Social Science Disciplines

Anthropology (Coordinator: Maritza Straughn-Williams)
Anthropology is the study of the origins of human beings and their cultures worldwide. In addition to documenting a particular culture, anthropologists are interested in how and why human culture changes. The science of anthropology is divided into several subfields, including physical anthropology, cultural anthropology, the study of human culture, linguistics, and archeology.

Criminal Justice (Coordinator: Jennifer Wynn)
Criminal justice is the study of practices and institutions directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, and sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts. The four components of the criminal justice system are corrections, police, courts, and juvenile justice.

Economics (Coordinator: Gilberto Arroyo)
Economics is the social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.

History (Coordinator: Geroge Sussman )
History is both a subject and a discipline. The subject of history is the human past. The discipline of history is all the methods that historians have developed to understand the human past. The human past does not change, but our methods of understanding the past are constantly changing. As society and knowledge evolve, we find new topics of interest in the past, new sources of knowledge about the past, and new tools for understanding the past.

Political Science (Coordinator: Bojana Blagojevic)
Political science is the study of governments, public policies and political processes, systems, and political behavior. Political science subfields include international relations, comparative politics, political theory, political economy, policy studies and analysis, and a host of related fields. Political scientists use both humanistic and scientific perspectives and tools to examine the process, systems, and political dynamics of all countries and regions of the world. Political science students can gain skills that can be applied in a wide range of exciting careers in federal, state and local governments; law; business; international organizations; nonprofit associations and organizations; campaign management and polling; journalism; precollegiate education; electoral politics; research and university and college teaching.

Psychology (Coordinator: Nurpur Gokhan)
Psychology is the study of behavior and the mind. It is made up of a number of subdisciplines, focusing on different aspects of individual functioning.

Urban Studies (Coordinators: Joanne Reitano and Larry Rushing)
La Guardia's Urban Study graduation requirement is unique in the nation. Urban Study courses can be offered in any discipline as long as they examine the city (any city) as a special human environment. Two out-of-classroom experiences turn the city into a learning laboratory. By encouraging students to examine their taken-for-granted worlds, Urban Study courses bridge the gap between the classroom and the real world. As a result, all La Guardia students will be better able to function in and contribute to the city as residents, workers, citizens and leaders. Urban Study courses are writing intensive and e-portfolio courses.

Sociology (Coordinator: Janet Michello)
Sociology is the scientific study of groups and group processes. Research investigation is an important part of sociology and its research methods include various methodologies such as survey research, observational methods, and other types of field studies. It has many sub-disciplines such as medical sociology, criminology, family sociology, deviance, and social psychology to name a few. It has broad application to many careers such as teaching, market research, community organizing, counseling, law enforcement, and many others.

 

Urban studies noticeboard, examining NYC's economic crises, past and present
(view larger size)

Noticeboard, "political questions, personal concerns"
(view larger size)