Social Science Majors
Social Sciences are the study of how societies function. Social Science majors can complete the Bachelor of Arts Three-year, B.A. Four-year or B.A. Honours in all of the majors listed below (unless otherwise noted).
Following is general information about our majors and programs. For specific Degree Requirements, please see academic requirements information handouts.
Aboriginal Public Administration
The general purpose of the program is to prepare Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students for careers in Aboriginal public administration. The program helps students understand the unique governance, administrative, management and policy issues in Aboriginal communities, and also the impact of the operation of current public institutions and processes on Aboriginal people. It is also designed to help students understand the dynamic interactions between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal governments and communities. This is accomplished by exposing students to courses that examine a range of important topics such as: public administration and policy; Indigenous studies; Indigenous knowledge; management and policy; national, provincial and local governance.
Anthropology
Anthropology is the comprehensive study of humans as cultural beings, past and present, in comparative, cross-cultural and holistic light. The Anthropology Program at the University of Saskatchewan offers training that emphasizes the role of culture in human behaviour, and that exposes students to human evolutionary, environmental and language development and adaptation. The program demonstrates particular expertise in medical, environmental and applied anthropology, emphasizing indigenous studies, globalization, the anthropology of gender, and psychological anthropology, with active research programs in local, international, urban, and institutional contexts.
Archaeology
Archaeology is the study of the artifacts and other material remains of past human societies. Through this study the characteristics of past human technologies are revealed, as well as the time periods at which they existed. The archaeology program focuses on past cultures from two parts of the world: the North American plains, and the Near East and adjacent Mediterranean regions. The application of natural science methodologies in the analysis of archaeological materials is an important part of archaeological research.
Business Economics
The Business Economics Program combines courses in the Department of Economics and the Edwards School of Business to produce a valuable degree, preparing students for the fast-paced world of business, finance and public service. Our students will be able to apply their specialized knowledge to practical economic problems in their chosen area of employment, and will be well-equipped to enter the private and public sectors as business economists. Students in this program also become familiar with both economics and commerce from a liberal arts perspective, thereby providing them with a unique and flexible approach to their areas of study.
Economics
The undergraduate program in the Department of Economics, one of the oldest in Canada, provides students with the theoretical and empirical tools to comprehend, assess and analyze the many pressing issues and problems in our society, many of which contain a significant economic component. The department offers a variety of courses in economic theory, quantitative economics, public policy economics, and historical economics.
Environment and Society
(Bachelor of Arts and Science) The Environment and Society program prepares students for employment or further study in a broad range of areas related to the environment. Through exposure to diverse perspectives, students will develop an understanding of environmental science, resource management, environmental philosophy, policy, and environmental studies.
Geography
Geography studies the interaction between humans and the environment with emphasis on spatial aspects of that interrelationship, i.e. locations, distributions, and changes in patterns of location and distribution over time. The discipline is usually divided into physical and human sections. The department also offers minors in the following areas: Physical Geography, Human Geography and Geographic Information Systems. A work/study Co-operative Education option for Geography majors is also available.
Indigenous Studies
Indigenous Studies concerns issues important to Aboriginal peoples. You will have the opportunity to learn about aboriginal experiences from present-day challenges to pre-contact histories. The Social Science and Humanities traditions offer a wide range of approaches and an appreciation of the complexity of Indigenous Studies. Courses offered regularly range from the criminal justice system, health issues, resource management to Indian and Métis history, Aboriginal politics, and research methods.
Interactive Systems Design
(Bachelor of Arts and Science) As a student in Interactive Systems Design, you will learn about designing web applications, games, and embedded devices. You will develop the technical skills required to implement and test these systems in a variety of scenarios, and learn to understand and use visual media. You will study the role of human cognition, development, memory, communication, and perception in designing these systems.
International Studies
International Studies is an interdisciplinary program that affords students the opportunity to choose classes from Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Political Studies, and Sociology. By pursuing an integrative approach across disciplines, this unique program allows students to gain a broad multi-disciplinary introduction to international events, issues, and ideas as well as a strong grounding in one or two of the participating disciplines.
