Program Overview
What makes a group of people a society? How do cultural beliefs affect societies, their cohesiveness, and health? While they are questions of the ages, these inquiries have never been more relevant than they are today. Combining the fields of anthropology, sociology, psychology, archeology, and political science, this highly interdisciplinary major offers three concentrations: Health, Medicine, and Society; Society, Community, and Human Services; and Law, Crime, and Society. By learning to integrate multiple perspectives, you will be prepared for a broad array of career fields, ranging from public health to criminology.
Why UNE for Applied Social and Cultural Studies
UNE’s Applied Social and Cultural Studies major, the only one of its kind in the U.S, offers an interdisciplinary approach in three different concentration areas. Personalized academic support from faculty and a robust internship program give our graduates highly valued skill sets and wide-ranging career opportunities.
- Interdisciplinary curriculum
- Choice of concentration
- Focus on engaging fieldwork, including internships and capstone experience
- Personally designed programs overseen by faculty advisors
- Travel-abroad opportunities
Academics
Examples of Available Concentrations
Health, Medicine, and Society
Examine health, illness, disability, and mental health issues as well as health care systems. (Ideal for a career in public health, health administration, or mental health)
Society, Community, and Human Services
Study the constituents and institutions involved in community service and development. (Ideal for a career in social work, human services, or community development/education)
Law, Crime, and Society
Explore how society defines and responds to crime, while contemplating the relevance of class, race, gender, and age. (Ideal for a career in law or criminology)
Curriculum
To learn more about the program see the Academic Catalog.
Honors Program
Find your career
The skill set you develop as an Applied Social and Cultural Studies major includes critical thinking, communication skills, the ability to see things through different lenses, and professional skills acquired from internships. You’ll be equipped to enter the workforce across a broad spectrum of fields.
Our graduates have pursued many rewarding professions, including:
- Lawyer
- Public Health Specialist
- Social Worker
- Community Organizer
- Health Administrator
- Human Relations (HR) Administrator
- Non-Profit Administrator
- ESL/ELL Teacher
- Diversity Officer
Career Advising
Whether you have a specific career goal in mind or a vague idea of the field that interests you, Career Advising is here to help you plan your next step.
Beyond the Classroom
International Medical Missions
As an Applied Social and Cultural Studies major, you may opt to travel to Latin America as part of the IMM(UNE) club, which conducts medical volunteer missions in places like Guatemala and Ecuador.
Experiential Learning
The driving force of this program is real-world learning. Whether you’re performing fieldwork, interning, or traveling abroad, hands-on opportunities are found at every turn in your journey.
Internships
Our database of more than 900 internship sites allows you to gain valuable professional experience in a field you want to explore. Our graduates have interned with legal services organizations, international charities, downtown community organizations, public access television stations, and many other groups.
For more information, contact Sam McReynolds, Ph.D., at (207) 602-2765 or smcreynolds@une.edu.
Senior Capstone Experience
As an Applied Social and Cultural Studies student, you choose a capstone experience to widen the scope of your expertise. There are three ways to fulfill the applied capstone experience (ACE).
Internship
You may take between 9 and 16 credits to complete this ACE. You may select from more than 800 sites in the departmental database. This learning opportunity should parallel your area of interest and help you gain experience, skills, and knowledge of how systems work and how to develop options in a given field.
Thesis
You may take between 9 and 16 credits to complete this ACE. The thesis should build on the work you have done in the Applied Social and Cultural Studies major. This academic work should prepare you for graduate study in disciplines that have been incorporated into your study.
Study Abroad
It typically takes 15-16 credits to complete a study abroad experience. While studying in a foreign society and culture is important, the primary focus is to take courses from the new institution that will help you to develop your areas of interest as it relates to your major. In short, there needs to be an integrated social science experience that drives the study abroad learning as well as the opportunity to explore a new society and culture for this to be a successful experience. All study abroad experiences should first be cleared with the department chair to see if they qualify to meet the requirement for the capstone.