Northeastern University's College of Social Sciences and Humanities: An Experiential Approach to Education
Northeastern University's College of Social Sciences and Humanities (CSSH) stands as a leader in experiential liberal arts education. With campuses in Boston, Seattle, WA, and Arlington, VA, CSSH offers a wide range of programs designed to deepen students' understanding of culture, society, history, politics, language, and more. This is achieved through the integration of focused academic study and a wide array of experiential opportunities.
Undergraduate Programs: A Foundation of Flexibility and Exploration
CSSH offers a diverse array of undergraduate programs, including 17 different majors, combined major options, concentrations, and minors. The college also provides five-year bachelor's/master's degree PlusOne programs. Recognizing that students' interests may evolve, CSSH allows students to create an independent major in cases where their interests and goals are not met by existing majors. This flexibility allows students to customize their academic experience around their intellectual and professional interests.
Experiential Learning: The Cornerstone of a CSSH Education
A defining characteristic of CSSH is its commitment to experiential learning. All students integrate experiential learning into their education, choosing from a variety of options:
- Student Research: Conducting original research independently or with a faculty member.
- Community Engagement: Immersing themselves in communities and cultures locally or globally.
- Co-op Experience: Enhancing classroom learning through cooperative education in a variety of fields.
- Dialogue of Civilizations: Building more flexibility into their academic path in a summer Dialogue of Civilizations trip with a faculty member or a summer semester on campus.
The Experiential Liberal Arts course designation is part of a CSSH framework that emphasizes the integration of experiential learning along with diversity and inclusion at key points in the curriculum.
Academic Advising: Guiding Students on Their Path
CSSH provides a comprehensive academic advising system. Academic advisors are located in the Office of Student Academic Affairs in 180 Renaissance Park, and faculty advisors are located in the college's departments and program offices. Students are required to meet with an academic advisor in the Office of Student Academic Affairs in 180 Renaissance Park to determine their remaining graduation requirements. Some departments also require a meeting with a faculty advisor in their major or program. CSSH adheres to the university-wide Academic Progression Standards.
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Graduate Programs: Advanced Study and Research
Graduate education at Northeastern integrates the highest level of scholarship across disciplinary boundaries with significant research and experiential learning opportunities. This multidimensional learning environment offers students an opportunity to develop critical-thinking and creative problem-solving skills while introducing them to new perspectives in their fields. CSSH supports 16 master’s programs, 8 doctoral programs, and 12 graduate certificate programs. Some courses and degree programs are offered in an online or hybrid format that provides additional flexibility for learners. Graduate programs in CSSH provide fertile ground and resources for advanced study and research.
Cooperative Education at the Graduate Level
All CSSH master's programs offer an optional cooperative education experience to eligible students. Cooperative education is central to both the Northeastern experience and to the CSSH experiential liberal arts framework. Northeastern’s signature co-op ecosystem provides qualified master's students with up to six months of work experiences in businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies in Boston, across the United States, and around the world.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Global Perspectives
The departments and programs of CSSH-with disciplines ranging from economics and history to English and international affairs-form an interdisciplinary collaborative of scholars with global perspectives. CSSH faculty members’ cutting-edge interdisciplinary work inspires the development of new programs, research fellowship opportunities, and mentoring relationships.
A Tailored Educational Journey
Between combined majors, co-ops, concentrations, PlusOne programs, research opportunities, service learning, and more, no two CSSH students take the same path to graduation. As an undergrad, programs are flexible enough to allow students to pursue a double major, a major and a minor, a combined major, or an independent major in cases where interests and goals aren’t met by existing majors. At the graduate level, programs and certificates cover a wide variety of fields, with the flexibility to build individual paths.
Preparing Graduates for Success
Doctoral, master’s, and professional degree programs produce graduates who are well prepared for the diverse demands of careers in academia, industry, and the professions.
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