UNDERGRADUATE MAJOR: Social and Behavioral Sciences CREDITS REQUIRED IN MAJOR: 58

FOUNDATION/REQUIRED MAJOR COURSES: 28

COURSE NUMBER / COURSE NAME / CREDITS / PREREQUISITES
LAC 120 / Statistics for Informed Decision / 3 / Must meet Math Readiness
SBS/HRD 200 / Multicultural Human Development / 3 / Second semester freshmen or above; College Writing and EYE course
SBS 300 or
SBS 310 / Deviance and Social Control
Childhood and Society / 3
SBS 329 / Research Methods / 3 / LAC 120
LAC 269 / Exploring Careers / 1.5
LAC 370 / Toward a Global Ethics / 4
LAC 413 / Job Search / 1.5 / LAC 269
SBS 440 / Applied Social Policy / 3 / LAC 210 or LAC 370, and Jr Standing
LAC 447 / Internship / 3 / LAC 413
LAC 480 / Senior Seminar / 3

MAJOR PREREQUISITES: 12Creditsexpected to be taken before 300-level courses

ANT 101 / Anthropology: The Cultural View / 3
PSY 101 / General Psychology I / 3
PSY 102 / General Psychology II / 3 / PSY 101
SOC 100 / Introduction to Sociology / 3

SBS MAJOR ELECTIVES: 18 CREDITS Must be 300+ level* See notes below

3
3
3
3
3
3

MAJOR COURSES OVERLAPPING IN THE CORE:

CORE AREA / COURSE NUMBER / COURSE NAME / REQUIRED BY MAJOR?
CAP / LAC 480 / Senior Seminar / Yes
EIRSC / LAC 370 / Toward a Global Ethics / Yes
QR / LAC 120 / Statistics for Informed Decision Making / Yes
SCA / SBS 200
ANT 101
SOC 100 / Multicultural Human Dev
Intro to SOC
Anthropology: Cultural / Yes
Yes
Yes
DIV / ANT 101
SBS 300 / Anthropology: Cultural
Deviance and Social Control / Yes
Yes
INT / LAC 370 ANT 101 / Toward a Global Ethics
Anthropology: Cultural / Yes
Yes

Text from the 2016 – 2017 Catalog: *SBS Electives: Students complete at least six upper division (300-level or above) electives in SBS. They may select a concentration to structure their choice of electives. Alternatively, they may more fully customize their choices for the general degree, selecting a minimum of two courses from the list of Fundamentals, below, and the remainder from any 300-level or above SBS electives.

Fundamentals:
SBS/SCI 209 Human Genetics
SBS/LOS 301 Group Dynamics
SBS 305 Child Development
SBS 306 Adolescence
SBS 310 Childhood and Society
SBS 311 Theories of Personality
SBS 341 The Family
SBS 345 Diversity: Many Voices
SBS/LOS 381 Introduction to Globalization
SBS 390 Brain and Behavior

Because of its interdisciplinary nature, the SBS degree has extensive overlap with the USM core, providing a highly efficient pathway to degree completion and additional freedom in selecting courses to reach the 120 credit hour minimum. The following SBS required courses also fulfill USM core curriculum requirements (note that this is not a complete list of LAC-based courses that fulfill USM core requirements):

  • ANT 101 Anthropology: The Cultural View can be used to meet either the Diversity (DIV) or the International (INT) core requirement.
  • SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology meets the Sociocultural Analysis (SCA) requirement.
  • LAC 120 Statistics for Informed Decision-Making meets the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) requirement.
  • SBS 300 Deviance and Social Control meets the Diversity (DIV) requirement.
  • LAC 370 Toward a Global Ethics meets both the Ethical Inquiry, Social Responsibility, and Citizenship (EISRC) and the International (INT) requirement.
  • LAC 480 Senior Seminar meets the Capstone (CAP) requirement.

Additional courses towards the required minimum of 120 credits may be chosen from any other courses within or outside of the major (general electives) based on student interests, career plans, and prior transfer credits. In some cases, this may entail pursuit of a minor or certificate. Students should consult with their advisors on these choices.

Concentrations, Minors, and Certificates

In addition to the general SBS degree, SBS offers four concentrations for SBS majors:

  • Counseling
  • Early Childhood Studies
  • Public Health
  • Community Response and Mental Health.

SBS offers two minors available to students in any USM major:

  • Early Childhood Studies
  • Public Health

Finally, SBS offers three certificate pathways:

  • The MHRT/C track within the Counseling Concentration (open only to SBS majors in the Counseling Concentration)
  • The 081 Early Childhood Teacher Birth - Age 5 (open to Early Childhood Studies minors)
  • The Undergraduate Certificate in Public Health (open to anyone, not limited to SBS or USM majors)

In addition, SBS graduates are eligible to apply for the Maine CADC (Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor) examination, and the LSX (Licensed Social Worker - Conditional).

For more information on SBS concentrations, minors, and certificates, see

Core curriculum codes

EYE – Entry Year Experience

CW – College Writing

QR – Quantitative Reasoning

CE – Creative Expression

SCA – Socio-cultural Analysis

CI – Cultural Interpretation

SE – Science Exploration

EISRC – Ethical Inquiry, Social Responsibility, & Citizenship

DIV – Diversity

INT – International

CAP - Capstone