Applied Social and Cultural Studies

The mission of the Department of Society, Culture, and Languages is to offer a vigorous and exciting broad-based liberal arts education with an emphasis on cultural, global, and political dynamics. The department provides a combination of theoretical, scientific, practical, and experiential approaches to understanding and solving human problems. Issues of gender, race, class, and culture, as well as hands-on learning, are emphasized throughout the curriculum. Our goal is to graduate students with marketable skills that prepare them for careers in a variety of public and social services and/or for graduate study in related areas.

The Bachelor of Arts in Applied Social and Cultural Studies is an interdisciplinary degree that allows students to integrate coursework from sociology, anthropology, political science, psychology, communications, and other related fields of study. The major core emphasizes social science methods and ways of knowing while introducing students to a variety of social science disciplines. Within the Applied Social and Cultural Studies degree, students will also pursue a concentration in one of the three particular content areas.

In addition to the interdisciplinary approaches to the social sciences, there are two unique elements to this program. First, students complete a 120-hour internship. This helps students to engage in experiential learning, apply social science to the real world, undertake career explorations. Second, upper-level students participate in a semester-long applied sociological experience. One option is an internship with a minimum of 360 hours of engagement to be selected from a variety of area schools, agencies, and programs. A second option is for a student to study abroad. While studying in a foreign society and culture is important, the primary focus is for students to take courses and engage experientially in a way that helps students develop their areas of interest. There needs to be an integrated social science experience that drives the study abroad learning as well as the opportunity to explore a new society and culture for this to be a successful experience.

Overall, this program will provide students with a strong foundation for understanding today's social issues and problems. The student will also have a wide range of skills and experiences that will enhance their future educational and career opportunities as well as enable them to be more active and aware citizens.

Applied Capstone Experiences (ACE)

1. Internship: Students may take between 9 and 16 credits to complete this ACE. Students may select from over 800 sites in the departmental database. This learning opportunity should parallel the student’s concentration and help him/her to gain experience, skills, and knowledge of how systems work and how to develop contacts in a given field.
2. Thesis: Students may take between 9 and 16 credits to complete this ACE. The thesis should build on the work the student has done in the ASCS major and his/her chosen concentration. This academic work should prepare them for graduate study in disciplines that have been incorporated into their concentration.
3. Study Abroad: Students will typically take 15-16 credits to complete a study abroad experience. While studying in a foreign society and culture is important, the primary focus is to take courses from the new institution that will help the student to develop his/her areas of interest as it relates to the major. In short, there needs to be an integrated social science experience that drives the study abroad learning as well as the opportunity to explore a new society and culture for this to be a successful experience. All study abroad experiences should first be cleared with the department chair to see if they qualify to meet the requirement for the Capstone.

Applied Concentration

There are three concentrations in the ASCS major: Health, Medicine, and Society; Society, Human Services, and Community; and Law, Crime, and Society. As soon as possible after arriving at UNE students should declare their major. By the end of their second year students should declare their concentration. There are no required courses in any concentration. In each concentration students, in consultation with their advisor, choose four courses from a variety of disciplines that will help them build foundations, skills, and develop expertise in their chosen concentration.

Health, Medicine, and Society

Sample courses include (but are not limited to)

Society, Human Services, and Community

Sample courses include (but are not limited to)

Law, Crime, and Society

Sample courses include (but are not limited to)

Students in this major can participate in the pre-health graduate school preparation tracks.

1. Expand the awareness and application of the sociological imagination and how it is applied in the anthropology field.
   ​Students will be able to:
   • describe how sociology and anthropology are distinct from other social sciences
   • apply the sociological imagination to social phenomena
   • apply anthropology to social phenomena
2. Emphasize the role of sociological and anthropological theory in social perspectives.
   ​Students will be able to:
   • Describe the role of theory in building sociological and anthropological knowledge
   • Compare and contrast different theoretical perspectives
   • Apply these theories to social conditions
3.  Examine, apply, and critically assess the nature of evidence in sociology and anthropology.
   ​Students will be able to:
   • Identify the basic methodological approaches in building sociological and anthropological knowledge
   • Compare and contrast various research methodologies
   • Design and complete a written research project
   • Critically assess published research
4.  Apply and assess a wide range of data analysis.
   ​Students will be able to:
   • Recognizes the role of data analysis in building sociological and anthropological knowledge and testing sociological theory
   • Use computer software for statistical analysis
   • Understand appropriate statistical techniques
   • Draw valid conclusions from the data analysis
5.  Examine how cultural and social structures operate.
   ​Students will be able to:
   • Describe different social institutions and their various influences on the individual
   • Explain how the aforementioned institutions are interrelated
   • Evaluate them using sociological theory
   • Explain the concept of culture and its influences on human condition
6.  Examine the diversity of human societies.
   ​Students will be able to:
   • Describe the significance of variation by race, class, gender, religion, and age
   • Explain patterns and variations using sociological and anthropological perspectives
   • Justify policy recommendations to address social inequalities
7.  Communicate sociology and anthropology effectively.
   ​Students will be able to:
   • Produce well written papers that clearly express sociological and anthropological knowledge
   • Clearly express sociological and anthropological knowledge in verbal presentations
   • Demonstrate critical thinking

We offer qualified students the option of graduating with Honors. This includes significant research, scholarship or creative activity under the direction of a faculty member. Interested students should consult with their major advisor. 

See Undergraduate Admissions.

See Undergraduate Admissions.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees for subsequent years may vary. Other expenses include books and housing. For more information regarding tuition and fees, please consult the Financial Information section of this catalog.