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.
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.
learning objectives
Courses in the Social and Behavioral Sciences prepare students to meet three of more of the following objectives:
- Recognize and articulate reciprocal relationships between societal forces (e.g., norms, laws, organizational structures), psychological forces (e.g., traits, motives, attitudes), and the behaviors of individuals and groups
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of social science theories related to the influence of culture and power on the behavior of individuals, interpersonal relationships, and/or group dynamics
- Use appropriate quantitative or qualitative research methodologies to observe, describe, understand, and predict human behavior and/or institutional actions
- Develop the ability to critique theories, claims, and policies in the social and behavioral sciences through careful evaluation of an argument's major assertions, assumptions, evidential basis, and explanatory utility
- Reflect upon the way in which theories and research from the social and behavioral sciences help elucidate the factors underlying contemporary social issues, social problems, and/or ethical dilemmas in the US and/or abroad, as well as inform potential solutions to societal problems
Choosing courses
Each social science department offers one or more introductory survey courses, most of which can be followed by other approved courses that introduce major sub-fields or that provide an in-depth look at more specific areas of study.
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 above pertains to students who start at Northwestern after Spring 2023.
Approved Courses
| Subject | Number | Title |
| ANTHRO | 211-0 | Culture and Society2 |
| ANTHRO | 214-0 | Archaeology: Unearthing History |
| ANTHRO | 215-0 | Study of Culture Through Language2 |
| ANTHRO | 221-0 | Social and Health Inequalities1 |
| ANTHRO | 322-0 | Introduction to Archeology Research Design & Methods |
| ANTHRO | 357-0 | Biocultural Perspectives on Water Insecurity (with GBL_HLTH 357-0) |
| ANTHRO | 368-0 | Latina and Latino Ethnography |
| ANTHRO | 382-0 | Political Ecology (with ENVR_POL 384-0)1 |
| ANTHRO | 383-0 | Environmental Anthropology (with ENVR_POL 383-0) |
| ANTHRO | 389-0 | Ethnographic Methods and Analysis |
| ASIAN_AM | 218-0 | Asian/Black Historical Relations in the U.S. (with BLK_ST 218-0) |
| BLK_ST | 214-0 | Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies1 |
| BLK_ST | 215-0 | Introduction to Black Social & Political Life1 |
| BLK_ST | 218-0 | Asian/Black Historical Relations in the U.S. (with ASIAN_AM 218-0) |
| BLK_ST | 236-0 | Introduction to African-Amercian Studies (or may be applied to FD-LA)1 |
| BLK_ST | 320-0 | Social Meaning of Race1 |
| BLK_ST | 327-0 | Politics of Black Popular Culture |
| BLK_ST | 334-0 | Gender and Black Masculinity1 |
| BLK_ST | 365-0 | Black Chicago1 |
| BUS_INST | 303-0 | Leadership in Organizations |
| COG_SCI | 110-0 | Introduction to Cognitive Science |
| COG_SCI | 207-0 | Introduction to Cognitive Modeling |
| COG_SCI | 345-0 | Presenting Ideas and Data (with PSYCH 345-0) |
| ECON | 201-0 | Introduction to Macroeconomics |
| ECON | 202-0 | Introduction to Microeconomics |
| ECON | 310-1 | Microeconomics |
| ECON | 311-0 | Macroeconomics |
| ENVR_POL | 212-0 | Environment and Society (with SOCIOL 212-0)1 |
| ENVR_POL | 337-0 | Hazard, Disaster and Society (with GBL_HLTH 337-0)2 |
