Are you fascinated by people?
Are you curious about why we do what we do?
Do you have a desire to help others?
Are you drawn to explaining, analyzing, communicating,
or persuading?
If so, you may find your best-fit major among
the Social & Behavioral Sciences in the College
of Arts & Sciences.
These majors study the behavior of people
both as individuals and communities.
Anthropology and Anthropological Sciences
focus on the holistic, scientific examination
of humankind and human cultures.
Anthropologists specialize in physical anthropology
- the study of human evolutionary descent,
cultural anthropology - the study of cultural
variation among humans, or archaeology - the
study of the ancient and recent human past
through material remains.
The Anthropology major places an equal emphasis
on the three areas of study and leads to a
Bachelor of Arts degree.
The Anthropological Sciences major places
an emphasis on physical anthropology and leads
to a Bachelor of Science degree.
The Anthropological Sciences major is more
appropriate for students who intend to pursue
graduate studies and research in the anthropological
sciences, biomedical sciences, or employment
in applied anthropology.
Students in these majors have the opportunity
to participate in research with faculty in
some really interesting places such as Cameroon,
Hungary, Japan, Portugal, Yemen, Guatemala
and right here in Ohio.
The Atmospheric Sciences major examines weather
forecasting, severe weather, climate change,
and micrometeorology.
Atmospheric Sciences majors have access to
the Synoptic Meteorology Laboratory, various
instruments for data collection and analysis,
and Twister, OSU's weather server which provides
real-time meteorological data.
Graduates of this program meet all of the
Federal Civil Service requirements for meteorologist
positions and qualify for employment with
the National Weather Service, the FAA, and
other federal agencies and private weather
forecasting services.
The Communication major has three specializations:
Communication Analysis & Practice, New Media
& Communication Technology, and Strategic
Communication.
Communication Analysis & Practice develops
core competencies in communication alongside
a focus area in one of the following: Mass
Media Effects; Communication for Advocacy
& Politics; Interpersonal Communication Processes;
and Health, Science, & Risk Communication.
The New Media & Communication Technology specialization
examines how communication technology tools
are currently used and how they can be better
designed to improve usability and effectiveness.
Students learn about cognitive engineering,
human-computer interaction, online news, and
basic design principles.
Strategic Communication studies communication
practices within and between organizations.
Some of the focus areas include negotiation,
team problem solving, leadership, and persuasive
communication.
The Communication major prepares students
to pursue internships and careers in marketing
and public relations agencies, radio stations,
government, television, and more.
Criminology & Criminal Justice Studies examines
the types, causes, and effects of crime; crime
mitigation and prevention; and the functioning
of the criminal justice system.
Students who pursue this major have the opportunity
to enter the workforce in a variety of fields,
including law enforcement, crime prevention,
research, fraud investigation, health and
social services, community welfare, and government.
The Economics major studies the distribution
of scarce resources, with particular attention
to the behavior of the modern world's primary
means of resource distribution: the market.
Economics addresses such topics as unemployment,
inflation, stock prices, public policy, labor,
bargaining, and property rights.
Students who major in Economics find employment
in banking, insurance, government, law, securities
markets, and more.
It's also great preparation for graduate and
professional school in such areas as law and
business.
The Geographic Information Systems major teaches
you how to use specialized maps and software
to communicate geospatial information.
This information has a variety of uses, including
emergency management, business location and
retail analysis, transportation modeling,
crime and disease mapping, and natural resource
management.
Students who graduate with a degree in Geographic
Information Systems find employment in fields
such as spatial database development and management,
environmental planning, transportation planning,
software development, cartography, conservation
and urban planning.
The Geography major has four specializations:
Environment and Society; Urban, Regional and
Global Studies; Spatial Analysis; and Climatology
and Physical Geography.
The Environment and Society specialization
studies the relationship between physical
phenomena such as climate change, weather,
and hydrology and social phenomena such as
land-use decisions, racial inequality, and
political decision-making.
The Urban, Regional and Global Studies specialization
studies the relationship between geography
and politics, society, culture, and economics.
Students learn about how technology, migration,
and social and political conflict influence
neighborhoods and cities across the world.
The Spatial Analysis specialization teaches
students how to use databases and statistical
tools to study and improve transportation,
travel patterns, public transport, urban and
regional development, natural resource planning,
and space optimization.
The Climatology and Physical Geography specialization
focuses on global climate change, climate
history, and climate modeling.
Students who major in Geography may pursue
careers with federal and local government
agencies, industrial firms, non-profit organizations,
private forecasting firms, television and
more.
The International Studies major has 11 specializations:
African Studies, Development Studies, East
Asian Studies, Globalization Studies, International
Relations & Diplomacy, Latin American Studies,
Middle East Studies, Security & Intelligence,
Slavic & East European Studies, West European
Studies, and World Economy & Business.
The specializations in African Studies, East
Asian Studies, Latin American Studies, Middle
East Studies, Slavic & East European Studies,
and West European Studies introduce students
to the cultural, economic, historical, and
political forces arising inside and outside
of these particular areas that have influenced
their past, present, and future.
The remainder of the International Studies
specializations' focus on thematic rather
than regional.
The Development Studies specialization places
emphasis on the underdevelopment and modernization
in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America
and the Middle East.
The Globalization Studies specialization examines
the relationship between globalization and
communication, trade, governance, healthcare,
employment, conflict, language, and culture.
The International Relations & Diplomacy specialization
introduces students to the economic and political
relations among sovereign states in the post-World
War II period.
