Social Science Courses at Ashford University

This course introduces students to the interdisciplinary field of social sciences and some of the disciplines that comprise this field, including anthropology, sociology, political science and history. These subject areas figure prominently in the Social Science major. In this course, students will learn important social science concepts and theoretical approaches, along with the research methods that social scientists use to study human behavior. Throughout the course and through a summative assignment, students will examine how social factors shape social behavior, and some of the consequences of current social problems.

This course is an examination of major socioeconomic developments in different countries including Japan, Germany, Sweden, the United States, and the developing nations. Topics include population, natural resources, energy, sustainable growth, and policies such as privatization and free trade agreements. Social and economic justice in the global economy is considered.

An interdisciplinary study of peacemaking and activism with a focus on how they impact conflict resolution.Students examine thinking and behavior in response to social conflict such as aggression, threats, prejudice, avoidance, withdrawal, conformity, and obedience. Students study various strategies of peacemaking, activism, and negotiation and then apply these methods to in class activities.

This course analyzes the relationship between health and the environment and takes into account how health is influenced by natural and manmade environmental factors. Students will consider the history of the relationship between health and the global environment, addressing how groups in the past understood the connection and the actions they took to improve both. The course will also address contemporary theories that highlight how race, gender, and class influence the relationship between health and the environment. By concentrating on these factors, students will consider the negative and positive influences of the environment on human health as well as possible future concerns and issues that might emerge. 

The eSociety course focuses on the relationship between society, science, and technology and the social dynamics of knowledge production from a social science perspective. The course provides students with an understanding of how social values affect scientific research and technological innovation as well as the transformative impacts of technologies on society. Through discussions of key concepts and case studies, students will explore how particular scientific facts or technologies become accepted, how controversies are settled, and how science and scientists retain credibility and authority. Students will also engage with the social, ethical, and political consequences of technological developments. Prerequisite: SSC 101.