Best Human and Social Sciences colleges in the U.S.
Why a degree in human and social sciences?
People watching is fascinating to most people, but to you, it could be a profession. Your mind is constantly running to figure out how and why people do the things they do.
What human and social sciences degree options exist?
Human sciences focuses on just that. It observes humans from every perspective, which is helping to open a number of jobs. Careers in human sciences are growing faster than average. Dietician and nutritionist jobs are growing at a rate of 21%. Recreation jobs are growing at 14%, fitness trainers at 13%, and social workers at 19%*. And the list goes on. All of these careers are looking at promising and stable futures, but where will you fit in?
Differing from traditional sciences, the college of human sciences relies on social experiments and observations rather than mathematical calculations or chemical explosions. Scientists, regardless of field, are always asking why. Make research your new hobby and join the human sciences adventure.
*Bureau of Labor StatisticsBest Human and Social Sciences colleges in the U.S. for 2025
Columbia University in the City of New York offers 128 Human and Social Sciences degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 3,746 Human and Social Sciences students graduated with students earning 2,399 Master's degrees, 1,020 Bachelor's degrees, 190 Certificates, and 137 Doctoral degrees.
Those who enjoy the challenge of contributing to and learning from the best in their field will find the sociology program at California Berkeley exactly to their liking. Graduate and undergraduate students in the Sociology Department tackle problems of public concern, engaging in research opportunities worldwide. Students can join in study abroad programs through accredited universities in Norway, including both English and Norwegian language courses. As an additional benefit, these Norwegian universities won't charge the Cal students any tuition, because public universities are free in Norway. Few sociology departments can claim the successes found at UC Berkeley, which consistently ranks among the best sociology programs. Interestingly, UC Berkeley's sociology field of study came into existence well after universities such as Columbia and University of Chicago had already established dominance. But California Berkeley sociology has surpassed them in post-World War II America, shaping the direction of the study of sociology throughout the country and the world.
Why does my best friend have such a quick temper? What happens to a soldier’s brain after being hit by an IED? How can you tell when someone is lying? From psychoanalytic theory to behaviorism and everything in between, psychology students who attend the University of California-Los Angeles can answer these questions, and more, through the Life Sciences Division of the College of Letters and Science. On the undergraduate level, students are able to earn their degrees in psychology, psychobiology, or cognitive science, while graduate students can focus their studies on areas such as social psychology, learning and behavior, computational cognition, or clinical psychology.
In addition to diverse degree choices, UCLA offers psychology students the opportunity to participate in research through the school’s various academic centers. For example, the UCLA Anxiety and Depression Research Center is currently conducting studies on public speaking anxiety, positive and negative emotions, and motivation and personality development. Similarly, the Fernald Child Study Center focuses on behavioral disorders that affect children and the Psychology of Social Justice Lab researches the influence of social disparities on issues such as bullying, policing, and interpersonal relationships.
University of California-Santa Barbara offers 76 Human and Social Sciences degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a midsize suburb. In 2023, 2,802 Human and Social Sciences students graduated with students earning 2,638 Bachelor's degrees, 104 Doctoral degrees, 55 Master's degrees, and 5 Certificates.
Washington University in St Louis offers 103 Human and Social Sciences degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2023, 1,170 Human and Social Sciences students graduated with students earning 700 Bachelor's degrees, 339 Master's degrees, 98 Doctoral degrees, 20 Certificates, and 13 Associate's degrees.
Yale University offers 100 Human and Social Sciences degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2023, 1,538 Human and Social Sciences students graduated with students earning 751 Bachelor's degrees, 661 Master's degrees, and 126 Doctoral degrees.
University of Wisconsin-Madison offers 112 Human and Social Sciences degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 3,712 Human and Social Sciences students graduated with students earning 2,047 Bachelor's degrees, 1,111 Certificates, 473 Master's degrees, and 81 Doctoral degrees.
University of California-Riverside offers 64 Human and Social Sciences degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 1,986 Human and Social Sciences students graduated with students earning 1,859 Bachelor's degrees, 77 Master's degrees, and 50 Doctoral degrees.
Harvard University offers 165 Human and Social Sciences degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2023, 2,990 Human and Social Sciences students graduated with students earning 1,549 Master's degrees, 788 Bachelor's degrees, 478 Certificates, 174 Doctoral degrees, and 1 Associate's degree.
George Washington University offers 78 Human and Social Sciences degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 3,220 Human and Social Sciences students graduated with students earning 1,773 Bachelor's degrees, 1,344 Master's degrees, 60 Doctoral degrees, and 43 Certificates.
Find local colleges with Human and Social Sciences majors in the U.S.
Top schools offering Human and Social Sciences degrees in the U.S.
List of all Human and Social Sciences colleges in the U.S.
| School | Average Tuition | Student Teacher Ratio | Enrolled Students | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY | 21 : 1 | 35,279 | |
|
University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | 23 : 1 | 45,699 | |
|
University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | 23 : 1 | 46,678 | |
|
University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA | 24 : 1 | 26,068 | |
|
Washington University in St Louis Saint Louis, MO | 15 : 1 | 16,500 | |