Social Policy and Public Service, B.A.
Jeanett Castellanos, Director
2231 Social Science Plaza B
949-824-6298
http://www.spps.socsci.uci.edu/
The major in Social Policy and Public Service (SPPS) provides an interdisciplinary perspective on the study of policies and society. Using the knowledge and methods of various social science disciplines, SPPS majors analyze the influence of social inequalities, policies, and the role of social institutions. A degree in this major prepares students for careers in government organizations, public policy, non-profit organizations, public administration or public health, academic research, social work, and education.
The curriculum for the major covers various research methods and statistics, contemporary social policy issues, public and social policy, and leadership. Requiring students to conduct action research at a local non-profit or a government agency, the curriculum involves the examination of societal inequalities across groups and systems. A year-long field placement requirement facilitates an in-depth understanding of social science research. Students also gain internship experiences in community, public, and educational organizations. To ensure competency in a specific area, students choose one of three focus areas: 1) Education, 2) Governance, or 3) Health.
All students must meet the University Requirements.
All students must meet the School Requirements.
Requirements for the Major
School requirements must be met and must include 15 courses (60 units) as specified below. Students must take all required courses for the major for a letter grade.
| A. An understanding of the fundamental concepts, analytical tools, and methods of social science: | |
| SOC SCI 1A | Principles in the Social Sciences |
| SOC SCI 2A | Introduction to Social Science Analysis |
| SOC SCI 3A | Computer-Based Research in the Social Sciences |
| B. One course in Introduction to Social Policy and Public Service: | |
| SOC SCI 40 | Social Policy and Public Service |
| C. One course in Cultural Competency: | |
| SOC SCI 70C | Comparing Cultures |
| or SOCIOL 63 | Race and Ethnicity |
| D. One course in Leadership: | |
| SOC SCI 181A | Ethical Leadership |
| E. Two courses in Research Methods: | |
| SOC SCI 102A | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems in Social Sciences |
| SOC SCI 170A | Research Methods in the Social Sciences |
| F. Three quarters of Field Studies: | |
| SOC SCI 193A- 193B- 193C | Field Studies in Social Policy and Public Service and Field Studies in Social Policy and Public Service and Field Studies in Social Policy and Public Service (must be taken consecutively) |
| G. Four units of off-campus internship experience: | |
| SOC SCI 194A | Public Service Internship |
| H. Functional Focus: 12 units in one of the following areas: | |
| Education: | |
| Multicultural Education in K-12 Schools | |
| Ethics and Education | |
| Reading and Writing Enrichment for After-School Programs | |
| Changing the High School Experience | |
| Public Policy and Evaluation | |
| Interdisciplinary Topics in Education | |
| Special Topics in Educational Policy and Issues | |
| Governance: | |
| Urban Anthropology | |
| Political Islam | |
| Introduction to Contemporary Middle East Politics | |
| Revolution in Latin America | |
| Cuban Society and Revolution | |
| California Politics | |
| The Politics of Protest | |
| Latinos in U.S. Politics | |
| African American Politics | |
| The United States Congress | |
| U.S. Immigration Policy | |
| Game Theory and Politics I | |
| Game Theory and Politics II | |
| U.S. Foreign Policy I: Globalism and Cold War | |
| Voting and Political Manipulation | |
| American Constitutional Law | |
| International Law | |
| Civil Liberties | |
| U.S. Supreme Court | |
| Special Topics in Public Law | |
| Non-Government Organization (NGO) Fundamentals | |
| Introduction to Contemporary Middle East Politics | |
| Business Decisions | |
| Organizations | |
| Politics, Power, and Society | |
| Immigration and Social Policy | |
| Health: | |
| Race, Gender, and Science | |
| Psychological Anthropology | |
| Medical Anthropology | |
| Special Topics in Health, Medicine, and Psychosocial Dynamics | |
| Abnormal Psychology | |
| Developmental Psychology | |
| Psychology of Sleep and Consciousness | |
| African American Psychology | |
| Social Psychology of Networks | |
| Medical Sociology | |
NOTE: Certain special topics courses may be applicable to this major; students should see their undergraduate advisor prior to enrolling in a special topics course to ensure that it meets the requirements. SOC SCI 184A Sage Leader Research I-SOC SCI 184B Sage Leader Research II may not be used to satisfy school requirements.
Honors Program
The honors program offers advanced research training for outstanding students in the SPPS major. The program is designed to sharpen students’ analytical skills in preparation for graduate work. In this three-quarter series, SPPS majors engage in research leading to the completion of an honors thesis. The topic for the honors thesis, reflecting a social science theme, is determined by the student in consultation with a faculty advisor. Research projects can be quantitative or qualitative, and student scholars are required to gather their own data. In addition to satisfying the requirements for the major, honors program participants must complete additional course work as specified below.
The honors program is composed of three four-unit courses: SPPS H190A Honors Research Workshop, SPPS H190B Honors Thesis Research, and SPPS H190C Honors Thesis. Satisfactory completion of the honors thesis course also satisfies the upper-division writing requirement. The honors program is open to all junior and senior Social Policy and Public Service majors with an overall GPA of 3.30 and a 3.50 GPA in at least five Social Science courses.
The schedule of courses for the honors program is as follows:
SPPS H190A Honors Research Workshop. 4 Units
In the fall quarter, students enroll in SPPS H190A. This course ends with each student writing a research plan for the honors thesis. Students select a faculty mentor to supervise the research and evaluate the final version of their honors thesis. During this portion of the series, the first three draft chapters of the thesis are written.
SPPS H190B Honors Research Workshop. 4 Units
In the winter quarter, students enroll in SPPS H190B, attend class and work with their faculty mentor, who supervises and evaluates data collection, data analysis, and thesis development. Chapters 1-3 (i.e., Introduction, Literature Review, and Methods) are revised, and Chapter 4 (i.e., Findings) is written as a preliminary draft.
SPPS H190C Honors Research Workshop. 4 Units
In the spring quarter, students enroll in SPPS H190C, attend class and work with their faculty mentor to complete the final version of their honors thesis. Chapters 1-4 are revised during this quarter, and Chapter 5 (i.e., Discussion) is written. Full approval must be obtained by the faculty advisor prior to completing the series. All student scholars must participate in the Annual UCI Undergraduate Research Symposium.
Pi Gamma Mu: International Honor Society
The International Honor Society in Social Sciences is the oldest and preeminent honor society in the social sciences with over 150 active chapters in the United States and overseas. The mission of Pi Gamma Mu at UC Irvine is to foster and honor superior scholarship in the Social Sciences and to encourage cooperation and social service among its members. The organization champions its members to pursue further education in their field and provides information and opportunities to help them achieve students achieve their professional goals. Its mission is to encourage and recognize superior scholarship in social science disciplines and to foster cooperation and social service among its members.