Social and Behavioral Science
Essential Skills:
- Communication
- Personal & Social Responsibility
- Critical Thinking
3 credit hours
One course from the list below.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
- Explore how diverse peoples, as individuals and in complex groups, operate.
- Explain how social groups affect behavior and behaviors affect societies.
- Design ways of studying humans, social systems, and diverse identities.
- Identify when information about humans and societies is based on scientific research.
Courses
Introduction to Environmental & Social Justice
Description
An introduction to the socially and politically constructed values directing Americans’ attitudes toward nature, science and technology and to the impacts of those attitudes on built and natural environments regionally, nationally and globally.
Introduction to Race, Class, & Ethnicity
Description
An interdisciplinary introduction to the issues of race, class and ethnicity in American life and society.
Introduction to Anthropology
Description
What does it mean to be human? Over our 5-million-year history we have developed an incredible capacity to form complex bonds with each other, create tools to enhance our abilities, manipulate environments in astonishing ways, and communicate our creative and violent histories in many forms. At the same time, our bodies have changed both physically and physiologically to adapt to new environments and cultural landscapes. This course surveys the intersection of human biology, culture, and language, exploring the breadth of Anthropology as a tool to understand the human past, present and future. By the end of this course you will understand key concepts from Anthropology including cultural and biological evolution and diversity, origins and history of inequality in human societies, how humans and their environments interact, and why our communication skills make us unique as a species.
Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
Description
What do people mean when they talk about "culture"? Is "culture" a kind of knowledge that people know about or is it unconsciously guiding our behavior? Do we all have "a culture" or do we move between many, depending on the context? What is the difference between culture and society? Is it even realistic to speak about distinct cultures or societies in a world of interconnected peoples, religions, music, and other expressive forms? And, how does one study these entities? Cultural Anthropology is the discipline that focuses upon these and many other questions. In this class, basic concepts and methods of cultural and social anthropology will be explored through case studies from around the globe.
World Archaeology
Description
For 99% of our history, humans lived off the land as small groups of foragers using simple hand-made tools and fire. In the past 15000 years, our species has transitioned from this foraging existence to a complex urbanized world based on advanced technology that we only now are beginning to come to terms with. How did we get here? In this course, you will learn about the major global transitions in our species? history, including the advent of modern human cooperative behavior and technology, the origins of domestication of plants and animals, the emergence of sedentary village life, and the rise of civilization and urbanism. Along the way, you will gain familiarity with the ideas and debates regarding the causes and consequences of these major global transitions, ideas that are fundamental to our understanding of what it means to be human.
Introduction to Environmental Planning
Description
Development of the major issues, concepts and methods emerging from the relationship of social systems and the natural environment.
Intro to Comparative & Global Ethnic Studies
Description
The course explores historical and contemporary social forces that impact ethnic communities across the Americas. Students will examine social and economic dynamics of Indigenous, Latino, Asian-Pacific, Africana communities, and women's experiences.
Macroeconomic Principles
Description
Macroeconomics is the study of national and global economies. Topics include output, unemployment and inflation; and how they are affected by financial systems, fiscal and monetary policies.
Microeconomic Principles
Description
What's the best way to reduce carbon emissions? Will a soda tax reduce obesity? Why are your clothes made in China? How does Starbucks decide how many stores to build in Albuquerque? What impact does a minimum wage have on workers? Why is there a physician shortage in rural areas? Should N.M. legalize recreational marijuana? Why do economics majors earn more than other social sciences or liberal arts majors? Why do women earn less than men? Can an economist really save lives? /n Microeconomics Principles provides the tools to answers questions like these by analyzing decision-making under scarcity, how incentives shape human behavior and why there are tradeoffs in virtually any decision. By the end of the course, you will better understand the world around us, develop improved problem solving and analytical thinking skills; and recognize the powerful role microeconomics plays in your daily life.
Technology in Society
Description
This is an introduction to the ways in which technology shapes the world and is itself shaped by society, culture, politics, economics and history. Topics include industrialization, technological changes, cultural impact, environmental policies and social and ethical responsibilities.
