College of Behavioral and Social Sciences


College Administrative Offices Office Telephone
Dean of the College Joel J. Kassiola HSS 359 338-2409
Associate Dean and College Graduate Coordinator Genie Stowers HSS 359 338-1846
College Directory
Department/Program Chair/Director Office Telephone
African Area Studies Aguibou Yansane HUM 224 338-2495
Anthropology Gary Pahl SCI 377 338-2046
Asian Area Studies DeVere Pentony HSS 381 338-7495
California Studies Lee Davis SCI 377 338-2046
Child and Adolescent Development
(Marion Wright Edelman Institute)
Charlotte Ferretti, Interim Director HSS 334 338-3560
Criminal Justice C. Daniel Vencill HSS 334 338-2055
Critical Social Thought Richard Busacca HSS 336 338-2055
Economics   HSS 140 338-1839
Environmental Studies Barbara Holzman HSS 336 338-2055
European Area Studies Christopher R. Jackson SCI 276 338-1604
Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Studies Gilbert Herdt PSY 502 338-1137
Geography and Human Environmental Studies Nancy Wilkinson HSS 279 338-2049
History Richard Hoffman SCI 276 338-1604
Human Sexuality Studies Gilbert Herdt HSS 336 338-2055
International Relations JoAnn Aviel HSS 336 338-2055
Labor Studies Brenda Cochrane HSS 336 338-2055
Latin American Area Studies Abdiel Oñate HSS 336 338-2055
Political Science Michael Graham HSS 261 338-1178
Psychology Caran Colvin PSY 301 338-1390
Public Administration Genie Stowers HSS 379 338-2985
Social Science Richard Busacca HSS 336 338-2055
Sociology Marjorie Seashore HSS 370 338-1466
Urban Studies Deborah LeVeen HSS 261 338-1178
World Development Studies Raymond Miller and
Philip King
HSS 336 338-2055

College of Behavioral and Social Sciences


Mission/Purpose

The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences provides a framework in which the faculty and students can cooperatively investigate human behavior in both individual and social contexts. The fundamental approach of the college is that of the liberal arts, but several of the programs have professional or pre-professional aspects. Interdisciplinary, multicultural, and international perspectives are emphasized in the curricula, as are methodological approaches appropriate to each discipline.

Undergraduate Studies

Encompassing a number of traditional and modern disciplines of the behavioral and social sciences, the college offers the following undergraduate degrees.1

Bachelor of Arts

Anthropology 22021

Child and Adolescent Development 08231

Concentrations in:
Young Child and Family
School Age Child and Family
Youth and Family
Research and Public Policy

Criminal Justice 21051

Economics 22041

Environmental Studies 49011

Concentrations in:
Environmental Sustainability and Social Justice
Humanities and the Environment
The Urban Environment

Geography 22061

History 22051

Concentration in:
Honors Program

International Relations 22101

Labor Studies 22993

Psychology 20011

Political Science 22071

Social Science (Interdisciplinary Studies) 22011

Sociology 22081

Urban Studies 22141

Bachelor of Science

Environmental Studies 49011

Concentrations in:
Earth System Science
Natural Resource Management and Conservation

The college also provides an area of emphasis in the Liberal Studies Program (Area III) and jointly offers the B.A. in American Studies with the College of Humanities.

In addition, the college offers the following free-standing minors which may be taken in conjunction with any major.

African Area Studies
Asian Area Studies
California Studies
Critical Social Thought
European Area Studies
Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Studies
Human Sexuality Studies
Latin American Area Studies
World Development Studies

The Center for Interdisciplinary Programs in the Behavioral and Social Sciences

The center has administrative responsibility for coordinating and supporting interdisciplinary efforts within the college, including programs in Criminal Justice, Critical Social Thought, Labor Studies, and Social Science.

