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Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Social Science |
The social sciences are those studies that help us to better understand ourselves, our society and the world. At College of the Southwest the social sciences include courses of study in history, political science, geography, psychology, and sociology. We offer majors in history, psychology, and social science. Students can earn a Bachelor of Arts & Sciences in history and social science, and a Bachelor of Science in psychology.
History studies at College of the Southwest help the student gain an understanding of the following:
- the key ideas of western civilization and their impact on the society in which they live;
- American history and the ideas and circumstances that have shaped the nation as it exists today;
- the basic principles of the historical interpretation of documents and artifacts,
- world cultures and religions;
- the various philosophies of history; and
- an understanding of historical methodology and the ability to successfully apply it to a research project.
The research skills and global understanding gained by our students in this program should prepare them for success in academia or, indeed, any field that requires a broad understanding of the world coupled with analytical skill.
Our political science program exposes students to the key ideas that affect the practices of national, state, and local governments in the United States, the practices of party politics, and the nature of governments as seen through the philosophies and systems of government of nations from around the world. College of the Southwest graduates in this area will be well prepared for either academia or the rough and tumble of American politics.
Geography is the field that enables one to understand how physical features, natural resources, and climatic patterns affect global, national and regional social and political institutions. Geography studies at College of the Southwest prepare the student with a better understanding of our contemporary world.
Sociology students gain an understanding of the relationship of the individual to the society and culture, the important contrasts and patterns of behavior that differentiate various cultures, the relationship of the individual to family life and families to cultures, the structural and functional aspects of both informal and formal human groups, and how institutions, communications, beliefs, and value systems affect individual and societal behavior. Surveys of those graduates who have gone into social work detail how valuable College of the Southwest sociology studies have been to their professional duties.
Course Descriptions