Social sciences provide an analytical approach to society’s problems. As a result, faculty and students in the social sciences often focus on complex and intersectional issues such as racism, international conflict and war, climate change, and poverty. Through an objective and empirical approach to these issues, the goal is to generate genuine passion and equip future leaders with the skills they need to address the world’s challenges. Explore majors, minors, concentrations, and academic programs in the social sciences.
African Studies
Anthropology
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Climate Studies
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Criminology
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World-Class Faculty in the Social Sciences
Ashley Cordes
Assistant Professor of Indigenous Media in Environmental Studies and Data Science
Ashely Cordes is an academic expert in Indigenous data sovereignty, artificial intelligence, blockchain technology and cryptocurrency. Her research explores how Indigenous communities can leverage technological utilities—such as cryptocurrency and AI—for Tribal economic independence, representational and data sovereignty, and preservation of knowledge systems.
Neil O'Brian
Assistant Professor of Political Science
Neil O’Brian is an academic expert in U.S. politics focusing on public opinion, political parties, and polarization. His recent work has focused on how people’s perceptions of politics and current events affect their political attitudes. He’s recently published the book The Roots of Polarization: From the Racial Realignment to the Culture Wars (University of Chicago Press).
O’Brian is the second UO researcher to receive an Andrew Carnegie Fellowship. O’Brian is using the fellowship to further explore what he calls the “doctor’s project.” The start of this research began when he identified a partisan divide in the trust people have in their physicians; those on the political right expressed less trust in their doctors than those on the left. This is a recent phenomenon, as data showed no difference in trust in one’s doctor until a shift in 2020-21, during the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. O’Brian argues the partisan divide over public health measures—such as masking and vaccines—led to less trust in the medicine industry.
Melissa Graboyes
Associate Professor of History, Global Health Program
Melissa Graboyes is a historian of modern Africa and a global health specialist whose research focuses primarily on medicine and science in the East African region.
Graboyes’ current research projects have been supported by major research funds. Her work on the history of malaria elimination on the African continent is funded by a five-year National Science Foundation CAREER award. A three-year collaborative research project on returning research results from social science disciplines to African participants—removing costly barriers to make findings more accessible—is funded with a three-year NSF award. She is also working on global health research at the local Eugene level through her project on aspects of care for people who inject drugs.
As a mentor, Graboyes works with undergraduate students in research groups. She leads the Global Health Research Group, which helps students gain skills and tools for conducting undergraduate research. The group consists of students interested in global health-related topics, as well as students majoring in a STEM field who are interested in ethics, history and the processes of science.
Schnitzer School of Global Studies and Languages
At the Schnitzer School of Global Studies and Languages, UO students engage with diverse cultures, languages, histories, and lifeways across the world. Students of the social sciences, from Anthropology to Sociology, will broaden and deepen their education in their field by viewing it—and experiencing it—through a global lens. GSL prepares our graduates for life after college with an interdisciplinary curriculum, innovative language teaching, abundant learning opportunities outside the classroom, and paths of study that lead to many options for real-world careers.
Research in the Social Sciences
Research in the social sciences investigates human behavior and the motivations that influence it. Although some of our research occurs in the lab, much of it is conducted out in the field using a variety of methodological approaches, from exploratory to experimental. The results of our research often carry societal-level implications and may point to solutions for addressing local, national, or global challenges.
Explore Other Majors and Minors in the College of Arts and Sciences
Meet Our Dean
Welcome to the social sciences division of the College of Arts and Sciences. Within our community, we address some of the world’s problems—big or small—through interdisciplinary research and critical thinking. What drives us is a passion for exploring human behavior and society.
The social sciences provide the necessary foundation for any academic inquiry, from the creative arts to the natural sciences. Inside the classroom, we lead courses that are engaging and thought-provoking, inspiring students to become better citizens of our world and work toward a more inclusive future.
We also believe real-world experience offers some of the most impactful learning opportunities. From internships to study abroad trips that offer new cultural experiences, our students regularly engage in hands-on learning work that reaches across social, disciplinary, and geographic boundaries, allowing them to forge new connections and spark new ideas.