Pre-MBA Program

The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, in cooperation with the College of Business, offers a special program designed to prepare students for graduate study in business. The program gives students strong advising support in selecting courses that provide a foundation for MBA study. Structured around four Pre-MBA theme areas, the program also provides rigorous academic training in the liberal arts. Special attention is given to the selection of general education courses and the construction of individualized programs to help students meet the admissions requirements of graduate schools of business.

In order to complete the Pre-MBA program, a student must:

Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, International Relations, Political Science, Psychology, Social Science, Sociology, and Urban Studies participate in the Pre-MBA program. Advising materials can be obtained from the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences (HSS 359).

Computer Facilities

The BSS Computer Laboratory (HSS 383) and the Psychology Annex (PSY 329) provide computer access for individual and class use, as well as software of particular relevance to the behavioral and social sciences.

Specialized computer laboratories include the Multidisciplinary GIS Center (HSS 272), the BSS All-College Instructional Computing Laboratory (HSS 380), the Geography Instructional Laboratory (HSS 290), the Economics Instructional Laboratory (HSS 147), the PSIRUS (Political Science, International Relations, Urban Studies) Computer Media Laboratory (HSS 360), and the Psychology Experimental Laboratory (PSY 304a), and provide hands-on experience in spatial analysis, simulations, experimentation, forecasting, and data analysis related to specific disciplines.

Specialized Resources and Facilities

A broad variety of special resources and facilities are available within the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. These include major university centers described elsewhere in this Bulletin, such as the Treganza Anthropology Museum, the BSS-Geography Map Library, the Psychology Clinic, and the U.S.-Korea Institute, as well as more specialized facilities, as described below.

Center for Urban Anthropology coordinates research and teaching related to the study of urban areas.

Multidisciplinary Geographic Information Systems Center, Geography and Human Environmental Studies, allows students and faculty to explore applications of GIS through the processing and analysis of imagery from satellite photography. A separate Cartography Laboratory also produces both manual and computer maps, charts, and diagrams.

Overseas Orientation and Training Program, International Relations, provides training and orientation programs for professionals working in educational, business, and governmental settings in the U.S. and Asia.

The Pre-Law Center, Political Science, provides advising and resource materials to students interested in careers in law.

The Cognitive Psychology Laboratory, Intercultural and Emotion Laboratory, Physiological Psychology Laboratory, and Social Psychology Laboratory are among the specialized facilities in the Psychology Department which provide instructional and research support for students and faculty.

In addition, several departments in the college provide opportunities for research, professional experience, career development, and student-faculty exchanges through their sponsorship of student organizations; e.g., the History Students Association, International Relations Student Association, Raza Students in Psychology, and the Sociology Club, and a number of journals are produced by students and faculty in the college, including Urban Perspectives (Urban Studies), the Treganza Anthropology Papers (Anthropology), Ex Post Facto (History), and the Journal of Homosexuality (Human Sexuality Studies).

Graduate Studies

Graduate programs in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences cover a broad range of professional and academic interests. There are literally thousands of potential career applications available to graduates. Each program will provide information on the admissions policies and career opportunities for its graduates, including the experience of those working in the field, on request.

Applicants and candidates should realize the necessity of frequent contact with the graduate major adviser and students should not undertake a program of study without the express approval of a graduate major adviser. Because several graduate programs in the college have application procedures which supplement those of the university, applicants should contact the office of the program directly for information.

The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences offers the following graduate degrees:1

Master of Arts

Anthropology 22021

Economics 22041

Geography 22061

Concentration in:
Resource Management and Environmental Planning

History 22051

International Relations 22101

Political Science 22071

Psychology

Concentrations in:
Developmental Psychology 20091
Physiological Psychology 20101
Psychological Research 20992
Social Psychology 20051

Social Science: Interdisciplinary Studies 22011

Master of Public Administration 21021

Master of Science

Psychology

Concentrations in:
Clinical Psychology 20031
Industrial-Organizational Psychology 20081
School Psychology 20013


1 The numbers following the degrees and minors are used by this university to identify the programs indicated. These numbers must be used on the application for admission, registration forms, application for graduation, etc.