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Applications
Admission to the program is open to all students majoring or minoring in a social science field who are at least in their second year. This includes all students majoring or minoring in any of the programs offered by the following departments: Anthropology, Economics, Health Studies, Sociology, or Psychology. Students that complete all the certificate requirements before their graduation with grades of C or above will be awarded the certificate. Ìý
To apply, download and complete this Application Form and return it to socialsciencepolicy@american.edu.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Students are encouraged to apply early to allow for ample time to plan and complete their coursework.Ìý
Social Science & Policy Certificate
Public policies are often proposed based on popular opinion, ideology, or emotion, rather than on any evidence of their effectiveness. But social science research can provide policymakers with objective data and analysis to ensure that the proposed policies are grounded in fact rather than assumptions or the political interests of elected officials. By integrating research into policy development, governments can identify the causes of problems, evaluate the impact of potential interventions, and allocate resources more efficiently.
To have an impact on policy, it is essential that researchers understand how policy is formed, establish relationships with key actors in the policy making sphere, and learn how to communicate with these actors about urgent policy problems and feasible solutions. The Social Science and Policy Undergraduate Certificate offered by the College of Arts and Sciences will prepare cohorts of social science students to be change makers in the shift to more evidence-based policy making. Social science students admitted to the program will gain exposure and experience at the intersection of social science, communication, and policy.
Certificate students will get hands-on opportunities to apply social science knowledge and technical skills to real-world problems; hear from policy makers and experts; gain valuable insider understanding of how policy is shaped; learn how to bridge the gap between social science and policy; learn critical thinking and adaptability and how to work in teams; develop and sharpen communication skills; and learn about career opportunities in academia, nonprofit, government, and the private sectors.
Research & Policy Seminar
In addition to courses in public policy formation and communication, all certificate students must enroll in two semesters of Seminar in Social Science Research and Policy (ISCI-400), a 1.5 credit seminar in which students will discuss the role of research in the public policy formation process, refine their networking skills, and get to meet one-on-one with at least two guest speakers from the policy-making sphere—including those from think tanks, the legislative branch, the executive branch, non-government organizations, and academia.Ìý
Research Capstone
To complete their certificate, students will undertake a social science research project to inform a public policy issue in either their major-based capstone or an independent study in Anthropology, Economics, Health Studies, Psychology or Sociology. They will supplement this capstone or independent study with ISCI-098 Social Science and Policy Supplement. As part of this supplement, they will translate their research into a policy briefing paper, an op-ed, and a presentation that will be presented at an annual colloquium for certificate students.
On the application form, students should propose a topic at the intersection of social science and policy that they would like to explore in their research capstone, along with a faculty mentor that is willing to supervise their social science and policy supplement. The primary role of the social science and policy mentor is to provide guidance and supervision to students working on their Social Science and Policy Supplement; the mentor will provide advice on the research project and assist in translating the findings from the research project to a non-expert audience.