Social Science and Policy Studies
J. K. Doyle, HEAD
PROFESSORS: J. T. O'Connor, K. Saeed
ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS: J. K. Doyle, J. Gobert, O. Pavlov, M. J. Radzicki, K. J. Rissmiller, J. M. Wilkes
ASSISTANT PROFESSORS: R. Baker, M. John, J. Skorinko, A. Smith
PROFESSOR OF PRACTICE: J. Lyneis
ADJUNCT FACULTY: W. Baller, R. Eberlein, A. Ford, G. Heaton, D. Kantarelis, J. Morecroft, G. Riley, K. Warren, J. Yee
Mission Statement
sciences play in our complex, technological world, the Department of Social Science and Policy Studies offers cutting edge educational and research programs in a variety of disciplines, including economics, environmental and sustainability studies, government/law, learning sciences, psychology, sociology, and system dynamics. Our programs, ranging from undergraduate general education in the social sciences to interdisciplinary Ph. D. degrees, are distinguished by their emphasis on behavioral science, commitment to project-based learning, and use of state of the art methods and technologies. We are committed to helping students at all levels to think critically about important societal problems and to identify effective solutions.
Programs
The SSPS Department supports general education in the social sciences through the university-wide Social Science Requirement. The Department offers B.S. degrees and minors in Economic Science, Psychological Science, Society, Technology & Policy, and System Dynamics. The Department also serves as the home for the Pre-Law program and Law & Technology Minor and is the lead department for the interdisciplinary B.A. program in Environmental and Sustainability Studies. Given the diversity of offerings in the department, each program has a unique set of goals and outcomes.
For additional advice about course selections, students should consult with their academic advisor. Detailed curriculum guidelines for each program as well as recommendations for completing the Social Science Requirement are available on the Social Science and Policy Studies Department Web site.
Course Areas
The SSPS Department covers many of the traditional social science disciplines. Courses with the following prefixes are found in the Department:
| ECON | Economics |
|---|---|
| ENV | Environmental and Sustainability Studies |
| GOV | Political Science, Government, and Law |
| PSY | Psychology |
| SD | System Dynamics |
| SOC | Sociology |
| SS | General Social Science |
| STS | Society-Technology Studies |
Double Major in Social Science and Policy Studies
Any of the major programs offered by the SSPS Department may be taken as part of a double major in which the student majors in an area of science, engineering or management as well as social science. To obtain a double major, the student must satisfy all of the degree requirements of both majors, including the MQP and Distribution requirements. However, the MQP in the social science discipline may double count as the IQP, provided that the combined project meets the goals of both. It must be interactive in nature involving an aspect of technology as well as an application of social science knowledge and analytical techniques. Thus double majors for whom one of the majors is in the social sciences requires only two projects, not three. The decision to pursue the social science double major should be made fairly early in the student's academic career, certainly early enough to ensure the selection of an appropriate IQP/MQP.
Undergraduate Research Opportunities
SSPS faculty are actively engaged in experimental research in a variety of applied social science areas, with particular strength in economics, learning sciences, psychology, and system dynamics. Undergraduates interested in gaining experience in behavioral research should contact one or more of the following faculty about opportunities to work in social science research laboratories:
- Educational Psychology Lab (Prof. Baker)
- Experimental Economics Lab (Prof. Smith)
- Learning Sciences Lab (Prof. Gobert)
- Social Psychology Inquiry Lab (Prof. Skorinko)
