Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences

The behavioral and social sciences round out your healthcare or science education—helping you grasp how people from different backgrounds think and interact. Our department features undergraduate and graduate programs in a range of disciplines, from psychology and medical anthropology to communications and sociology. Here, expert faculty help you apply practical skills, engaging you on their clinical and research projects. Whatever your career path, you’ll graduate understanding communication, human behavior, and the secrets of social interaction.

The behavioral and social sciences focus on human behavior at the individual and collective level. You will understand yourself, your family, your friends, your community, and our increasingly connected world by studying the behavioral and social sciences.

Psychology

BS, Minor

Dive deep into why we think, act, and react the way we do, and get an inside look into the human mind.

Communications

Minor

Invest in your career with some of the most sought after professional skills, including how to articulate ideas clearly and succinctly.

Social Sciences

Minor

Explore how anthropology, psychology, sociology, and communication connect to interpret culture.

Health Policy

MS, PhD

Graduate-level immersion in one of the most complex and important policy issues of our time.

Health Psychology

MS

Understand how physical health and mental wellness intersect—and how behavioral factors contribute to heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes.

Health Education and Communication

Certificate

15-credit graduate certificate program to address key competencies in health education and communication.

Chair's Message

Amy Janke

Associate Professor and Interim Chair, Department of Behavioral and Social Science

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USciences Physics, Biology Professors Awarded Research Grants
September 07, 2018
The Board of the Charles E. Kaufman Foundation, a supporting organization of The Pittsburgh Foundation, has awarded 10 scientific research grants totaling $1.9 million, including $200,000 to USciences and Roberto Ramos, PhD, and Margaret Pearce, PhD.
USciences Launches BS in Data Science Degree
August 29, 2018
With Big Data playing an integral part in nearly every facet of today's life and economy, society needs more professionals who can extract meaningful information from data and provide scientific insights for decision making. In response to this need, USciences has launched a new bachelor of science degree in data science that provides students with an in-depth understanding of the science behind data.
Commentary: Do Pre-Workout Drinks Really Give You a Boost?
July 10, 2018
What Kind of Bacteria Are on the Bottom of Our Shoes?
July 10, 2018
Jason Heindl PhD, assistant professor of biology, helped to guide Jenn Frederick from Fox29's Good Day Philadelphia through the kind of bacteria cultivated from the morning show team members' shoes.
Physics Wonder Girls Camp Teaches Science of Food and Light
July 03, 2018
Middle school girls interested in physics got a chance to plunge into the science behind light and food this week at the Physics Wonder Girls Summer Camp, a week-long, free STEM camp organized by Dr. Roberto Ramos, associate professor of physics.