Society, Ethics & Human Behavior

The Society, Ethics & Human Behavior major is no longer accepting new students

The information on this page is for students who are already admitted to the Society, Ethics & Human Behavior major, and are working towards the completion of their degree.

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On this page: Major Description | Requirements | Learning Objectives | Faculty & Staff | Courses

How do social institutions and practices shape human experience? How do individuals contribute to social stability and change?

Society, Ethics & Human Behavior (SEB) addresses these questions through a critical examination of the perspectives and tools used to understand human behavior, social institutions, and social policies. SEB combines an exploration of the ethical dimensions of individual and social action with analyses across multiple disciplines including sociology, psychology, media and cultural studies, anthropology, ethics, and political philosophy. The SEB faculty is committed to providing students with opportunities to engage in empirical research and project-based learning experiences in and beyond the classroom.

Passion

Students in the Society, Ethics & Human Behavior major are passionate about examining and understanding human behavior, social institutions, and social policies. Using this knowledge, students have the opportunity to assume more active leadership roles within their communities, families, and workplaces

Practice

Courses in the Society, Ethics & Human Behavior major focus on providing opportunities for students to engage in empirical research and project-based learning experiences to examine individual and social action.

Profession

Society, Ethics & Human Behavior major graduates are prepared to pursue professional careers or advanced study in a wide variety of fields, such as social work, education, public policy, law, media and cultural studies, and human resources.

Major requirements

Recommended Preparation

Interested in exploring this major but not ready to commit? Consider taking one of the below courses! Any of these selections will help familiarize you with the academic program and prepare you for advanced coursework in the major.

BIS 181 Introduction to Sociology
BIS 193 Introduction to Philosophy
BIS 216 Introduction to Cultural Studies
BIS 255 Critical Diversity Studies
BIS 265 Introduction to Comparative Ethnic Studies

Prerequisites

While there are no official requirements beyond the requirements for admission into the School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences, students choosing this major will find it helpful to have completed college coursework in psychology, sociology, statistics, and philosophy.

Degree requirements

BIS 300 Interdisciplinary Inquiry* – min. 2.0 grade (5 credits)
SEB Core (5 credits)
BIS 215, BIS 312 or BIS 410 – min. 2.0 grade (5 credits)
SEB Courses (30 credits)
BIS 499 Portfolio Capstone – min. 2.5 grade (5 credits)
Additional IAS Coursework (20 credits)

TOTAL= 70 Credits
*Should be taken in the first quarter of IAS enrollment.

Learning objectives

The Society, Ethics & Human Behavior curriculum advances the five core IAS learning objectives. Students taking courses and/or majoring in Society, Ethics & Human Behavior:

Understand how social institutions work (e.g., family, criminal justice, religion, media, education, business).
Understand the connections between social institutions and social change.
Identify how social position (e.g., race, sex/gender, class, sexual orientation, religion, age, nationality, disability) influence individual life outcomes.
Develop and employ evidence-based research strategies.
Develop creative and collaborative approaches for addressing social problems.

People

Please contact the SEB Faculty Coordinator if you have any questions, concerns or ideas about the Society, Ethics & Human Behavior major.

Faculty

Academic Advisor

Jason Angeles

Research Librarian

Michael Mungin

Courses

A. SEB Core Courses (SEB:CORE)

BISSTA 304 Institutions and Social Change
BISSTA 331 The Family in U.S. Society
BISSTA 333 The Individual and Society
BISSTA 359 Ethics and Society

B. Methods and Modes of Inquiry (SEB:METHODS)

BIS 312 Approaches to Social Research
BIS 215 Understanding Statistics (or equivalent)
BIS 410 Topics in Qualitative Inquiry

C. SEB Courses (SEB)

Individual Behavior

BIS 220 Developmental Psychology
BIS 222 Introduction to Human Sexuality (formerly offered under BIS 316)
BIS 225 Social Psychology
BIS 270 Abnormal Psychology
BIS 316 Topics in Psychology
BIS 349 Personality Psychology
BIS 364 Realities and Representations of Adolescent Development
BIS 369 Indigenous Psychology and Health
BIS 422 Clinical Psychology
BIS 438 Prevention and Promotion
BIS 449 Advanced Topics in Psychology
BIS 450 Decolonizing Psychology
BIS 489 Projects in Community Psychology
BIS 496 Community Service Project
BISPSY 337 Risk and Resilience
BISPSY 343 Community Psychology
BISPSY 348 Cultural Psychology
BISPSY 350 Intergroup Relations

Institutions

BIS 226 Foundations of U.S. Social Service
BIS 282 Globalization
BIS 327 History of U.S. Labor Institutions
BIS 330 Democratic Capitalism in the United States
BIS 332 Global Digital Industries (formerly offered under BIS 313)
BIS 338 Political Institutions and Processes
BIS 416 U.S. Constitutional Law
BIS 433 Gender, Work and Family
BIS 436 Comparative Family Systems
BIS 441 Global Labor Markets

