Concentrations – Social and Behavioral Sciences | Soka University
Source: http://www.soka.edu/academics/undergraduate-studies/concentrations/social-and-behavioral-sciences
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:12
Concentrations – Social and Behavioral Sciences | Soka University
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Social and Behavioral Sciences
Our Vision
The SBS concentration aims to support our university mission by:
cultivating curiosity and creativity in our students about our social world
modeling the value of disciplinary, multidisciplinary, and interdisciplinary approaches
teaching students to think like a social scientist – by identifying significant social problems, formulating informed research questions, and building fluency in using both theory and/or methods to investigate social worlds
fostering a humanistic orientation that puts people at the center of solving social problems
mentoring students as effective social science communicators in the 21st century
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Examine Society and the Human Condition
The concentration embraces an interdisciplinary approach to examining the human condition, incorporating perspectives from anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, and sociology. SBS courses provide students with theoretical and methodological tools to examine and address social issues and concerns from multiple comparative perspectives. Students with a declared SBS concentration are required to take at least five SBS courses, one of which must be a course in Methods of Social and Behavioral Sciences, and three of which must be in the 300 or 400 level.
When Social and Behavioral Sciences students graduate, they will be able to:
inquire into significant social issues
critically assess social scientists’ theories, concepts, and views
formulate questions informed by critical assessments of social science literatures
use social science theories and methods to answer questions
communicate effectively, orally and in writing, as a social scientist in the 21st century
practice social science responsibly and ethically
Anthropology
Economics
Political Science
Psychology
Sociology
Methods of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Topics in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Pi Gamma Mu
Soka’s Pi Gamma Mu chapter is the social science honor society’s third in California.
Highlights
View highlights of the concentration, including guest speakers, field trips, and conferences.
Alumni Perspectives
Read testimonials from alumni of the SBS program.
Our Faculty
Meet the SBS faculty.
SBS Capstone Poster Session
SBS faculty hold an annual Capstone Poster Session for seniors to share their findings with others on campus.
Akemi Akaiwa (class of 2019) explains her capstone findings to a student on May 9, 2019.
Student poster presenters of the class of 2019 with professors Esther S. Chang and Peter Burns.
Explore More in Undergraduate Studies
Concentrations
General Education Curriculum
Skip to main content
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Our Vision
The SBS concentration aims to support our university mission by:
cultivating curiosity and creativity in our students about our social world
modeling the value of disciplinary, multidisciplinary, and interdisciplinary approaches
teaching students to think like a social scientist – by identifying significant social problems, formulating informed research questions, and building fluency in using both theory and/or methods to investigate social worlds
fostering a humanistic orientation that puts people at the center of solving social problems
mentoring students as effective social science communicators in the 21st century
View Course Rotation
Examine Society and the Human Condition
The concentration embraces an interdisciplinary approach to examining the human condition, incorporating perspectives from anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, and sociology. SBS courses provide students with theoretical and methodological tools to examine and address social issues and concerns from multiple comparative perspectives. Students with a declared SBS concentration are required to take at least five SBS courses, one of which must be a course in Methods of Social and Behavioral Sciences, and three of which must be in the 300 or 400 level.
When Social and Behavioral Sciences students graduate, they will be able to:
inquire into significant social issues
critically assess social scientists’ theories, concepts, and views
formulate questions informed by critical assessments of social science literatures
use social science theories and methods to answer questions
communicate effectively, orally and in writing, as a social scientist in the 21st century
practice social science responsibly and ethically
Anthropology
Economics
Political Science
Psychology
Sociology
Methods of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Topics in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Pi Gamma Mu
Soka’s Pi Gamma Mu chapter is the social science honor society’s third in California.
Highlights
View highlights of the concentration, including guest speakers, field trips, and conferences.
Alumni Perspectives
Read testimonials from alumni of the SBS program.
Our Faculty
Meet the SBS faculty.
SBS Capstone Poster Session
SBS faculty hold an annual Capstone Poster Session for seniors to share their findings with others on campus.
Akemi Akaiwa (class of 2019) explains her capstone findings to a student on May 9, 2019.
Student poster presenters of the class of 2019 with professors Esther S. Chang and Peter Burns.
Explore More in Undergraduate Studies
Concentrations
General Education Curriculum