Social Sciences

Combining biology, history and social sciences, anthropology is the only discipline that examines and attempts to understand humankind as a whole. The UB Department of Anthropology encourages undergraduate students to actively participate in their education, embrace the interdisciplinary nature of the field and develop a global lens on human diversity.

The UB Department of Communication seeks to understand and improve human communication in all its forms. Our teaching methods transform students from passive to active learners, deepening their knowledge of the historical, social and cultural effects of communication while providing comprehensive training in fundamental scientific processes.

DASS combines coursework and learning opportunities from our social sciences departments at UB: Sociology, Linguistics, Psychology, Geography, Anthropology, Communication, Political Science and Economics. UB offers two unique programs: an MS in Data Analytics in Social Sciences (36 credits), and an Advanced Certificate in Data Analysis for the Social Sciences (18 credits).

The UB Department of Communication seeks to understand and improve human communication in all its forms. Our teaching methods transform students from passive to active learners, deepening their knowledge of the historical, social and cultural effects of communication while providing comprehensive training in fundamental scientific processes.

The UB Department of Environment and Sustainability works to help solve the most complex socioecological problems that face humankind today. From global climate change and biodiversity loss to population and consumption growth, we discuss and reach decisions regarding the human-natural systems that control the Earth’s future.

Geography studies the location and arrangement of human and natural phenomena in space and the relationships between people and their environments. The UB Department of Geography is an intellectually challenging community that offers five specializations tailored to allow for growth within the discipline and maximize future employment opportunities.

The Graduate Interdisciplinary Program lets students create their own personalized program of study from more than 30 different departments and programs in the College of Arts and Sciences.

The Department of Indigenous Studies is an interdisciplinary “home and hub” for study that centers the knowledges, priorities, aspirations and lived experiences of Indigenous peoples locally, nationally and internationally.

It is almost impossible to overstate the importance of language to individuals and society. The UB Department of Linguistics explores this complex relationship by asking questions about acquisition, production, comprehension and evolution. Our students receive comprehensive training from internationally-recognized faculty in a variety of fascinating disciplines and foreign languages.

Philosophy studies the foundation of our values while examining the nature of justice, knowledge and reality. In the UB Department of Philosophy, students learn the fundamental theories that frame our intellectual heritage and master the essential tools for investigating and developing ideas that shape our lives today.

Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) is all about understanding and approaching about complex social problems and developing the skills for working with others to solve them.

The Department of Political Science is a tight-knit, research-oriented and collegial community. We offer both undergraduate and graduate students the exceptional opportunity to work closely with world-class faculty and gain hands-on experience in a globally significant discipline.

The Social Sciences Interdisciplinary majors offer students an opportunity to focus on a particular thematic area of interdisciplinary studies, examining timely and relevant topics associated with our ever changing world.

Sociologists examine how membership in different groups and interactions with social structures and social institutions affect a person's daily life. The UB Department of Sociology and Criminology trains undergraduate students to analyze a wide variety of social issues, including family, gender, race, class, law, policies, crime, health and the environment.