Linguistics
This program begins with an introductory course on the basic nature of human language, how human speech sounds are formed, how sound systems are organized, how they relate to writing systems, and the universal characteristics of word and sentence structure. Upper-year courses offered by various language and social science departments cover phonetics, phonology (sound systems), word formation, syntax, language in human psychology, semantics, and the historical development of English and other languages. Students who want to study two or more particular languages often find linguistics a very useful organizing framework as a major. Linguistics is also a helpful adjunct to students in certain areas of computer science.Northern Studies
The Northern Studies program offers students the opportunity to learn about the lands, peoples and issues of the circumpolar North with a special emphasis given to matters concerning indigenous people. Students pursuing a degree in Northern Studies are required to complete an advanced emphasis stream in either aboriginal administration or environmental impact assessment and must also meet Program Type B requirements of the College of Arts & Science. The University of Saskatchewan is a member institution of the University of the Arctic, a consortium of more than 100 colleges, universities, research institutes, and indigenous organizations from around the eight Arctic states (Canada, Denmark/Greenland, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and USA/Alaska). UArctic has developed seven 3 credit-unit courses focusing on northern issues, which are available to students at all UArctic member institutions. As a consortium member, the University of Saskatchewan has committed to recognizing and offering credit for these courses. These courses form the core of the interdisciplinary B.A. program in Northern Studies.
Political Studies
Political Studies examines how people organize their collective affairs using governments, how the resulting states interact in the international system, and how the relationships among individuals and between individuals and their governments are carried out in the process commonly referred to as politics.
Psychology
Psychology is the science that studies behaviour. It affects almost every facet of our lives. With the complexity of our modern world, psychologists fill an increasingly important role in solving human problems. How can we help children with learning disabilities to keep up with their classmates? Is it possible to restore vision to a blind person through brain implants? What types of therapy are most effective in treating depression? How can mental illness be prevented? How can racial prejudice be reduced? What are the best ways to raise children? Can we improve our environment in such a way as to reduce aggression, alienation, and crime? Other areas of exploration concern brain functioning addressed in cognitive psychology, perception, and physiological psychology.
Public Administration
The departments of Political Studies and Economics organized this program for those interested in a potential career in administration, management or research in the public or private sectors in this program. Also required are courses in accounting, management, industrial relations, and human resource management offered in the College of Commerce. The program's courses teach the structures and operations of the public sector in Canada at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels.
Regional and Urban Planning
The Regional and Urban Planning Program (RUP) is designed to acquaint students with the organization and functioning of cities and rural regions, and to provide them with professional planning education. Students learn how to review community planning practices, and they investigate the causes, impacts, and proposed planning solutions to community planning problems. RUP is a planning program accredited by the Association of Professional Community Planners of Saskatchewan on behalf of the Canadian Institute of Planners. RUP graduates are automatically eligible for provisional membership in the Association of Professional Community Planners of Saskatchewan (APCPS) and the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP).
Sociology
Sociology is the systematic study of human social life. It is concerned with understanding changes in social structure and human interaction at the individual, societal, and global levels. Students major in Sociology to increase their knowledge about the social world, to develop social research skills, and to prepare for a variety of careers in areas such as policy-making, social analysis, positions in government agencies, community affairs, business, and teaching. An Aboriginal Justice and Criminology Program provides specialized training for students of Native ancestry interested in careers in the criminal justice system. Sociology graduates are also involved in research, publishing and careers in all of these areas.
Women's and Gender Studies
Explore the portrayal of femininity and masculinity in advertising, documentaries, pornography, new media, and feature-length films. See how the 19th and 20th centuries were envisioned by Hollywood and science-fiction writers. Examine the impact of the Indian Act and colonialism on aboriginal women. Analyze the intersections of race, class, age, disability, and sexual orientation and its impact on women’s and men’s health. These are just a few of the opportunities available to you when you choose to major in Women’s and Gender Studies. Women's and Gender Studies (WGST) is a program designed for both women and men.