Students are introduced to issues such as
problem solving, diplomacy, trade, war, culture,
and security.
The Security & Intelligence specialization
focuses on the nature of conflict and war,
especially in the aftermath of the September
11th attack on the World Trade Center.
Students learn about national security, conventional
war, terrorism, biological warfare, information
theft, and espionage.
The World Economy & Business specialization
educates students about economic globalization,
the role of the United States in this process,
and the domestic impacts of these changes.
Students who major in International Studies
may find careers in government, business,
and international development agencies.
It is also great preparation for law school.
Neuroscience is an interdisciplinary major
that focuses on the organization, development,
and function of the nervous system, and its
relationship to behavior, cognition, and disorders.
Students study a variety of subjects, including
psychology, biology, genetics, and computer
science.
The major has three specializations: Behavioral
Systems, Cellular Molecular, and Cognitive
Computational.
Students are encouraged to do research and
may receive course credit for doing so.
Neuroscience graduates may seek employment
in a variety of fields such as biomedical
research, pharmaceutical sales, hospital administration,
and public service.
Neuroscience is also a popular supporting
major for health professions.
The Political Science major exposes students
to the political theory, structures of government
from around the world, types of political
parties, and the impact of political decision-making
at the micro and macro level.
Political Science majors specialize in American
politics, comparative politics, international
relations, or political theory.
With the state government based in Columbus,
OH and various other internship programs based
in Washington DC, students have plenty of
opportunities to gain valuable experience.
Students who major in political science often
find career opportunities in government, research,
consulting, interest groups, journalism and
law.
The Psychology major introduces students to
the study of human behavior from various theoretical
perspectives, including biological, cognitive,
emotional, and social.
Course topics include judgment and decision
making, mental health disorders, lifespan
development, interpersonal relationships,
counseling, neuroscience, and perception.
Students have an opportunity to participate
in faculty research labs and may present at
local or national conferences.
Graduates often work in business, health services,
personnel administration, probation, law enforcement,
sales.
Psychology majors may also pursue graduate-level
programs in medicine, counseling, law, nursing,
public policy, public health, and more.
The Public Affairs Journalism major teaches
the process of gathering, interpreting, and
presenting news and information to the public.
Students learn the fundamental skills in reporting,
investigating, and writing.
They also study interactive journalistic forms
such as blogging and social media.
Journalism majors gain practical experience
by working on the student newspaper publication,
The Lantern.
Journalism majors intern and work with newspapers,
magazines, television and radio stations,
and communications departments.
The Social Sciences Air Transportation major
introduces students to the transportation
and flight industries, while also emphasizing
the relationship between the air transportation
industry and social, cultural, geographical
and economic factors.
Students learn about transportation security,
geographic information systems, cartography,
aircraft performance, aviation communication,
management, and government policy and regulation.
Air Transportation has a professional pilot
track which can lead to certification as a
commercial pilot.
In addition to piloting, graduates find work
in a variety of settings including airports,
airlines, corporate aviation, cargo aviation,
flight support and planning, air traffic,
government, regulatory bodies, and transportation
management.
The Sociology major studies group, organizational,
and societal behavior.
Course topics include crime and law, work
and occupations, education, religion, sports
and leisure, politics, race, and gender.
Graduates find work in a variety of sectors,
including community and non-profit organizations,
health and social services, criminal justice
and corrections, business, and government.
The Speech and Hearing Science major studies
healthy functioning and disorders of the auditory
system, speech mechanics and speech disorders,
and language processing.
Many students use this program as the foundation
for a career as a speech-language pathologist
or audiologist.
Speech-language pathologists assess and treat
people with speech, language, voice, and fluency
disorders.
Audiologists assess, diagnose, and rehabilitate
hearing and balance disorders.
Both of these professions require advanced
training at the graduate level and a professional
license.
Finally, the World Politics major examines
political institutions and processes around
the world at the national, cross-national
and international levels.
This major prepares students to live and work
in a globalized environment in which international
events influence domestic politics, and vice
versa, with increasing intensity.
This major helps prepare students for careers
in intelligence and national security, foreign
policy and diplomacy, international business
analysis and consulting, international finance
and global investment banking, international
humanitarian and development organizations,
international governance, conflict mediation
and resolution, research institutes and think
tanks with a global focus, as well as secondary
and higher education.
In any Social & Behavioral Science major,
you will develop significant critical thinking
and analytical skills, and many of these majors
also heavily emphasize the development of
writing and communication skills.
These transferrable skills are valuable for
a wide range of careers.
The College of Arts and Sciences' career services
office, FutureLink, provides Arts & Sciences
majors with career development advice and
connects them to internship and job opportunities.
If you're interested in any of these majors,
the General Education is a terrific way to
explore one or more of them while still keeping
your doors open.
The Social Science, Historical Study, & Second
Writing GE categories include a number of
courses directly applicable to exploring Social
& Behavioral Science majors.
You can find more detailed recommendations
using the Freshman GE Guide and the Courses
to Explore Majors Guide available at go.osu.edu/LoveYourClasses.
For more information about Social & Behavioral
Sciences majors or to declare a major or pre-major,
call 614-292-6961 or stop by the Arts & Sciences
Advising office in 100 Denney Hall.
As always, you are welcome to meet with any
advisor in University Exploration if you have
follow-up questions.
You can schedule an appointment by calling
614-292-0646 or stopping by our office in
352 Denney Hall.
