Social and Behavioral Science Major with a Concentration in Policy, Justice, and Administration
This interdisciplinary major provides the basis for a broad education in social science, leading to the degree of Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Social and Behavioral Sciences (referred to as “SBS”). Unlike traditional majors, SBS offers students a unique learning experience based on their own interests across multiple academic fields. Students choose a combination of courses in one of three career-focused concentrations (Allied Health; Policy, Justice and Administration; and Culture and Society) from among several social science disciplines, including:
- Anthropology
- Criminal justice
- Economics
- Political science
- Psychology
- Social work
- Sociology
The program is an excellent springboard for graduate studies as well as work in:
- Public, nonprofit and private sector administration
- Research
- Teaching
- Public health
- Social services
- Social justice
The SBS major is an ideal foundation for essential professional skills such as creative thinking and synthesis of ideas across multiple fields. Students can complete their core requirements and the SBS major within six semesters. This provides students the flexibility to potentially explore additional academic interests, dovetail minors or certificate programs, study abroad, or take prerequisite courses for graduate and professional school programs.
Major in Social and Behavioral Sciences Program
Program Requirements
In addition to meeting the standards and requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences, degree candidates must complete program requirements for a total of 36 credits.
All SBS students will complete:
- Foundational courses (12 credits), which include a combination of introductory courses across the social sciences and the option of one integrated human science course with a career planning component;
- Focused courses (18 credits) which entail integration of courses across the social sciences aimed at a specific professional knowledge area;
- Research methods and Senior Seminar (SOBS 5002 Senior Seminar in Social and Behavioral Sciences) capstone (6 credits), which require a statistics prerequisite of one the following:
Students are encouraged to complete a minor and/or certificate depending on their specialized interests and career path. Three (3) credits from the SBS major requirement are permitted to fulfill a minor or certificate requirement.
In consultation with the SBS advisor and participating faculty, students will craft a personalized curriculum from several disciplines aligned with one the three offered concentrations for a total of 36 credits. Many of the courses fulfill categories in the College of Arts and Sciences Core Curriculum. A minimum GPA of 2.0 is required.
Policy, Justice, and Administration Concentration (36 credits)
This concentration provides students with an organizational and community-focused social science foundation, which can be applied to public policy and administration for careers in human resources, social work, community work, and administration in politics, the justice system, and healthcare. It provides a broad social science basis for entering postgraduate programs (e.g., Master of Public Administration, Master of Public Health).
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundational Courses | ||
| Select four of the following: | 12 | |
| Introduction to Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Culture and Communication: Introduction to Linquistic Anthropology | ||
| The Criminal Justice System in Modern America | ||
| Principles of Economics I | ||
or ECON 1411 | Introduction to Economics | |
| Introduction to Psychology | ||
| Integrated Human Science | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
| Introduction to Social Work | ||
| Focused Courses | ||
| Select courses from the following: * | 18 | |
| Research Methods & Capstone | ||
| SOBS 5002 | Senior Seminar in Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Quantitative Research Methods | ||
or SOCI 2910 | Research Methods | |
| Qualitative Research Methods | ||
or SOCI 2912 | Qualitative Research Methods | |
| Research Methods | ||
| Research Methods | ||
| Research Methods | ||
| Research Methods Social Work | ||
| Total Hours | 36 | |
- *
In consultation with their advisor and participating faculty, students choose a combination of courses across disciplines focused on knowledge areas in policy and administration totaling 18 credits from the list of course options below. Nine credits may be taken from each of the following disciplines: Anthropology, Criminal Justice, Economics, Nursing, Political Science, Psychology, Social Work, and Sociology. Students must complete a minimum of 9 credits at the 2000- 4000 level.
Anthropology
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ANTH 2233 | Understanding Human Sexuality | 3 |
| ANTH 2412 | Anthropology of Religion | 3 |
| ANTH 2242 | Peoples and Cultures of Southeast Asia | 3 |
| ANTH 2244 | Peoples - Cultures of Eurasia | 3 |
Sociology
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SOCI 2314 | Formal Organizations | 3 |
| SOCI 2512 | Careers and Occupations | 3 |
| SOCI 2514 | Sociology of Women and Men | 3 |
| SOCI 2515 | Majority-Minority Relations | 3 |
| SOCI 2601 | Social Problems and Solutions | 3 |
| SOCI 3892 | Internship | 3 |
Social Work
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SOWK 2201 | Social Prob and Programs | 3 |
| SOWK 2311 | Child Welfare Policy-Practice | 3 |
| SOWK 3301 | Social Policy Analysis | 3 |
Psychology
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 1216 | Industrial/Organizational Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 2212 | Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 2214 | Mental Health | 3 |
| PSYC 2216 | Social Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 2205 | Intro to Forensic Psychology | 3 |
Political Science/Economics
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| POLS 1711 | International Relations | 3 |
| POLS 2120 | The Nonprofit Sector | 3 |
| POLS 2122 | Public Administration | 3 |
| ECON 2420 | Intermediate Microeconomic Analysis | 3 |
| ECON 2421 | Intermediate Macroeconomic Analysis | 3 |
| ECON 3427 | Economics of Health Care | 3 |
| ECON 3462 | Government and Business | 3 |
Criminal Justice
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CRIM 2614 | Police in Modern Society | 3 |
| CRIM 2616 | Criminology | 3 |
| CRIM 3550 | History Criminological Theory | 3 |
Nursing
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NUTH 1003 | Sociocultural Determinants of Health and Healthcare | 3 |
| NUTH 1101 | Professional Nursing Practice Foundations | 3 |
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