Academic Catalog

Social Science, Bachelor of Arts

College: College of Liberal Arts
Department: Interdisciplinary
Student Type: Traditional Undergraduate
Degree: Bachelor of Arts
Campus: Both Lisle Campus and Mesa Campus

Requirements - Major

Social Science majors who are not going to be teachers will complete at least 39 semester credit hours with a grade of "C" or better. At least 24 semester credit hours must be at the 2000 level or above, of which at least 12 semester credit hours must be at the 3000 level or above and 6 semester credit hours at the 4000 level. In this program, students have two options: a primary concentration of 21 semester credit hours combined with an 18-semester-credit-hour secondary concentration, selected from the fields of economics, history, political science, psychology, sociology-anthropology, or criminology or a 21-semester-credit-hour primary concentration and two secondary areas of study of 9 semester credit hours each, selected from the above fields. Specific courses taken must be approved by the department chair.

Note: One 4000-level course is required in the primary concentration and the required second 4000-level course can be taken in any concentration.

Requirements for the various options are:

  1. Economics
    1. If 21 semester credit hours, then ECON 2001 Principles of Microeconomics, ECON 2002 Principles of Macroeconomics, ECON 3202 Price Theory and Application, and 12 additional hours in Economics, including 9 hours at the 3000-level or higher and 3 hours at the 4000-level are required.
    2. If 18 semester credit hours, then ECON 2001 Principles of Microeconomics, ECON 2002 Principles of Macroeconomics, ECON 3202 Price Theory and Application, and 9additional hours in Economics, including 6 hours at the 3000 level or higher are required.
    3. If 9 semester credit hours, then ECON 2001 Principles of Microeconomics, ECON 2002 Principles of Macroeconomics and 3 additional hours in Economics at the 3000 level or higher are required.
  2. History
    1. If 21 semester credit hours then HIST 1111 American History to 1865, HIST 1112 American History since 1865, HIST 2203 Historiography and HIST 4399 Senior Thesis, and 9 additional hours at the 3000-level or higher, of which 6 hours are to be from European or world history.
    2. If 18 semester credit hours then HIST 1111 American History to 1865, HIST 1112 American History since 1865, HIST 2203 Historiography. In addition, 3 hours of world history at the 2000 level or above and 6 hours at the 3000-level or higher are required.
    3. If 9 semester credit hours there are two options:
      1. HIST 2240 Converging Hemispheres and 6 additional hours of world history, of which 3 hours at the 3000-level or higher, or
      2. HIST 1111 American History to 1865, HIST 1112 American History since 1865, and another 3 hours of American history at the 3000-level or higher are required.
  3. Political Science
    1. If 21 semester credit hours, then PLSC 1102 American Government, PLSC 2105 Law and Politics or PLSC 2210 Introduction to International Relations, and 15 additional hours in Political Science, including 12 hours at the 3000-level or higher and 3 hours at the 4000-level are required.
    2. If 18 semester credit hours, then PLSC 1102 American Government, PLSC 2105 Law and Politics or PLSC 2210 Introduction to International Relations, and 12 additional hours in Political Science, including 6 hours at the 3000 level or higher are required.
    3. If 9 semester credit hours, then PLSC 1102 American Government and 6 additional hours in Political Science, of which 3 hours at the 3000-level or higher are required.
  4. Psychology
    1. If 21 semester credit hours, then PSYC 1100 Survey of Psychology and 18 additional hours in Psychology, including 9 hours at the 3000-level or higher and 3 hours at the 4000-level are required.
    2. If 18 semester credit hours, then PSYC 1100 Survey of Psychology and 15 additional hours in Psychology, including 6 hours at the 3000 level or higher are required.
    3. If 9 semester credit hours, then PSYC 1100 Survey of Psychology and 6 additional hours in Psychology, of which 3 hours at the 3000-level or higher are required.
  5. Sociology
    1. If 21 semester credit hours, then SOCL 1100 Principles of Sociology and 18 additional hours in Sociology, including 9 hours at the 3000-level or higher and 3 hours at the 4000-level are required.
    2. If 18 semester credit hours, then SOCL 1100 Principles of Sociology and 15 additional hours in Sociology, including 6 hours at the 3000 level or higher are required.
    3. If 9 semester credit hours, then SOCL 1100 Principles of Sociology and 6 additional hours in Sociology, of which 3 hours at the 3000-level or higher are required.
  6. Criminology
    1. If 21 semester credit hours, then CRIM 2321 Criminology and 18 additional hours in Criminal Justice/Criminology, including 9 hours at the 3000-level or higher and 3 hours at the 4000-level are required.
    2. If 18 semester credit hours, then CRIM 2321 Criminology and 15 additional hours in Criminal Justice/Criminology, including 6 hours at the 3000 level or higher are required.
    3. If 9 semester credit hours, then CRIM 2321 Criminology and 6 additional hours in Criminal Justice/Criminology, of which 3 hours at the 3000-level or higher are required.

This major provides you with a broad introduction to the various social sciences. The general Social Science major (for those not pursuing the teacher licensure program) consists of a 21-semester-credit-hour option in history, economics, political science, psychology, sociology, or criminology along with either an 18-semester-credit-hour option in another of the above fields, or two 9-semester-credit-hour options in two of the above fields. This major is separate from the History/Social Science major and is not suitable for those wishing to obtain a teaching license. Those interested in this program should contact Susan Mikula, Ph.D.