Located in Webster Hall, our dedicated faculty and multiple related programs allow us to offer exceptional educational opportunities to students with a wide range of future goals. We offer undergraduate and graduate courses in Anthropology, History, International Studies, Social Work, and Sociology.
All full-time members of the Department of Social Sciences have terminal degrees in their field. Many of the faculty have won Outstanding Teaching and Writing Excellence Awards. Our professors regularly publish scholarly works and present research at regional, national, and international conferences.
We are dedicated to our mission as educators, and we go out of our way to provide the very best education to every student. This is reflected in the fact that our professors all teach introductory courses along with upper-division courses.
Our programs prepare students for dynamic leadership and responsible citizenship in the modern world. We give students the opportunity to cultivate critical thinking, communication and technological skills that will continue to be of value in the complex world of the 21st century. We offer outstanding instruction and intellectual challenge while emphasizing opportunities to engage in the real world. The Department of Social Sciences builds bridges to the local community through academic internships, field experiences, public events, partnerships with local institutions and sponsorship of academic programs and events for local schools' students and teachers. High-impact learning experiences are an integral part of our social science degree programs.
Students who major, minor, or earn certificates in the social sciences are prepared for a variety of careers and graduate programs in teaching, government service, law, historic preservation, business, health and human services, and many other fields. Internships are particularly helpful in establishing career connections and building practical knowledge.
Social sciences students may apply for internships in a wide variety of regional institutions and organizations including the George Washington Carver National Monument, Boys and Girls Club, Ozark Center, the MSSU Archives, and many others.
In addition to our teaching and research, faculty members in the MSSU Department of Social Sciences work hard to make our community and our world a better place.
Professors in our department serve on the following community boards: Joplin Historic Preservation Commission, the Sherwood/Rader Farm Civil War Park Board of Directors, the Jasper County Jail Review Board, and Carthage Historic Preservation. We support Missouri Southern State University by serving on the Lion Co-op and the African Art Collection Advisory Boards.
Our department sponsors and runs the Region 6 National History Day event on campus each year.
Feel free to visit or contact us at socialsciences@mssu.edu.
