Social Policy

Social policy is the study of policy solutions to the problems of education, inequality, poverty, crime, and other issues faced by society’s families and children. It is an interdisciplinary field to which the disciplines of economics, sociology, and political science contribute in equal measure. It is a basic-science field with a strong applied-research focus that can prepare students for careers in government, nonprofits, and the private sector. Students who undertake the social policy minor will work with faculty who are experts in the study of poverty, the labor market, social demography, family structure, educational inequality, political participation, organizational dynamics, and health and welfare policy. They will be strongly grounded in social science training and will apply that training to real-world applications and policies. In the minor, students will be motivated to think about how knowledge translates into policy solutions, making this an appropriate specialization for young people who plan to attend law school, programs in public health, or graduate school in the constituent social science field