| ENVR_POL | 338-0 | Environmental Justice (with GBL_HLTH 338-0)2 |
| ENVR_POL | 340-0 | Global Environments and World History (with HISTORY 376-0) (or may be applied to FD-HS)2 |
| ENVR_POL | 383-0 | Environmental Anthropology (with ANTHRO 383-0) |
| ENVR_POL | 384-0 | Political Ecology (with ANTHRO 382-0)1 |
| GBL_HLTH | 201-0 | Introduction to Global Health2 |
| GBL_HLTH | 222-0 | The Social Determinants of Health |
| GBL_HLTH | 306-0 | Biomedicine and Culture2 |
| GBL_HLTH | 318-0 | Community-based Participatory Research1 |
| GBL_HLTH | 319-0 | Trauma and its Afterlives |
| GBL_HLTH | 320-0 | Qualitative Research Methods in Global Health |
| GBL_HLTH | 321-0 | War and Public Health2 |
| GBL_HLTH | 323-0 | Global Health from Policy to Practice2 |
| GBL_HLTH | 337-0 | Hazard, Disaster and Society (with ENVR_POL 337-0)2 |
| GBL_HLTH | 338-0 | Environmental Justice (with ENVR_POL 338-0)2 |
| GBL_HLTH | 340-0 | Mental Health and the Arts |
| GBL_HLTH | 357-0 | Biocultural Perspectives on Water Insecurity (with ANTHRO 357-0) |
| GNDR_ST | 331-0 | Sociology of Gender and Sexuality |
| GNDR_ST | 332-0 | Gender, Sexuality, and Health |
| GNDR_ST | 341-0 | Transnational Perspectives on Gender and Sexuality2 |
| GEOG | 240-0 | Economic Geography |
| GEOG | 312-0 | Geography of Chicago & Its Region |
| GEOG | 313-0 | North America |
| GERMAN | 213-0 | History, Politics, and Culture in 21st Century German |
| HISTORY | 251-0 | The Politics of Disaster: A Global Environmental History (or may be applied to FD-HS)2 |
| HISTORY | 376-0 | Global Environments and World History (with ENVR_POL 340-0) (or may be applied to FD-HS)2 |
| HUM | 213-0 | Humanities in the World IV |
| HUM | 220-0 | Health, Biomedicine, Culture, and Society (with SOCIOL 220-0)1 |
| HUM | 325-3 | Humanities in the Digital Age |
| HUM | 370-3 | Special Topics in the Humanities |
| LATINO | 203-0 | Introduction to Latina & Latino Cultural Studies |
| LATINO | 392-0 | Topics in Latina and Latino Social and Political Issues |
| LEGAL_ST | 206-0 | Law and Society (with SOCIOL 206-0)1 |
| LEGAL_ST | 207-0 | Legal Studies Research Methods (with SOCIOL 227-0) |
| LEGAL_ST | 308-0 | Sociology of Law (with SOCIOL 318-0) (or may be applied to FD-EET)1 |
| LEGAL_ST | 332-0 | Constitutional Law I (with POLI_SCI 332-0) |
| LEGAL_ST | 333-0 | Constitutional Law II: Civil and Political Rights (with POLI_SCI 333-0)1 |
| LEGAL_ST | 350-0 | Psychology and Law (with PSYCH 340-0) (or may be applied to FD-EET)1 |
| LEGAL_ST | 356-0 | Constitutional Challenges in Comparative Perspective (with POLI_SCI 356-0)2 |
| LEGAL_ST | 383-0 | Gender, Sexuality and the Carceral State1 |
| LING | 220-0 | Language and Society1 |
| LING | 312-0 | Experimental Sociolinguistics1 |
| LING | 315-0 | Experimental Approaches to Word Form Processing |
| LING | 320-0 | Sociolinguistics1 |
| PHIL | 253-0 | Introduction to the Philosophy of Language |
| POLI_SCI | 201-0 | Introduction to Political Theory |
| POLI_SCI | 211-0 | Introduction to Interpretive Methods in Political Science |
| POLI_SCI | 220-0 | American Government and Politics1 |
| POLI_SCI | 230-0 | Introduction to Law in the Political Arena1 |
| POLI_SCI | 240-0 | Introduction to International Relations2 |
| POLI_SCI | 250-0 | Introduction to Comparative Politics2 |
| POLI_SCI | 320-0 | The American Presidency |
| POLI_SCI | 321-0 | Urban Politics1 |
| POLI_SCI | 323-0 | Public Opinion and Voting Behavior |
| POLI_SCI | 324-0 | Political Parties and Elections |
| POLI_SCI | 325-0 | Congress and the Legislative Process |
