Degree Overview: Bachelor’s Degree Programs in Social Sciences
Majors Overview March 12, 2015Get information about bachelor’s degree programs in social sciences and their educational requirements, coursework, career choices, job and wage outlook, and continuing education choices.
Bachelor’s Degree Programs in Social Sciences
Students enrolled in a social sciences bachelor’s program are taught about the theoretical, political, cultural, and historical aspects of human behavior. Coursework includes the nature of evolution and its continuance as well as the formation of various institutions.
The curriculum is devised to hone the research, analysis, writing, decision making, problem solving, creative thinking, and critical thinking skills of students even as they gain different perspectives. Social sciences bachelor’s programs are available through many schools that typically offer degrees as a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.).
Educational Requirements
Admission criteria typically require incoming students to hold a GED certificate or a high school diploma. Incoming students to the social sciences program may have to meet additional requirements, including completion of a specific number of college-level courses before they are allowed to begin core coursework.
Coursework
Coursework related to the majority of bachelor’s degree programs in social sciences includes a multidisciplinary curriculum devised from areas of sociology, anthropology, politics, and history, whereby a multifaceted worldview can be developed by students. Participation in research projects, internships, and practicums are also expected of students enrolled in the program. Core coursework may commonly include topic areas such as:
•Social statistics
•Oral language
•Economics
•Social statistics
•World religions
•Research methods
•Political theory
•Psychology
•Social theory
•Community health
Career Choices
Those who complete a bachelor’s degree program in social sciences may seek entry-level jobs in various fields. However, they may be restricted in their choice of fields, with employers for most relevant jobs likely to prefer holders of an advanced degree. These professionals may seek entry-level occupations such as:
•Social science research assistant
•Policy analyst
•Social worker
•Market analyst
Job and Wage Outlook
A job growth rate of 19% has been predicted for social workers over the 2012 – 2022 decade. Over the same period, job growth for sociologists could be 15%, and these latter professionals could depend on qualified research assistants to assist them (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). In May 2012, child, family, and school social workers brought home an average annual wage of $41,530, while healthcare social workers banked $37,140 (BLS).
Continuing Education Choices
Graduates from a social sciences bachelor’s degree program could use the coursework as a reliable basis for pre-professional graduate programs, such as medicine or law. Students may also choose to earn master’s and doctoral degrees in other fields related to social sciences, such as anthropology, psychology, or political science. Schools also offer Master of Arts (M.A.) programs in Social Sciences and allow students to customize coursework in accordance with their individual career objectives.
