Course introduction
Applied Social Sciences
Social science
- is made of several disciplines and these include
history, political science, sociology, psychology,
economics, geography, demography, anthropology
and linguistics. As a body of scientific knowledge,
the social sciences provide diverse set of lens that
help us understand and explain the different facets
of human society. The varieties of lens that social
sciences study refer to the different fields of the
social sciences that investigate human society.
Social Science Disciplines
1.Economics
- studies the allocation of scarce resources and
the production and exchange of goods and services
in society.
Subfields of Economics
Environmental economics- studies the allocation of natural
resources
Labor economics-focuses on the study of the decision- making and
behaviors of employees and the relationships between employers
and their employees.
Business economics- examines the behavior of companies and firms
by studying the factors that result in profit maximization, price
setting, production goals, and the role of incentives.
Monetary economics- on the other hand, studies the nation’s
production, inflation, income, interest rates, and monetary
policies.
2. Anthropology
is the scientific study of humans and
their cultures in the past and present time.
Subfields of Anthropology
Cultural anthropology studies the development of human
culture based on ethnologic, linguistic, social, and
psychological data analysis. It explains how people in
other societies live and affects their environments to their
respective lives.
Physical anthropology studies human biological nature,
particularly its beginning , evolution, and variation in
prehistory
Archeology studies human life in the past through the
examination of things left behind by the people.
3. History
is systematic study of human past events in order to
understand the meaning, dynamics, and relationship
of the cause and effects of events in the
development of societies.
Subfields
Political history studies history of political institutions
Economic history studies the development of economic institutions
and other economic factors.
Social history studies the history of ordinary lives of people like
women, children, ethnic groups, and the different sectors of society
from historical point of view.
Environmental history looks into the history of the interaction of
humans with the environment
History of medicine and public health examines the history of public
health and human medicine
Business history studies the history of the development of
businesses, companies, and industries
Biographies studies the history of great persons in history
4. Political Science
primarily studies human behavior in
relation to political systems,
governments, laws, and international
relations.
Subfields
Domestic politics studies public opinion, elections, national and
local governments.
Comparative politics studies politics within countries and
analyzes the similarities and differences between among
countries
International Relations focuses on the study of political
relationship and interaction between and among countries
Public administration studies national and local governance and
bureaucracy
Public law examines legal systems, civil rights , and criminal
justice
5. Psychology
studies
how the human mind works in
consonance with the body to produce
thoughts that lead to individual actions.
Subfields
Experimental psychology studies of humans and
animals examines how and why learning takes place
Developmental psychology studies the ways people
change and behave as they go through their life
Personality psychology studies human nature and
differences among people
Environmental psychology studies the effects of
surroundings on a person’s attitude and behavior
6. Sociology
asystematic study of people’s
behavior in groups
Subfields
Applied sociology focus on the use and proper application of sociological theories,
methods and skills to examine data, solve problems and communicate research to
the public.
Urban sociology studies societal life interactions in urban areas through the
application of sociological methods like statistical analysis and ethnographies
Cultural sociology analyzes the development of social institutions, norms and
practices.
Rural sociology studies the social life of people in rural areas
Medical sociology examines the societal aspects of health and medicine of people
Sociology of education analyzes how social forces and institutions like politics,
economic systems, and culture affects school and educational systems.
Political sociology examines how social structure affects and influences politics.
Military sociology is a sociological study of the military organization, the different
civilian and military relationships, war experiences, and the use and control of force
7. Geography
thestudy of interaction between
people and their environments.
Subfields
Physical geography studies the natural features
of the earth , including land, water , and
atmosphere
Human geography studies how people create
cultures in their natural environments.
8. Demography
according to the Max Planck Institute for
Demographic Research (2016) demography
is the scientific study of human populations
across time.
Subfields
Population studies or social demography
analyze demographic data to define,
explain, and foresee social phenomena. It
also studies social – status composition and
population distribution.
9. Linguistics
Applied Social Sciences
branch of study that applies the different
concepts, theoretical models, and theories of the
social science disciplines to help understand
society and the different problems and issues.
The applied social sciences is utilized to provide
alternative solutions to the diverse problem of the
society.
Three main career tracks for
applied social scientist:
1. Counselling
isone of the fields of applied social sciences as an
application of the social sciences, counseling
provides guidance, help, and support to
individuals who are distraught by a diverse set of
problems in their lives.
Counselling can be done by the
following
Guidance counselor and life coaching are applications of the social sciences
and these professions, expert help are given to individuals who needed
guidance or advice pertaining to their business successes, general conditions
and personal life transitions, relationships and career.
Life coach analyzes the present condition of the client, discovers different
obstacles or challenges that a client faces, and provides a certain course of
action to make the client’s life better.
Career counseling is needed by people who are in the process of entering the
job market, searching for possible career change, or those wanting career
advancements.
Personal growth counseling concentrates on the evaluation of different
aspects of a client’s life.
2. Social Work
practitioners help individuals, families, and
groups, communities to improve their individual
and collective well-being.
3. Communication Studies
Applied social science provide adequate training
for careers in the field of journalism and mass
communication because of multidisciplinary
knowledge and skills that graduates learn from
social sciences.
