Social Sciences for Social Problems
How do different approaches within the social sciences contribute to our understanding of human behavior and societies?
in social sciences for social problems you will:
Begin to develop an understanding of why our world is the way it is & how we can improve it
Learn what each of the major social sciences—economics, sociology, psychology, anthropology, history, & political science—is, what they focus on, and how to apply them as lenses to understand social issues you care about
Apply the lenses of the social sciences to develop a more nuanced understanding of an issue you care about
Be part of a global classroom, where students from around the world learn from each other
the class structure:
We’ll spend six days on intros to the major social sciences—economics, sociology, psychology, anthropology, history, and political sciences.
Each day, we’ll introduce a discipline, learn about its methods, sample interesting texts from the field, and discuss how the discipline links to careers
We’ll spend three days applying the lenses we’re learning to important issues, like climate change and racism
On the final day, we’ll apply social sciences lenses to pop culture and you’ll have a chance to share your project
For your project, you will apply the lenses of the social sciences to a problem you care about (of your choosing!)
Top projects are designated as ⭐starred projects ⭐, a designation students can add to their resumes
Example student projects
Click through to read more or watch their presentations. 👀
LOGISTICS
Each day we have a two-hour Zoom session where we discuss rich, carefully chosen course materials, reflect on its implications on our lives, and learn from each other in a collaborative, challenging environment
College-like course structure: Seminar with minimum of 4 & maximum of 15 for engaging discussion
Dates & times: (full schedule)
Term 1: June 19 - June 30 10am - noon ET
Term 3: July 17 - July 28 2-4pm ET
Tuition: $1,000 with need-based scholarships available, part of the application