University Catalog

Social Science Major (Bachelor of Science)

Vision Statement

The Social Sciences cover the range of human experience, action, and processes from the individual to the global level. The Social Sciences are Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Government, Political Science, Psychology and Sociology. The Social Sciences focus on the larger operations of groups and social institutions, the cultural and physical environments of human societies, and human experiences through time and place.

Mission Statement

The Social Sciences Program integrates all the human sciences. These sciences explore the interrelationships of the individual, the group and community, social institutions, human biology, psychology, and culture, the social and physical environments, and human existence through time and location. Our mission is to provide solid foundations in skills and knowledge in the social sciences, and to prepare students for a diversity of careers in the global environment.

Program Description

The Social Science baccalaureate is a 120 credit (4-year) degree that is an integration of anthropology, economics, geography, history, government, and political science. This diversified and flexible major is designed for those interested in professional careers in civil service on the federal and state level, public service, secondary social studies education, pre-library services or pre-law. Students will be guided to develop critical reasoning skills, competence in quantitative and qualitative research, skills in oral and written communication, and social science applications.

No minor is required. For career planning, we do recommend students take a minor such as Criminal Justice or Education, or specialty courses such as law courses, history courses, applied language courses, or the MHRT-C State of Maine (social work) sequence.

Major Goals

Students will

1. Develop the capacity for critical reasoning; and become skilled at critically evaluating, analyzing, and synthesizing through research and writing, using multiple sources of information about the human experience.
2. Demonstrate critical reasoning by recognizing assumptions that underlie arguments; constructing valid arguments, and developing solutions to problems.
3. Demonstrate quantitative reasoning skills through identifying and solving quantitative problems in social sciences, managing data, recognizing and working with relationships among variables, and developing calculation skills appropriate to the social sciences.
4. Demonstrate knowledge competence in the disciplines of the social sciences through understanding of the historical development of the fields within social sciences, and through mastery of theories, phenomena, concepts, and research methodologies.
5. Apply knowledge competency through applying theory to explain phenomena and to analyze case studies; and applying research methodologies to problem solving and to the further development of critical reasoning.
6. Demonstrate multicultural and cross-cultural awareness of social, cultural, and human biological diversity.
7. Demonstrate effective oral, written, and technological communication in the human sciences and in their professional careers.

Program Requirements

General Education Requirements

As stated under General Education Requirements (All Bachelor Degrees)
(partially satisfied by required program courses)

Required Program Courses

Required Support Courses

Required Additional Credits

18 Additional credits required through one of the following 4 options:

1. Complete a Minor (other than Social Science)
2. Complete 18 upper level credits in a Social Science field: ANT, ECO, GEO, GOV, HTY, POS or SOC
3. Complete the requirements for Secondary Education, with an endorsement in Social Studies.
4. Complete Behavioral Health MHRT-C Concentration
5. Complete Substance Abuse Counseling Concentration

A. Pre-Law Concentration

B. Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician – Community (MHRT/C) Concentration

“The MHRT/Community Certificate meets the MaineCare “other qualified mental health professional” requirement for providing specific services to adults. Those services include community integration, intensive case management, assertive community treatment, skills development, day support services and family psycho-education as outlined in Chapter II, Sections 17 and 65 of the MaineCare Benefits Manual.” * Copied from the procedural guidelines from Office of Adult Mental Health Services

Required Courses for MHRT/C Certification

1. ANT 100 Introduction to Anthropology or SOC 101 Social Problems (Cultural Competence/Diversity)
2. SOC 110 Introduction to Human Services and Community Mental Health
3. PSY 221 Psychosocial Rehabilitation
4. PSY 232 Incest and Sexual Abuse
5. PSY 246 Vocational Aspects of Disability
6. PSY 270 Case Management
7. PSY 330 Interviewing and Counseling
8. PSY 332 Substance Abuse Counseling
9. PSY 344 Crisis Identification and Intervention
10. PSY 412 Adulthood and Aging 

Techniques for Assessment

The student will be assessed both directly and indirectly. Students are to maintain a year-by-year portfolio of exemplars of their work. In the senior year, the portfolio will be reviewed by 2 Behavioral and/or Social Science faculty.

Graduation Requirements

To be awarded a Bachelor of Science in Social Science, graduates must:

1. Complete a minimum of 120 semester hours of credit;
2. Complete a minimum of 45 hours of upper level credits (300 or higher);
3. Maintain a minimum, cumulative grade point average of 2.0;
4. Complete program required courses with a grade of C or better

Required Experiential Work

Students will be expected to work within the campus and local community. The extra-mural service learning experiences are part of the senior year evaluation.

Advisor

Each student, within the first year of attending UMFK, shall select a program advisor from among the full-time faculty in the Social Sciences. The advisor will guide the career and professional choices of the student.

Suggested Course Sequencing

Fall Semester Freshman Year

Spring Semester Freshman Year

Fall Semester Sophomore Year

Spring Semester Sophomore Year

Fall and Spring Semesters Junior Year

Fall and Spring Semesters Senior Year

NOTE: For a full printable PDF of the catalog, please visit the Catalog Archive page here.