The Social and Behavioral Sciences investigate the institutions, practices and principles that define human activities. Such activities occur in contexts that range from intimate associations among family and friends to the global reach of economic markets or legal conventions. Courses in Social and Behavioral Sciences will help students gain a scientific understanding of these phenomena, and the bases for reaching intelligent decisions as actors with respect to them.

Criteria for Distribution Courses in Social and Behavioral Sciences

1. The primary focus of the proposed course must be on human behavior, including the multiple mechanisms and social structures through which that behavior is influenced. The influences studied may be at any level of analysis, from the molecular to the economic and cultural.
2. The focus on behavior must be attained through the lens of scientific procedures, i.e., systematic observation integrated with the development of theory.