Social Sciences

Overview

The Social Sciences program of Northwestern University employs a full range of the research methods and comparative perspectives in the social sciences, students gain essential skills in critical reasoning and analysis, creative problem solving, writing, and social awareness.

Graduates will be prepared to:

• Explain how human identity is linked to social constructs of gender, race, class and culture

• Apply the insights of various social science disciplines to analyze behavior and beliefs, both of individuals and groups

• Analyze how various disciplines in the social sciences approach social problems and explain the diverse configurations of human society

• Demonstrate proficiency in the use of quantitative and qualitative research methods to analyze problems and illuminate issues

• Use argument and evidence effectively to communicate

• Apply critical and creative thinking, information literacy, and interdisciplinary perspectives to analyze and evaluate proposed solutions for practical problems in the social sciences

Career paths

Students who study the social sciences emerge with a robust foundation of analytical, research, writing, and argumentation skills, and the ability to apply problem solving and critical thinking to current and future performance in a variety of disciplines and professional settings. They study in professional school—including law, business, medicine, education, public policy—or pursue advanced studies in liberal arts and sciences, or build on their rigorous training in research and analysis to advance in careers in technology, research, analytics, health care, education, the nonprofit sector, public administration and service, management, consulting, planning, and human resources.