Social Science Classes
The Social Sciences provide a great many different lenses through which one can view the behavior of individuals and society. All of them are very useful in helping to understand that most fascinating of puzzles, the reasons behind human behavior. The applications for the techniques and skills learned in a Social Science course of study are numerous and varied as are the occupations one can hold after earning a degree in the Social Sciences.
There are also a wide variety of reasons one might take a Social Science class even if you do not plan to pursue a career in a Social Science related field. Everyone can benefit from the insights and personal or societal reflections offered by a Social Sciences perspective on human behavior.
One of the decisions you will need to make as you consider different social science classes is whether you wish to take a class that is offered online or whether you want to attend a traditional class with chairs desks and the social interactions provided by a college classroom. There are benefits to both possibilities and you will have to weigh them for yourself. Some benefits of online classes are that you often have tremendous flexibility in when you can attend the class.
You also will be telecommuting which means if you have a computer at home or in your office you can take a class from the comfort of your own space and also save on transportation costs. For those who prefer minimal distractions during their education an online class provides one of the best ways to take Social Science classes.
For those who prefer having lots of socialization with their fellow students and whose learning style is based more on discussion and interaction, the traditional physical campus model might be an ideal fit. Again, this is purely a personal preference and there are advantages to be seen with both possibilities.
If you plan on earning your degree in a Social Science you will usually find that you have several core curriculum classes that are universal for everyone studying your particular Social Science. For example, a student pursuing a Bachelor of Sociology might be required to take Sociology 102: The founding philosophy of Sociology, as part of their core requirements.
Usually, as one moves toward the latter part of their education, the chance to further specialize and take classes with a very specific focus on an elective basis becomes the standard. Earning a Bachelor’s degree in a Social Science will put you in an excellent position to be a solid candidate for an entry or mid-level position within the Human Services sector.
If you wish to have a much more in-depth education with the opportunity to move directly into mid-level or management positions in Human Services, you will need to take graduate level Social Science classes. After being accepted into a Master’s program, you will be required to take several core classes within your discipline and eventually you will be expected to write your thesis paper after you have taken a sufficient number of core and degree emphasis related classes.
Once you have your Master’s degree, you will be considered a prime candidate for most Human Services jobs and will be able to begin the process of earning licensure in the case of some occupations such as Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW).
For those who want to become experts in their field and have the greatest degree of knowledge within their discipline, the final educational level of attainment is the Doctoral degree. The Social Science classes at the Ph.D. level are the most challenging, but they are also the ones which give you the greatest knowledge of the state of the art. By taking classes at this level, you have committed yourself to a level of excellence that few attain and with that will come a prestige that is not experienced at other levels of education.
For example, a Psychology Doctoral student might attend seminars on Cognitive Neuroscience as part of their Ph.D. program within the Systems Neuroscience specialization.
The potential Social Science Classes available within the myriad Social Sciences and at the varying levels of education from Bachelor and Graduate to Doctoral are many and varied. However, if one is interested in the Social Sciences and wishes to pursue a degree in a particular field, the options quickly narrow and clarity is gained as program expectations are outlined and core curriculums are gained.
Once you have your core curriculum you can begin to bring your focus to bear on your major, graduate specialty and eventually your Doctoral dissertation focus in whatever that may be. Social Science classes are among some of the most intriguing of any offered at a university as they give one insight into the universal human condition at both the individual and societal level. These chances for self-reflection can be just as valuable as the eventual career opportunities these classes will provide.