Marriage and Family Relationships
Description
Marriage and Family Relationships is designed for both majors and non-majors and provides a broad overview of important topics related to marriage and family relationships. Students will learn about the science as it pertains to healthy romantic relationships, predictors of divorce, and communication skills that improve relationships. Other topics include unintended teen pregnancy, step families, health and racial disparities, raising children, diversity in marital relationships and overcoming crisis in relationships. Special emphasis will be placed on topics related to abuse and neglect in the family including child maltreatment, corporal punishment, sexual assault, parental alcoholism and marital violence.
Introduction to Film & Digital Media
Description
This course is designed to provide students with a survey of the histories, innovative concepts, and creative possibilities of digital media. Within the lecture hall and the studio lab, we consider a wide variety of digital media processes and applications. You will create a photo essay, a digital video project, an animation, and a multi-media project, visualizing lessons and concepts from your major and other areas of interest. Coursework will involve personal projects and teamwork.
People and Place
Description
This class explores the patterns and processes that create our complex global mosaic of human communities. Using a variety of approaches from the social sciences, People and Place leads students through a systematic analysis of population, demography, economics, political systems, and cultural patterns that define and link our world regions. The class focuses on globalization, development, and the way these forces produce different human patterns in different parts of the world. Students who take this class will gain a good basic understanding of social science and will be ready to take next-level coursework in Geography & Environmental Studies. They will also have critical thinking and analysis skills that help them understand global issues from a variety of angles.
Energy, Environment, & Society
Description
A look at the social, ethical, and environmental impacts of energy use both now and through history. A survey of renewable energy and conservation and their impact on environmental and social systems.
The Individual & the Collective
Description
This is an interdisciplinary introduction to the social and behavioral sciences. Insight from multiple disciplines including psychology, anthropology, political science, sociology and economics will be used to critically analyze local, national, or global problems. Restriction: admitted to Honors College. Please see UNM Catalog (catalog.unm.edu) for prerequisites.
Introduction to the Study of Language and Linguistics
Description
This class teaches you how to think about language from a scientific perspective. If you are interested in learning how to do research on language and in improving your critical thinking skills, this course will give you experience with both! In addition to building these important workplace skills, you will study the sounds, words, and sentences of the world languages. This knowledge will be applied to topics such as language acquisition, bilingualism, marketing, language change, social dialects, and writing systems.
Introduction to Latin American Studies
Description
An interdisciplinary survey of Latin American history, culture, economics, politics, and social relations.
Public Leadership for Social Change
Description
Addressing modern societal problems depends on the collaboration of key players from all levels of government, nonprofit organizations, commercial businesses and more. This course prepares students to contribute to improving social problems through a hands-on approach centered around the core theme of public leadership for social change.
Introduction to Population Health
Description
In PH 101, Students will learn about the exciting field of population health and the tools used by disease detectives and population health professionals to measure and track disease patterns, identify health disparities, and prevent disease and disability. We will learn about the efforts to reduce costs and improve the quality of care in our health care system and efforts being taken to improve access to care and reduce health disparities. We will discuss contemporary population health issues and how population health impacts our lives. Students will work in groups to discuss and research these issues and learn about approaches to support communities and improve health for all.
Global Health Challenges and Responses
Description
The course will introduce students to the main concepts of global public health, and the critical links between population health and social and economic development. Students will get an overview of the determinants of health, how health status is measured, and the influences of various factors, including social, economic, and political issues on the health of individuals and of communities. Students will also review the burden of disease, who is most affected by different disease burdens, risk factors, and key measures to address the burden of disease in cost-effective ways. Special attention will be paid to health system issues. The course will also introduce students to key concerns regarding nutrition, reproductive health, infectious disease, and chronic diseases. The course will cover key concepts and frameworks, but be very practical in orientation. The course will be global in coverage, but with a focus on low- and middle-income countries, the health of the poor, and equity and inequality.
American National Government
Description
Survey of American politics, including political behavior of the American electorate, the theory of democracy, the structure and function of American political institutions, and contemporary issues.
The Political World
Description
This course introduces politics with emphasis on the ways people can understand their own political systems and those of others in a greater depth. This course will help in becoming more responsible and effective in the political world. Students who have already had courses in political science may not count this course toward a major.