| POLI_SCI | 326-0 | Race and Public Policy1 |
| POLI_SCI | 327-0 | African American Politics1 |
| POLI_SCI | 328-0 | Public Policy |
| POLI_SCI | 332-0 | Constitutional Law I (with LEGAL_ST 332-0) |
| POLI_SCI | 333-0 | Constitutional Law II: Civil and Political Rights (with LEGAL_ST 333-0)1 |
| POLI_SCI | 334-0 | Latino Politics1 |
| POLI_SCI | 335-0 | Political Psychology |
| POLI_SCI | 336-0 | Immigration Politics and Policy1 |
| POLI_SCI | 337-0 | Gender and Politics |
| POLI_SCI | 341-0 | International Political Economy2 |
| POLI_SCI | 343-0 | Politics of International Law2 |
| POLI_SCI | 344-0 | U.S. Foreign Policy |
| POLI_SCI | 345-0 | National Security |
| POLI_SCI | 350-0 | Social Movements2 |
| POLI_SCI | 351-0 | Politics of the Middle East2 |
| POLI_SCI | 352-0 | Global Development (with SOCIOL 317-0)2 |
| POLI_SCI | 354-0 | Politics of Southeast Asia2 |
| POLI_SCI | 355-0 | Politics of China |
| POLI_SCI | 356-0 | Constitutional Challenges in Comparative Perspective (with LEGAL_ST 356-0)2 |
| POLI_SCI | 362-0 | Politics of Europe2 |
| POLI_SCI | 374-0 | Politics of Capitalism2 |
| POLI_SCI | 376-0 | Civil Wars2 |
| POLI_SCI | 377-0 | Drugs and Politics2 |
| POLI_SCI | 383-0 | War and Change in International Politics2 |
| POLI_SCI | 384-0 | International Responses to Mass Atrocities2 |
| POLI_SCI | 388-0 | Institutions and Society (with SOCIOL 288-0) |
| PSYCH | 110-0 | Introduction to Psychology |
| PSYCH | 213-0 | Social Psychology |
| PSYCH | 215-0 | Psychology of Personality |
| PSYCH | 221-0 | Introduction to Neuroscience (or may be applied to FD-NS) |
| PSYCH | 228-0 | Cognitive Psychology |
| PSYCH | 244-0 | Developmental Psychology |
| PSYCH | 303-0 | Psychopathology |
| PSYCH | 313-0 | Relationship Science |
| PSYCH | 317-0 | The Holocaust: Psychological Themes & Perspectives2 |
| PSYCH | 328-0 | Brain Damage and the Mind (or may be applied to FD-NS) |
| PSYCH | 333-0 | Psychology of Thinking (or may be applied to FD-EDR) |
| PSYCH | 340-0 | Psychology and Law (with LEGAL_ST 350-0) (or may be applied to FD-EET) 1 |
| PSYCH | 345-0 | Presenting Ideas and Data (with COG_SCI 345-0) |
| SOCIOL | 110-0 | Introduction to Sociology |
| SOCIOL | 202-0 | Social Problems |
| SOCIOL | 206-0 | Law and Society (with LEGAL_ST 206-0)1 |
| SOCIOL | 207-0 | Cities in Society |
| SOCIOL | 210-0 | Families and Society1 |
| SOCIOL | 212-0 | Environment and Society (with ENVR_POL 212-0)1 |
| SOCIOL | 216-0 | Gender and Society1 |
| SOCIOL | 218-0 | Education and Inequality: Focus on Chicago1 |
| SOCIOL | 220-0 | Health, Biomedicine, Culture, and Society (with HUM 220-0)1 |
| SOCIOL | 227-0 | Legal Studies Research Methods (with LEGAL_ST 207-0) |
| SOCIOL | 235-0 | Critical Thought on Race and Ethnicity1 |
| SOCIOL | 288-0 | Institutions and Society (with POLI_SCI 388-0) |
| SOCIOL | 302-0 | Sociology of Organizations |
| SOCIOL | 305-0 | Population Dynamics2 |
| SOCIOL | 307-0 | School and Society1 |
| SOCIOL | 309-0 | Political Sociology |
| SOCIOL | 310-0 | Sociology of the Family1 |
| SOCIOL | 317-0 | Global Development (with POLI_SCI 352-0)2 |
| SOCIOL | 318-0 | Sociology of Law (with LEGAL_ST 308-0) (or may be applied to FD-EET)1 |
| SOCIOL | 327-0 | Youth and Society1 |
| SOCIOL | 356-0 | Sociology of Gender1 |
| SOCIOL | 376-0 | Topics in Sociological Analysis |
1 Also Overlay 1: U.S. Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity
2 Also Overlay 2: Global Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity
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