Public Affairs & Social Sciences

What Are Public Affairs & Social Sciences?

Social sciences address a range of human issues. They explore the structure and impact of groups. Social and behavioral scientists examine phenomena from social, cultural, political, technological and biological perspectives. Public Affairs covers a variety of areas including government, corporate responsibility, and information and communications management.  In its broadest sense it describes the relationship of organizations with their stakeholders. 

Social sciences and public affairs encompass the following fields of study:

• Anthropology – the study of human diversity from a cultural, biological, and historical lens
• Sociology – the study of human social activity
• Psychology – the study of the human mind and behavior
• Social work – an interdisciplinary field of study blending psychology, sociology, ethnic studies and public policy
• Law – the study of the societal rules that govern behavior
• Global studies – an interdisciplinary field studying social, political and cultural relationships across the world
• Political science – the study of political entities and processes
• Emergency management – the study of managing disasters and minimizing their impact
• Public policy – the study of systems of law addressing a given topic

Who Should Study Public Affairs & Social Sciences?

If you plan on studying one of these subjects, you may ideally answer “yes” to the following questions:

• Do I truly enjoy learning about different human processes?
• Am I curious about people?
• Do I enjoy listening to people?
• Could I spend all day reading about, listening to, or writing other peoples’ life stories?
• Do I want to make a difference in the world by doing work that “gives back”?
• Also, you should ideally answer “no” to the following questions: Do people bore me?
• Do I have a low tolerance for socializing?
• Am I drawn to working alone, and being in minimal contact with others?

Types of Social Science and Public Affairs Careers

There are many fields of study within public affairs & social sciences, so there are many career paths from which to choose. Those holding social and behavioral science degrees may find work in:

• Government
• Business
• Law firms
• Non-governmental organizations
• Education
• Private industry
• Nonprofits
• Universities
• Newspapers
• Broadcast television
• Think tanks
• Charitable foundations