Weinberg College
of Arts & Sciences

FD-SBS: Social and Behavioral Sciences

NOTE: Students who started taking classes at Northwestern in Spring 2023 or earlier should refer to the Area III: Social and Behavioral Sciences page. The information below pertains to students who start at Northwestern after Spring 2023.

About Social and Behavioral Sciences

We all exist in a complex web of social relationships. Social phenomena, ranging from the most intimate interpersonal interactions to widespread global political conflicts, influence the quality of our lives in countless ways. Social scientists use qualitative and quantitative methodologies to help us understand how we influence, and are influenced by, societal forces. Courses in this area introduce students to theories, methodological approaches, and empirical research findings pertaining to a full range of the human experience, from the level of the individual to that of familial, cultural, political, and institutional structures. Through study of the social sciences, students develop a deeper understanding of their own behavior as well as the complex problems of modern society.

Choosing courses

Students may complete the social and behavioral sciences foundational discipline by completing two approved courses with a grade of D or higher. Courses are approved by the Weinberg College faculty committees and can be identified in the Undergraduate Catalog and the quarterly CAESAR class listings. Each year some courses are added to the list and others are deleted; a course must be on the approved list for the year you take it to be applicable to the requirement.

A course that is applied to the social and behavioral sciences foundational discipline may at the same time be applied towards a different requirement (such as a major requirement, minor requirement, advanced expression, or perspectives on power, justice and equity) but may not double-count in a second foundational discipline area.

2024-2025 FD-SBS Courses

See Social and Behavioral Sciences in the Undergraduate Catalog for learning objectives and a list of courses. Some courses on the list will not be offered in 2024-25, but in a future year. Some courses on the list have prerequisites.

Mid-year updates will appear below as they become available.

¹ Also Overlay 1: U.S. Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity

² Also Overlay 2: Global Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity