Social Sciences


The social scientist looks at the way individuals interact with each other and with the environment. The laboratory of the social scientist is the world itself.

Bureaucracy, technology, urbanization, and industrialization have radically transformed the way people live and what they believe. The disciplines of communication, economics, history, management, political science, psychology, and sociology provide the techniques and knowledge to investigate the workings and development of modern society. A grasp of the complexity of human behavior and of the dynamics of societal change will enable students to come to terms with the bewildering prospects of living peacefully and comfortably in the modern world.

The social science major provides students with a solid conceptual foundation that permits them to excel in many areas. Career possibilities include public administration, social services, advertising and the news media, human resources, marketing and sales, and other management areas. Students also may choose to continue on to graduate school in law, management, or other programs.

Major Requirements


Students are required to complete at least 60 semester hours, chosen from the following disciplines:
  • Communication
  • Economics
  • Education (201, 231, and 324 only)
  • History
  • Management (excluding all accounting and finance courses)
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Sociology

The Required 60 Semester Hours Must Be Distributed in the Following Manner


Primary Area of Concentration
  • Six courses (at least 20 semester hours) must be chosen from one discipline.
  • At least two of these courses must be chosen from the 200-level and at least two of the courses must be chosen from the 300- or 400- level. Transfer students must complete at least four of these six courses at Hiram College.

Secondary Area of Concentration
  • Four courses (at least 12 semester hours) must be chosen from a second discipline.
  • At least one of these courses must be chosen from the 200-level and at least one of the courses must be chosen from the 300- or 400- level.
  • Transfer students must complete at least two of these four courses at Hiram College.

Additional Coursework

Additional courses must be chosen from the social science disciplines listed to bring the total to at least 60 semester hours. These courses may be distributed across the related departments and disciplines as the student chooses. At least 35 hours of the social sciences major must be taken at Hiram College.

Sample Course Offerings
  • Persuasion and Attitude Change
  • Writing for Publication
  • Communication between Cultures
  • Social Psychology
  • Organizational Behavior
  • Social Reform and Social Change in the United States
  • Public Policy-Making
  • Strategies for Organizational Change
  • Principles of Marketing
  • Constitutional Liberties and Rights
  • Business Law
  • American Foreign Policy
  • Consumer Behavior

Additional Information