Social Science

Career potential

A bachelor's degree from the University of North Texas with a major in social science will provide you with an interdisciplinary approach to education. You will gain a better understanding of diverse cultures, societal needs and individual responsibilities. That in turn can help you develop critical thinking skills within the vast context of social and human development.

By choosing social science as a major, you will receive the strong liberal arts background that many corporations desire. The degree can prepare you to work in management, marketing, sales, mass communication or public relations. You can train for a position in a nonprofit organization or government agency. Or you may select courses in social science that will groom you, with additional course work, to become a high school or middle school teacher in social studies - economics, geography, government, history, psychology and sociology. A social science major also can prepare you to enter a professional school or a master's or doctoral degree program.

UNT's Career Center can help you prepare to pursue your career. The center has information about jobs and employers, and the staff can help you with resume and letter writing, job search strategies and interview preparation.

Majoring in social science

A major in social science will require study in social science fields, including anthropology, economics, geography, history, philosophy and religion studies, political science, psychology, social work, and sociology. As a social science major, you will choose one of these areas as your primary interest and take at least 18 hours in that area. You also will take 30 additional hours in two or more other areas. For example, you could take six political science courses as your main 18-hour concentration and then four history courses, four economics courses and two sociology courses for the 30 additional hours.

Many UNT faculty members in the social sciences are considered experts in their fields and have written hundreds of books and articles on their areas of expertise.

Several student organizations are active in the social science departments. In these organizations, you can socialize and learn more about the fields of study.

A secondary teaching certificate in social studies is available through a separate certification plan in collaboration with the College of Education.

Getting hands-on experience

You may have the opportunity for an internship as part of a class. If you are taking courses in anthropology, for example, you may help excavate an archaeological site in Texas through a special class offered every other summer sponsored by the Department of Anthropology, or you may intern in a museum. If you are studying political science, you may intern in Washington, D.C., or in Austin with the office of a state representative or senator.

Upon completion of 12 semester hours at UNT with at least a 2.5 GPA, you may work in a job related to your major through UNT's Cooperative Education and Internships office. You may earn academic credit and money and gain valuable work experience.

Preparing for UNT

If you are a high school student, we suggest you prepare for college by becoming computer proficient and taking:

• English … 4 years
• Math … 4 years
• Social science — economics, geography, government, history … 4 years
• Science … 3 years
• Foreign language … 3 years
• Fine arts … 1 year

You will need to take courses in most of these subjects under the university core curriculum required of all undergraduates, in addition to your major courses. Talk with your high school counselor about preparing for college, including the entrance exams (SAT Reasoning Test or ACT) that you should take during your junior year.

As a benefit for transfer students, UNT participates in the Texas Common Course Numbering System. This system makes it easier to transfer credits for general academic courses from one Texas institution to another.

If you're attending a Texas community college, you should consult the UNT Transfer Guide, the UNT Undergraduate Catalog and an academic counselor/advisor to discuss your degree plan. Proper planning will help you receive the maximum amount of transfer credits.

Charting your path with academic advising

The College of Arts and Sciences has full-time advisors to help you select courses to earn your degree and to achieve your career goals. The student advising office is in the General Academic Building, Room 220.

Curious about courses and other features of this major?
See the current catalog.