What if we told you that you could go to college to study the social importance of TikTok dances or research how Insta filters impact people's self-esteem?
Or maybe you want to study the economic impact of Dogecoin or theorize about how streaming platforms have changed how people consume movies and television.
These are all real possibilities with a social sciences degree.
The social sciences field covers loads of different academic specialties, all dedicated to exploring how people interact with one another in different contexts - and how this impacts society.
A social sciences degree can open the door to all kinds of career opportunities, from criminal justice to social services. Basically, if you're interested in people and what makes them tick (how is a Karen born?!), a bachelor's degree or master's degree in the social sciences might be for you.
Not sure where to start? We've got you covered. Below, we talk about the different social sciences branches and possible majors. We also highlight some top social sciences careers. Let's get to it!
The 5 branches of social science
The social sciences concentration is huge and includes several fields of study. From archaeologists to psychologists, many careers have a social sciences background. To simplify things, social sciences can split into five main areas.
Anthropology
Anthropology studies how human cultures and societies have developed. By understanding our past, anthropologists hope to better shape our future. The overall goal is to understand human behavior and its motivations.
Let's put it this way: In the past, anthropologists might have wondered why our ancestors drew on cave walls. Today, they might wonder why Instagram Reels is still a thing.
Anthropology has four subfields. Archaeology is the study of human culture. Biological anthropology is the study of human-environmental adaptation and evolution. Cultural anthropology studies how different cultures relate to the world.
Finally, linguistic anthropology studies how people communicate. Want to take a deep dive into slang like "OK, Boomer"? This is your field.
Sociology
Sociology studies how humans socialize with one another, behave in various social contexts, and evolve in societies. Sociologists may examine points like group structures, personal interactions, and stratification in human society. Sociology often means looking at inequalities.
Depending on the specialty, sociologists can cover contexts from family dynamics to crime groups, religious cults, and more. Basically, if you can name a social group of some kind - from college students to single moms - odds are a sociologist somewhere has studied them.
Economics
Economics involves the study of all aspects that make up an economic system, like trade, wealth, production, and manufacturing. Economics isn't just about making money and monitoring markets, though.
Understanding historical trends - like recessions - can help future generations. Maybe you've heard older millennials complain about the great recession of 2007-08. Economics can help avoid the same thing.
You've probably already heard of famous economists like Karl Marx and John Locke. Today, economists can explore the gender pay gap, wealth disparities between countries, and what causes recessions.
Political science
Political science involves the study of topics like politics, law and justice, and government. Ancient thinkers like Plato and Aristotle are often considered early political scientists.
Modern political scientists may study topics like the interaction between state and nation, international relations between countries, and political organizations.
The aim is to examine political phenomena and the conditions that lead to them in an attempt to explain how politics functions and evolves in societies. If you're unhappy with the political system and want to change it, a political science degree is a good starting point.
Social psychology
Social psychology is a branch of psychology that focuses on how people interact with one another and how those interactions impact a person's thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and goals. In some cases, these interactions might be real; in others, they might be imagined (like if you think someone's staring at you, but they're just zoning out).
More broadly, social psychologists look at the conditions that impact social behavior. Social psychologists can focus on various issues, like social influence, self-concept, stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination.
Top social science college majors
The above branches of social sciences include all kinds of degree programs, each of which can lead to their own career paths. Here are some of the most popular social science programs:
- Anthropology. Anthropology majors study the history of the human condition and evolution. Jobs for anthropology majors range from museum curators (any "Night at the Museum" fans?) to environmental anthropologists.
- Criminal justice. A criminal justice degree teaches the basics of law and order (dun dun), from criminology methodologies to law enforcement protocols. Possible career paths include police officer, correctional officer, and private investigator. Obsessed with "Dexter"? This is for you.
- Political science. Political science majors learn all about governments and political systems. They may work for government agencies, consulting firms, or elected officials. Job titles include policy analyst, legislative assistant, market research analyst, and even social media manager. If you love political intrigue - say, you couldn't stop watching "Scandal" - poli-sci is worth a look.
- Psychology. Psychology majors don't just work as professional psychologists. They can also hold roles in fields like social work, human resources, and public relations - basically, any field where an understanding of the human mind is beneficial. Follow in the footsteps of famous psychologists like Freud.
