Center for the Advancement of Logic, its Philosophy, History and Applications (C-ALPHA): Provides a formal structure that strengthens extant cross‐disciplinary connections while fostering new ones.
Center for Citizen Peacebuilding: A distinctive international clearinghouse for research, education, and action on public peace processes.
Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Engineering (CENCE): A multidisciplinary research center aimed at understanding the relation between cognitive abilities and neural systems through brain imaging, brain mapping, computational modeling, informatics, and engineering techniques.
Center for Ethnography: Works to develop a series of sustained theoretical and methodological conversations about ethnographic research practices across the disciplines.
Center for Global Peace and Conflict Studies (CGPACS): A multidisciplinary research unit housed in the School of Social Sciences.
Center for Population, Inequality, and Policy: Focused on advancing research on socioeconomic factors that directly impact inequality.
Center for Theoretical Behavioral Sciences: Engaged in the pursuit of robust theories to transform the social, behavioral and information sciences to meet the challenges of today's rapidly changing world.
Jack W. Peltason Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD): Sponsors research and training on the process of democratic transition and the expansion of the democratic process in already established democracies.
Institute for Money, Technology and Financial Inclusion (IMTFI): Supports research on money and technology among the world’s poorest people.
UCI Interdisciplinary Center for the Scientific Study of Ethics and Morality: Focuses on the etiology of ethical behavior and differs in several important ways from existing centers dedicated to the discussion of ethics.

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