Social Science & Policy Studies

Mission Statement

SSPS programs are concerned with the substance and the process of socioeconomic problem solving especially as related to technological development, environment and public policy. Most socioeconomic problems - e.g., inflation, unemployment, urban deterioration, environmental pollution, income inequality, or infrastructure creation and maintenance - go beyond the boundaries of the traditional social science disciplines. Hence, the courses offered by the Department of Social Science and Policy Studies attempt to integrate knowledge and research techniques from multiple disciplines. Our curriculum covers system dynamics, economics, sociology, psychology, law and political science. System dynamics exclusively focuses on a computer modeling and experimental analysis approach to problem solving and policy analysis while other areas employ a variety of modeling and analysis methods including system dynamics. The department also encourages students to view social and economic problems, and the relationship of technology to society, from a variety of perspectives and to become acquainted with different methods of gathering and analyzing social data.

SSPS department offers undergraduate majors in several policy related disciplines. In addition, the department administers WPI's two-course requirement in Social Sciences.

Educational Outcomes

Graduates of a social science major must have demonstrated through coursework and projects:

  1. An ability to recognize patterns in real world data, qualitative and quantitative, in order to be able to define problems.
  2. An ability to formulate hypotheses and models representing problems and understand their logic.
  3. An ability to experiment with such models to establish their validity.
  4. An ability to carry out exploratory analysis to arrive at remedial instruments addressing the defined problems.
  5. Literacy in the technical aspects of a problem in the student's area of concentration.
  6. An ability to effectively communicate the results of an analysis.
  7. An ability to work with groups.
  8. Computer literacy.

The teaching of social sciences differs from engineering in that it must deal with a large variety of empirical manifestations in the face of unreliable and often local theoretical premises. Thus, while a bulk of engineering practice involves applying well known physical principles to the design of physical systems, much time must be spent in social science analysis in recognizing problems, understanding their underlying relationships and developing premises to deal with the stylized facts. Once a problem is recognized, a vehicle of analysis must be developed to understand it and develop a remedial process. The validation of social analysis draws on the well-known principles of the scientific method, although the mechanics of its implementation vary depending on the vehicle of analysis used.

SSPS course offerings attempt to address the above agenda by focusing on description and analysis rather than only on prescription. Methodology and its valid practice are covered extensively in the system dynamics courses, while in other offered courses, research methods are integrated with the discipline-related content. Many courses emphasize group work in one form or the other. Item 5 above is addressed through coursework in other departments offering relevant curricula. Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP) and Major Qualifying Project (MQP) offer opportunities for learning the problem solving process in a real world context.

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Last modified: October 22, 2007 14:36:02