BA in Social Science (Self-Designed Major)

Students choose between Options I and II below. The following three requirements apply to all students, regardless of chosen option:

1.) Every student’s social science curriculum must include at least one of the following social science methods courses:

CRM 220, ECO 305, GYA 202D, HTY 200, LIN 390, POS 203, SOC 301;

2.) All students must take a 3-credit capstone course, SDM 401, in addition to the requirements specified under their option;

3.) All students majoring in social science must demonstrate an intermediate competence in one foreign language as part of the departmental requirements for graduation. This requirement can be fulfilled by achieving a grade of at least C- in the second semester of an intermediate level course (and any necessary prerequisites) or by examination.

Option I

Students select one of the eight disciplines as a concentration. They must complete 21-23 credits (usually seven courses) in that discipline, as specified below.

Discipline Requirements for Concentration

Criminology CRM 215J, CRM 216, CRM 220, CRM 301, CRM 317, CRM 334, and one 3-credit CRM course that is 300-level or above

Economics ECO 101J, ECO 102J, ECO 301, and four 3-credit courses that are 300-level or above

Geography-Anthropology GEO 101J or GEO 102K; two courses from ANT 101J, ANT 102K, GYA 202D; any two 3-credit GEO, ANT, or GYA courses that are 200-level or above; and any two 3-credit GEO, ANT, or GYA courses that are 300-level or above

History seven 3-credit HTY courses, at least four of which are 200-level or above

Linguistics LIN 185J, LIN 201J, and five 3-credit LIN courses that are 300-level or above

Political Science POS 101J, POS 102J, and five 3-credit POS courses, at least three of which are 300-level or above

Sociology SOC 100J, SOC 210E, SOC 300, SOC 301, SOC 312, and two additional 3-credit SOC courses

Women’s Studies WST 280W, WST 380, WST 390, WST 235, WST 245, WST 255, WST 265; if any of the latter four courses are not offered, they may be replaced by WST 220, WST 320

Option II

Students choosing Option II also take 27 credits outside of their concentration. The 27 credits must be divided equally among three of the remaining seven disciplines (three courses in each), and at least nine of the 27 credits must be upper division level (200 or above). Note that these courses are not restricted to the courses listed above as requirements for the concentrations.

Students select one interdisciplinary topic within the social sciences as a concentration. In consultation with their advisor, they design a curriculum that consists of at least 30 credits (10 courses) on their topic from at least two (but no more than six) of the eight disciplines. At least 18 of the 30 credits must be above the introductory level.

Students choosing Option II also take 18 credits in two disciplines not included in their concentration—three courses in each discipline. At least six of the 18 credits must be upper division level (200 or above).

Capstone Course

All social science majors (regardless of option) must take SDM 401 in their senior year or during the second semester of their junior year. The purpose of this course is to bring together the knowledge and experience students have acquired through the major, and to allow them to apply that knowledge.

Notes:

1. University policy states that there can be no more than one overlap between the courses taken to fulfill the Core curriculum requirements and the courses that count toward the student’s major. “Overlap” is defined in terms of the three-letter prefix (e.g., ENG, SOC, WST); that is, a student may take only one course toward the Core that has the prefix of the student’s major. (The overlapping Core courses may itself also count toward the major or it may just share a prefix with the major.)

In the case of the social science major, which is multidisciplinary, the overlap policy is interpreted as follows. A student may take only one Core course with a prefix that corresponds to the disciplines included in that student’s social science major. For example, a student with Option I whose major consists of courses in sociology, women’s studies, history, and political science could count toward the Core only one course that had a SOC, WST, HTY, or POS prefix; Core courses with prefixes corresponding to other social science disciplines (e.g., LIN, ECO) would not be overlaps for this student.

2. Students who intend to teach social studies at the secondary level should consult with their advisor to design a curriculum that includes the specific social science courses required by the state of Maine for certification.

3. Students who have already taken more than nine credits of 100-level courses in the social sciences and who, due to prerequisites, are required to take more 100-level courses should consider consulting with their advisor about possible alternative arrangements.

SDM 401 Senior Seminar in Social Science

The capstone to the major and required for the degree, this seminar explores the nature and the craft of social science. The topic will vary but will always be a particular theme or set of issues that span various social science disciplines, such as competing methodologies in social science, ethnohistory, United States studies, etc. Students are expected, through discussion and writing, to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in previous social science courses. Prerequisite: The course is open only to social science majors or students majoring in one of the eight disciplines that make up the social science major.

Students must also be seniors or second semester juniors. Cr 3.