Social Policy and Social Justice

BIS 218 Power of Maps
BIS 219 The Politics of Sex Education
BIS 224 Introduction to Feminist Studies
BIS 240 Sustainable Practices
BIS 243 Introduction to Environmental Issues
BIS/BEDUC 255 Critical Diversity Studies
BIS 275 Social Problems
BIS 279 Introduction to Law and Society
BIS 307 Environmental Justice
BIS 321 Human Rights and the Arts
BIS 325 Disability and Human Rights
BIS 326 Race, Space, and Segregation
BIS/BEDUC 328 Diversity, Leadership and Engagement
BIS 335 Human Rights in America
BIS 336 History of Mass Incarceration in the United States
BIS 353 Human Rights in Theory and Practice
BIS 359 Principles & Controversities of Sustainability
BIS 394 Comparative Economic Development
BIS 403 Washington, D.C. Seminar on Human Rights
BIS 405 Environmental Education
BIS 406 Urban Planning and Geography
BIS 408 Critical Physical Geography
BIS 415 Public Policy and the Law
BIS 419 Urban Politics and Policy
BIS 420 Colonizing History in Sub-Saharan Africa
BIS 443 Educational Policy and the American Economy
BIS 445 Meanings and Realities of Inequality
BIS 448 Social Policy
BIS 458 Energy, the Environment and Society
BIS 466 Human Rights and Resistance
BIS 468 Human Rights and Sustainable Development
BIS 497 Political Internship in State Government (5 credits max)
BISLEP 301 Law, Economics, and Public Policy
BISLEP 302 Policy Analysis
BISSTS 231 Genes, Genomes, and Heredity
BISSTS 232 Embryos, Genes, and Reproductive Technology
BISSTS 307 Science, Technology, and Society
BEDUC 220 Education & Society (3 credits)
BEDUC 475 Global Perspectives on Diversity and Citizenship Education
BEDUC 493 Environmental Education

Culture and Society

BIS 205 Technologies of Expression
BIS 216 Introduction to Cultural Studies
BIS 217 Introduction to Debate
BIS 221 Gender and Sexuality
BIS 227 Rad Women in the Global South
BIS 233 Participatory Media Culture
BIS 238 Language, Identity, Culture and Power
BIS 245 Environmental Humanities
BIS 256 Introduction to African American Studies
BIS 257 Introduction to Asian American Studies
BIS 258 Introduction to U.S. Latina/Latino Studies
BIS 265 Introduction to Comparative Ethnic Studies
BIS 310 Women, Culture & Development
BIS 317 Language, Society and Cultural Knowledge
BIS 331 Journalism and Media History
BIS 368 Women’s Lives in Context
BIS 372 Representation, Colonialism, and the Tropical World
BIS 374 Middle East Politics
BIS 384 Health, Medicine & Society
BIS 385 Art and Climate Change
BIS 431 Issues in Sexual Politics and Cultures
BIS 465 Performance, History, and Memory
BIS 470 Art, Politics and Social Change
BIS 471 Women in Art
BISAES 305 Power, Dissent, and American Culture
BISAES 364 Public Memory and Dissent in American Culture
BISAES 367 Exploring American Culture: Race, Ethnicity and Immigration
BISAES 368 Sex, Love, Romance
BISAES 369 American Culture and Mass Media
BISCLA 318 Performance, Identity, Community and Everyday Life
BISGWS 301 Critical Gender & Sexuality Studies
BISGWS 302 Histories and Movements of Gender and Sexuality
BISGWS 303 Approaches to Feminist Inquiry
BISMCS 333 Media and Communication Studies
BEDUC 456 Adolescents in School and Society
BEDUC 461 Education and Gender Inequality
BEDUC 475 Global Perspectives on diversity and Citizenship Education (3 credits)

Ethics, Philosophy and Social Theory

BIS 281 Contemporary Political Ideas and Ideologies
BIS 345 American Environmental Thought
BIS 356 Ethics and the Environment
BIS 357 Native American Religious and Philosophical Thought
BIS 380 Bioethics

D. Topics (SEB)

Topics courses under the below course numbers may apply to the SEB major depending on the subject and title. Please see the Time Schedule notes to determine how they count toward the major.

BIS 316 Topics in Psychology
BIS 341 Topics in the Study of Culture
BIS 447 Topics in Quantitative Inquiry
BIS 449 Advanced Topics in Psychology
BIS 480 Study Abroad
BISMCS 343 Media Production Workshop
BISMCS 471 Advanced Topics in Media and Communication
BISMCS 472 Advanced Media Production Workshop