The humanities and social sciences have laid the groundwork for how humans see and interact with the modern world. From William Du Bois to Steve Jobs, these versatile forms of academia have helped to shape the minds of brilliant thinkers and revolutionaries.
While some unfamiliar with the subjects might see them as interchangeable, many distinct differences separate these forms of study.
Within their differences are their brilliance and what makes them such interesting subjects to explore.
Earning a social sciences or humanities degree from the Tulane School of Professional Advancement (Tulane SoPA) puts the wind in your sails toward academic adventure with interchangeable career skills that can benefit you in a multitude of fields.
What Are the Social Sciences?
According to Investopedia, the social sciences are a group of academic disciplines dedicated to examining human behavior, specifically how humans interact with each other, behave, develop as a culture, and influence the world.
Social scientists spend their days researching how societies work and dive deep into subjects ranging from the driving forces behind human behavior to government and the economy.
There are five main branches of the social sciences:
- Economics
- Political science
- Sociology
- Anthropology, and
- Social psychology
A relatively new field that rose to prominence in the 20th century, the social sciences are separate from the natural sciences like physics and chemistry. However, this discipline does use similar scientific techniques to examine the relationships between individuals and the societies they reside in.
What are the Humanities?
According to the National Humanities Center, humanities in academia includes the study of:
- Philosophy
- History
- Modern and ancient languages
- Religion
- Media and cultural studies, and
- Fine and performing arts
The humanities help students develop creative and critical thinking skills by investigating a range of subjects. For this reason, amongst others, the humanities have been considered a necessary part of a well-rounded upper-level education since ancient times.