Welcome to the Social Science Honors Program

Dear Prospective Student,

The Social Science Honors Program (SSHP) is an excellent opportunity for Social Science and Social Policy and Public Service majors to get involved in their own academic projects to complete the process of doing an undergraduate thesis under the guidance of a faculty. This academic exercise is a unique activity for junior scholars to develop their analytical and critical thinking skills in an area of interest that they can later pursue in graduate school. The key element to this program is one-on-one contact with a faculty advisor who will provide you guidance and understanding in a specialized area of study. The program provides a venue for students to dialogue about critical social science issues while sharing their results and interpretations.

Although the program is challenging and a year long, it is a guaranteed quality experience for students to prepare for graduate school. As you aspire to become an expert in your area with competitive qualities, graduate school recruiters are seeking students with research experience and insight about community and social solutions. This program challenges your understanding of a topic of interest and reinforces your research training. The final product lends direction for future research and practice while considering the role of theory and its validation. Last, the intensity of the program is unique in that the thesis projects are an average of 35 pages. The participants, however, leave with abundant knowledge and experience transferable to their future careers and education.

I invite you to seriously consider this very exciting and valuable research experience to complement your academic portfolio. As a leader and student learner at UCI, it is your responsibility to challenge yourself and identify opportunities that ensure quality exchanges with critical dialogue, development and insight. The Social Science Honors Program (SSHP) facilitates the development and completion of a quality research product while attending to your professional and academic advancement.

I look forward to your application and inquiries about the program. I encourage an office visit to discuss potential topics of exploration and the identification of an advisor for your area of interest. Pursue the opportunity during your junior or senior year. Invest a year in an area of interest and refine your passion to create opportunities that will benefit your future and a lifetime.

Sincerely,

Jeanett Castellanos, Ph.D.
Lecturer, SOE
Director, Social Sciences Honors Program (SSHP)

Social Science Plaza B, Suite 2231
University of California, Irvine
Irvine, CA 92697-5100
Phone: (949) 824-8322
Email: castellj@uci.edu