Comparative Politics
Description
This course introduces comparative politics by examining the political history, social and economic structures, and contemporary political institutions and behavior, with focus on occurrences in countries representing diverse cultures, geographies, and levels of development.
International Relations
Description
This course covers the analysis of significant factors in world politics, including nationalism, national interest, political economy, ideology, international conflict and collaboration, balance of power, deterrence, international law, and international organization.
Introduction to Psychology
Description
This course will introduce students to the concepts, theories, significant findings, methodologies, and terminology that apply to the field of psychology.
Introduction to Sociology
Description
This course will introduce students to the basic concepts and theories of sociology, as well as to the methods utilized in sociological research. The course will address how sociological concepts and theories can be utilized to analyze and interpret our social world, and how profoundly our society and the groups to which students belong influence them. Students will be given the opportunity to challenge their “taken for granted” or “common sense” understandings about society, social institutions, and social issues. Special attention will also be paid to the intimate connections between their personal lives and the larger structural features of social life. In addition, the implications of social inequalities, such as race/ethnicity, gender, and social class will be central to the course’s examination of social life in the United States.
The Dynamics of Prejudice
Description
This course is designed to help students understand how attitudes and beliefs of individuals shape intergroup relations and their impacts on the daily lives of individuals as well as the effects that these beliefs have on the larger social structure of American society. We will examine how profoundly our society and the groups to which we belong, influence us and our beliefs and ultimately how these beliefs shape prejudice in our society. In this course, students are encouraged to challenge ideologies that are considered "common sense" or that are taken for granted and this in turn will allow them to critically engage issues in society such as racism, classism, sexism, and will leave with an understanding on how privilege affects our views on disability, LGBTQ issues, religion and immigration. Rather than investigating these themes in the abstract, students will identify and unpack how these larger structural issues play integral roles in their everyday lives, interactions, and existence. Ultimately, this course aims to address the social inequalities that exists in our society as a result of prejudice and will challenge students to identify and engage in strategies to work towards changing these aspects of society.
Introduction to Sustainability Studies
Description
This course provides a broad survey of various aspects of sustainability. Students will explore topics such as climate change, renewable energy, water, agriculture, green building, socially responsible business, micro lending, environmental justice, smart growth and alternative progress indicators. Students will examine both contemporary challenges to sustainable development and examples of successful sustainability initiatives on local, national, and global levels.
| Course Number | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| AMST 1110 | Introduction to Environmental & Social Justice | |
| AMST 1140 | Introduction to Race, Class, & Ethnicity | |
| ANTH 1115 | Introduction to Anthropology | |
| ANTH 1140 | Introduction to Cultural Anthropology | |
| ANTH 2175 | World Archaeology | |
| ARCH 1210 | Introduction to Environmental Planning | |
| CCST 1110 | Intro to Comparative & Global Ethnic Studies | |
| ECON 2110 | Macroeconomic Principles | |
| ECON 2120 | Microeconomic Principles | |
| ENG 200 | Technology in Society | |
| FCST 2130 | Marriage and Family Relationships | |
| FDMA 1520 | Introduction to Film & Digital Media | |
| GEOG 1165 | People and Place | |
| GEOG 2170 | Energy, Environment, & Society | |
| HNRS 2364 | The Individual & the Collective | |
| LING 2110 | Introduction to the Study of Language and Linguistics | |
| LTAM 1110 | Introduction to Latin American Studies | |
| PADM 2110 | Public Leadership for Social Change | |
| PH 101 | Introduction to Population Health | |
| PH 102 | Global Health Challenges and Responses | |
| POLS 1120 | American National Government | |
| POLS 1140 | The Political World | |
| POLS 2110 | Comparative Politics | |
| POLS 2120 | International Relations | |
| PSYC 1110 | Introduction to Psychology | |
| SOCI 1110 | Introduction to Sociology | |
| SOCI 2315 | The Dynamics of Prejudice | |
| SUST 1134 | Introduction to Sustainability Studies |
*These courses are only offered through the UNM Branch Campuses.
