Social scientists study human interactions among individuals, families, communities, and nations. Using a range of analytical, interpretive, and experimental tools from anthropology, economics, sociology, political science, and psychology, social scientists seek to understand conflict and cooperation, epidemics of disease and poverty, social organization and social change, kinship and belonging, human development, systems of exchange, and other enduring questions at the center of our shared humanity.
Requirements for the Major
Students can choose to follow the academic bulletin from the year that they were admitted or a more recent academic bulletin. For example, if you were admitted to NYU Shanghai in Fall 2019, you can choose to follow the academic bulletin 2019-2020, 2020-2021, and 2021-2022.
Planning the Major
To declare the Social Science major, students who choose to follow the 2020-2021 academic bulletin or previous ones should currently be enrolled in or have a final grade of C or better in Global Perspectives on Society (GPS). For students choose the 2021-2022 academic bulletin and after, you should currently be enrolled in or have a final grade of C or better in a Social Science foundational course.
Faculty Mentors
Faculty mentors are the leading faculty and experts in the major disciplines. Students can reach out to faculty mentors for specific questions about the major, and references for connecting with relevant discipline resources. If you have specific questions about specific fields of study within the major, you can search for faculty through the faculty directory.
![Katie Aafjes-van Doorn](/sites/default/files/media/katie_aafjes-van_doorn_.jpg)
Social Science Area Head, Visiting Associate Professor of Psychology
![Ivan Willis Rasmussen](/sites/default/files/media/ivan_rasmussen.jpeg)
Social Science Undergraduate Coordinator, Associate Professor of Practice in Political Science
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