We look forward to changing the world with you.
Bruce McGough
Divisional Associate Dean, Social Sciences
Happening at CAS
10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Join the UO Composition Program for National Day on Writing! Stop by the first and third floors of Tykeson Hall and join the Composition Program, the Writing Lab, and the UO Libraries for fun writing activities and prizes.
4:00 p.m.
Cracking the Code, narrated by Mark Ruffalo, is an inspiring story of vision, perseverance, and the power of science to change the world. Phil Sharp’s journey from a Kentucky farm boy to Nobel laureate embodies the American Dream and the triumph of entrepreneurial spirit. His 1977 groundbreaking discovery of RNA splicing rewrote the rules of molecular biology and ignited a life-saving scientific revolution, laying the foundation for an industry that has become a cornerstone of global innovation and economic growth – and transformed the health of billions of patients worldwide.
9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
The virtual BIG10 Academia Postdoc Hiring Fair connects PhD and Postdoc professionals with academies across the nation (and potentially internationally) who are hiring Postdoctoral: Trainees, Fellows, Research Associates or Scholars, Teaching Fellows, and/or Visiting Postdoctoral positions. If you want to work in academia as a Postdoc, then this is the career fair for you! DATA FROM THE 2024 BIG10 ACADEMIA CAREER FAIR:
- Over 1,800 graduate students and postdocs from 18+ BIG10 Institutions
- Almost 700 Curriculum Vitae (C.V.s) shared with recruiting academies
- 42 Academies recruiting
Which academies have attended previous fairs and were hiring for postdoc positions?
- Stanford University - Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (Postdoctoral Scholars)
- Cal Poly (Postdoc Researchers)
- Johns Hopkins University (Postdoctoral Trainee positions)
- Missouri University of Science & Technology (Postdocs)
- Moffitt Cancer Center - Research (Post-Doctoral Fellow, Postdoctoral Fellow Computational Omics, Postdoctoral Fellow in Cancer Biology)
- Rutgers University - Medical School (Postdoctoral Trainees)
- St. Jude Postdoctoral Recruitment (Postdoctoral Trainees)
- The Wistar Institute (Post-Doctoral Fellow)
- University of Michigan Medical School (Postdoctoral Fellow)
- University of Notre Dame (Postdoctoral Trainees)
- University of Virginia (Postdoctoral Trainees)
Register on Handshake at https://app.joinhandshake.com/stu/career_fairs/57750. All graduate students and postdoctoral scholars at the UO have free access to Handshake.
All PhD students and Postdocs looking for a first or next postdoctoral position are welcome to attend this virtual career fair. We highly encourage all early program PhDs and early postdoc trainees/scholars/researchers to explore future careers and build your professional network within Higher Education by attending group sessions. Those of you within 18 months of completing your program should consider this a MUST attend career fair and explore current postdoc positions via individual 1:1 sessions. If you know you want a postdoctoral position (or 2nd position), then we highly recommend you submit a C.V. no matter where you are in your current program, as some organizations will track your progress over the next several years. You can submit your C.V. by utilizing the link provided in the "You are registered" email that Handshake sends once you are registered for this career fair or via promotional emails from your home institution. Submission of a C.V. is not required to participate in this career fair, but is highly encouraged.
11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Are you looking for ways to really stand out as a candidate? Come learn about the basics of interviewing and have the opportunity to ask questions on: question and answer structures, strategies, and how to best prepare for your upcoming interviews. Questions welcomed and encouraged! Please RSVP!
This workshop is hosted by the University Career Center's Career Readiness Coaching team! To learn more about career coaching, drop-in peer advising, and other career readiness workshops and events visit career.uoregon.edu/coaching or stop by the UCC in Tykeson Hall-Garden Level
The University Career Center gives a special thanks to Enterprise Mobility for sponsoring all of our Fall Career Readiness Week events and workshops!
To learn more about all of the week's events visit http://career.uoregon.edu/events