- Sociology. Sociology is a broad field that can lead to job titles like community development, marketing executive, nonprofit officer, journalist, or international aid worker. This social science major is a great choice if you want to keep your options open. If you can't decide which show to stream tonight, it might be best to stay open-minded.
- Economics. An economics degree teaches the problem-solving and critical thinking skills needed to analyze production, wealth, trade systems, and other factors that impact economies. Possible jobs for economics majors include financial consultant, investment analyst, and economic researcher. Dream of working on Wall Street? Here you go.
- International relations. International relations coursework covers the relationships between countries, governments, and societies. IR majors may work as intelligence analysts, political risk analysts, or civil servants, to name just a few options. If you're interested in a life of intrigue working for the CIA - think "The Bourne" movies with less death - IR is your calling.
Top jobs in social science
Depending on the social science courses you take, you might find yourself becoming a social worker, an urban planning consultant, or a market research analyst - to name just a few options.
But which social science career is right for you? We highlight some fave picks below.
Political scientist
Political scientists study the basis and evolution of political systems, parties, figures, and trends. They may research political persons, conduct public opinion surveys, test political theories, and study how public policy impacts people, businesses, and governments.
A political scientist's duties may also include creating forecasts to predict political trends and monitoring current events and policy evolution. The majority of political scientists work for government agencies. You can actually help shape policy - we might even say change the world - with your advice for the power players.
Fast facts:
- Educational requirements. A master's in political science (minimum); Ph.D. is generally preferred
- Salary range. Median pay of $122,510 per year (as of 2021)
- Career outlook. Positive growth of 6% through 2031
Archaeologist
Archaeologists study the origin of human society. The job may involve planning cultural research, collecting data out in the field (for example, on archaeological digs - think Indiana Jones minus the colonialism), and analyzing data and lab samples. They may also prepare reports to summarize their findings. It's a mix of office and fieldwork.
Archaeologists may use excavation equipment, database software, and geographic information systems to do their work. Employers for archaeologists include universities, governments, research organizations, and consulting firms.
Fast facts:
- Educational requirements. A master's degree in archaeology (minimum); Ph.D. is generally preferred
- Salary range. Median pay of $61,910 per year (as of 2021)
- Career outlook. Positive growth of 6% through 2031
Research historian
Research historians interpret and analyze historical documents, artifacts, and sources to draw conclusions and write about the past. Their duties may include data gathering from sources like books and archives, authenticating historical documents, and writing reports presenting theories on their findings.
Depending on their role, historians may also interact with the public, for example, by taking part in educational programs. If you enjoy the limelight, you'll get your chance. Historians may work for scientific organizations, technical services, or government agencies.
Fast facts:
- Educational requirements. A master's degree in history (minimum) or a related field like historical preservation, museum studies, or archival management; Ph.D. is generally preferred
- Salary range. Median pay of $63,940 per year (as of 2021)
- Career outlook. Positive growth of 4% through 2031
Economist
Economists analyze economic issues that impact societal goods, services, and resources and examine the resulting impact on everyday people. In addition to researching economic issues, they may analyze data using statistics and math, forecast economic trends like market shifts, and present these findings in studies.
Governments and businesses may hire economists to advise them on topics from policy to investments. You can have some serious clout without having to take center stage. Economists may also contribute to broader conversations by writing for academic journals.
Fast facts:
- Educational requirements. A master's degree in economics (minimum); Ph.D. is generally preferred
- Salary range. Median pay of $105,630 per year (as of 2021)
- Career outlook. Positive growth of 6% through 2031
Industrial-organizational psychologist
Industrial-organizational psychologists apply psychological principles to the business world. They may work for marketing departments, in management, or in human resources, among others. Basically, they ensure employees are playing nice.
An industrial psychologist's duties may include employee hiring and training, organizational development, and policy planning. They may also present to senior executives, providing tips on points like how to improve worker morale and employee productivity.
Fast facts:
- Educational requirements: A master's degree in psychology (minimum); Ph.D. is generally preferred
- Salary range: Median pay of $105,310 per year (as of 2021)
- Career outlook: Positive growth of 6% through 2031 for all psychology fields
Easily compare the best social science colleges and universities with College Rover
Social sciences is a huge field. The TL;DR: Your choice of social science discipline can impact future career options, so it's important to do your research. College Rover is here to help.
Simplify your college search by learning about and comparing different schools. You can also search schools by attribute or major. We also have resources covering topics like scholarships and financial aid. In short, it's your one-stop shop for higher education planning.
