Social Sciences Schools and Programs in The United States

Social Sciences Studies in The United States

The social sciences study societies and human behaviour: how communities develop, how they are organised and how they shape and are shaped by individuals. In the United States the term covers a family of disciplines, mainly sociology, political science, economics, anthropology and geography, often grouped with history and psychology in one division of a college of arts and sciences. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), US institutions conferred 151,100 bachelor's degrees in social sciences and history in 2021-22, 7 percent of all bachelor's degrees.

How the degree is organised

There is no national list of degree titles in the US: each accredited college or university designs its own programmes. The usual levels are:

• Associate degree (two years) at a community college, usually an Associate of Arts with a social science emphasis that transfers into a bachelor's degree
• Bachelor's degree (four years), a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a major in one discipline or in an interdisciplinary programme
• Master's degree (typically two years), which adds specialisation, for example in public administration, economics or sociology
• PhD (five to eight years), a research degree for academic and senior research careers

US credits reflect the hours a class meets each week; they are not ECTS credits. The academic year usually runs from August to May. Students normally declare their major at the end of the second year, so the first two years combine general courses with introductions to several social sciences.

Programmes differ in how much they rely on quantitative methods. At the University of Washington, the Social Sciences Division of the College of Arts and Sciences says its students learn to use research tools ranging from statistical programming to laboratory analysis and field research. At Carnegie Mellon University, the Department of Social and Decision Sciences is an interdisciplinary department that offers a B.S. in Behavioral Economics, a B.S. in Decision Science and a B.S. in Policy & Management, built on a shared core that includes decision analysis, empirical research and policy analysis. The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) runs a social sciences PhD programme within its Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences.

Admission, English and visa

For a bachelor's degree you need to have finished secondary school and generally be at least 17. Each institution assesses foreign school records itself, and US universities require an English language proficiency test before admission.

Before applying for a student visa you must be accepted by an institution certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which then issues the Form I-20 (or DS-2019 for exchange programmes). Degree students normally use the F visa. Check the school's accreditation as well: according to EducationUSA, recognition of credits and degrees by other institutions and by employers is linked to it.

Where to study social sciences in the United States

This page lists 85 schools that teach social sciences in the US. They are spread across the whole country and no city has more than two: Troy, Albany and Baltimore have two each. Examples include public universities such as the University of Washington, The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) and San Diego State University; private universities and colleges such as Carnegie Mellon University, Dartmouth College, Caltech and Hope College; and community colleges such as the Community College of Rhode Island and Broward College. Community colleges are typically state-supported and provide the first two years of a four-year degree. When comparing programmes, look at which disciplines the department covers, how much statistics and research methods training is included, whether undergraduates can take part in faculty research, and the size of the classes.

Careers

Social science graduates work in government, research, education, business and non-profit organisations. Jobs with the title of social scientist usually require graduate study. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), sociologists typically need at least a master's degree, and so do economists, although some economists, primarily in government, qualify for entry-level positions with a bachelor's degree. Political scientists typically need a master's degree, and the federal government employs 68 percent of them.

The BLS figures for May 2025 show how small and specialised these occupations are:

• Economists: about 18,600 jobs in 2025, median annual wage of $124,720, employment projected to grow 5 percent from 2025 to 2035
• Political scientists: about 6,100 jobs, median annual wage of $142,080, employment projected to decline 2 percent
• Sociologists: about 2,700 jobs, median annual wage of $106,030, employment projected to grow 4 percent

Frequently asked questions

How long does a social sciences degree take in the United States?

An associate degree takes two years, a bachelor's degree four, a master's degree typically two and a PhD five to eight years.

Do I have to choose one discipline when I apply?

Usually not. According to EducationUSA, students do not declare a major until the end of the second year, so there is time to take courses in several social sciences first.

Can I start at a community college?

Yes. Community colleges provide the first two years of a four-year undergraduate degree, and an associate degree can transition to a bachelor's programme.

Is a bachelor's degree enough to work as a sociologist or economist?

Generally not. According to the BLS, sociologists and economists typically need at least a master's degree, although some economists in government start with a bachelor's degree.