Social Science

Students who complete the Social Science major at NYU Shanghai will be prepared to pursue careers and advanced study in fields as diverse as anthropology, business, development, economics, education, environmental studies, law, psychology, political science, public health, public service, sociology, and social policy. The major offers students a unique opportunity to explore broad areas of social science research and thought, while also allowing a concentration in one disciplinary area or a synthetic combination of fields within the major. The Social Science major encourages interdisciplinary inquiry into the complex problems of our contemporary world and the cross-disciplinary exchange that is at the heart of many of the most interesting advances in social science research today.

Social Science majors at NYU Shanghai develop competence in a variety of research tools in two methods courses and complete two interdisciplinary core courses on classic forms of social science analysis and new frontiers in social science research. Social Science majors select two foundational courses in the social science disciplines, and three focus courses chosen in consultation with their faculty mentor to deepen their engagement with a social science discipline (for example, anthropology, psychology, sociology or political science)* or an interdisciplinary topic of interest (for example, environmental studies, political economy, or global health). China––its peoples and politics––is an important focus for teaching and learning in the major, but the major is purposefully heterogeneous in the geographical, methodological, and analytical scope of its course offerings. Social Science majors complete an independent research project as part of a one-semester senior year capstone project.

In order to comply with accreditation requirements, NYU Shanghai requires that all students complete a capstone in their primary major, either in the form of a senior thesis and/or a capstone course.

Students in the Social Science major must complete the capstone requirement by taking SOCS-SHU 401 Social Science Senior Seminar (4 credits) in their senior fall semester, and SOCS-SHU 402 Social Science Capstone Seminar (4 credits) in their senior spring semester.

In the fall senior seminar, Social Science students develop a research proposal in their track using the methods, theories, and data they have acquired through their coursework. In the spring capstone seminar, students conduct and write up this independent research project.

These two required seminar courses must be taken in person in Shanghai, meaning students must be in Shanghai during these semesters. Students who are off-sequence, graduating in the fall semester, or have other extenuating circumstances should discuss capstone plans with their academic advisor and the Associate Area Head of Social Science before the end of their junior year.

Starting Fall 2025, students who choose Social Science as their secondary major are not required to take the Social Science capstone seminars, but instead must take two additional 300-level Focus courses in their selected Social Science track.

Library Resources：

• NYU Shanghai Library
• NYU Libraries Research Guides
• Writing and Stylistic Guides

Quick Links：

• Academic Resource Center
• Research and Conference
• Dean’s Undergraduate Research Fund
• Global Awards and Fellowships