Social Sciences | Ithaca College

Social Studies Departments:

Studying The Social Sciences:

Students explore how we come to act and believe as we do, how we relate to one another in small or large groups, how we communicate, and how we govern ourselves within our communities. Students challenge themselves, and are challenged by the faculty, to go beyond opinion and develop a sophisticated understanding of the pressing social and behavioral problems of today. Whether delving into what motivates humans in a research lab or discussing contemporary economic and politics issues, students become skilled at explaining human behavior using a variety of techniques, from statistical analysis to laboratory experiment, from surveying and interviewing to observing people living and working in communities.

What careers do students in the social sciences pursue?

Our alumni are analysts, community researchers, financial managers, entrepreneurs, attorneys, physicians, counselors, social workers, leaders in government, foreign officers. They work in marketing, health, education, human services, and a wide variety of fields in non-profits and industries that are making a difference in the world. Our graduates develop intellectual flexibility. They can adapt to constantly changing circumstances, and they have the confidence and imagination to envision solutions to our society's most pressing problems. They go on to become active, compassionate members of their communities and knowledgeable leaders in their fields, equipped with an invaluable understanding of the relationship between the day-to-day work they do and its impact on the larger world.

Nate Harnett '13 earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. He then earned his PhD in Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and completed postdoctoral training at McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Nate is now an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School where he leads the Neurobiology of Affective and Traumatic Experiences Laboratory. His laboratory works to uncover the brain basis for why people develop trauma and stress-related disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He and his team use multimodal neuroimaging, psychophysiology, and behavioral assessments to probe cognitive-affective function in individuals recently exposed to trauma. The laboratory also seeks to understand how pre-traumatic influences like deprivation and childhood trauma affect how people respond to later stressful events. Nate’s research program receives funding through several federal and private agencies including the National Institutes of Health, The Brain and Behavioral Research Foundation, The Ford Foundation, and the Department of Defense. His team’s research has been published in major psychiatry journals such as The American Journal of Psychiatry, JAMA Psychiatry, Biological Psychiatry, and Molecular Psychiatry, with press recognition from outlets such as CNN, PBS, and TODAY.

Politics / TVR major Rob Flaherty '13 served as Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Office of Digital Strategy, and is currently Deputy Campaign Manager for President Biden. Although he initially wanted to work in television radio, his interests shifted early in his studies after watching "The West Wing," which led him to also pursue a degree in poltiics. While at IC, he worked as communications director for Myrick for Ithaca, helping a then 24-year-old Svante Myrick become the city of Ithaca’s youngest mayor and first mayor of color. He also worked as communications coordinator for New York State Assembly woman Barbara Lifton. These experiences cemented his desire to work in politics. "I think we're living in a moment that calls out for Ithaca College graduates. I think the special sauce at IC is how you go out and do stuff, while learning how to think about it critically.”

Allaire Tetrault '20, who earned a BA in Sociology and a minor in Womens, Gender, and Sexuality Studies is an Expansion Associate at The Seed Foundation, a national nonprofit that partners with urban communities to provide innovative educational opportunities that prepare underserved students for success in college and beyond. After graduating, she found The Seed Foundation through her service year at Public Allies, an AmeriCorps program, and has since helped to managing a portfolio of strategic projects and initiatives to enhance the organization’s operations, including providing support and coordinating around the creation of the 4th college-prep boarding SEED school in South Los Angeles, CA, for resilient youth.