Social Science vs Social Studies: Difference to know

The study of Humanities is increasingly becoming relevant, even in the STEM era. Don’t you agree? Liberal arts degrees are hugely valuable, even for those venturing into STEM fields. A George Anders book ‘You Can Do Anything: The Surprising Power of a ‘Useless’ Liberal Arts Education’ states how workplaces need a human touch today and how it is essential to infuse human judgment even faster in our tech-powered lives. 

This is where we come to the growing value of social science, which may have originated from ancient Greece, developing as an academic field throughout the 18th century across Europe, nourished by intellectuals like Immanuel Kant, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Voltaire, David Hume, Adam Smith, and countless others. However, you  may end up confusing it with social studies, the key objective of which is enabling learners to take logical, reasoned, and informed decisions for the good of the public or community amidst a democratic, independent, and diverse society, as defined by the National Council for the Social Studies. What is the difference between social science and social studies? Here’s what you need to know in this regard. 

What is Social Science? 

Social science deals with individuals, society, and systems that structure societies, covering religious, social, economic, and political frameworks. Social science includes economics, geography, anthropology, history, politics/political science, and many other related fields. Social science's main objective is examining human relationships and behavior throughout several environments. Some other aspects related to social science include linguistics, sexuality, gender, sociology, and ethnicity. The difference between sociology and social science is also clear- sociology is a branch of social science which studies the functioning, structure, and development of human society and its problems. This is an important aspect to remember, since many of us often end up confusing these terms as well. 

Career opportunities in social science 

Social science offers promising career opportunities in diverse areas of work. Some of the top opportunities (with their average salaries in the US) include the following: 

• Intelligence Analyst- $41,689 annually 
• Police Officer- $53,451 annually 
• Human Resources Manager- $49,330 annually 
• Public Relations Manager- $56,759 annually 
• Lawyer- $53,791 annually 
• Social Worker- $60,212 annually 
• Political Consultant- $58,449 annually 
• Professor- $65,314 annually 
• Marketing Manager- $66,760 annually 
• Designer- $67,721 annually 
• Urban Planner- $68,954 annually 
• Financial Analyst- $69,642 annually 
• Psychologist- $104,922 annually 
• Geographer- $83,067 annually 
• Economist- $112,448 annually 

What is Social Studies?

Social studies is an academic field that revolves around studying human behavior and interpersonal interactions, cultural development, and its impact at a global level. It may be the study of both humanities and social sciences. The American National Council for Social Studies defines social studies as the integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence. The term gained popularity in the 20th century, becoming a preferred educational arena for several  learners worldwide ever since. 

Career Opportunities in Social Studies

Here are some of the career opportunities (with their average salaries in the US) available for social studies aspirants along with their average salaries: 

• Journalist- $37,829 per year
• Probation Officer- $43,691 per year 
• Professor- $54,760 per year
• Librarian- $54,662 per year
• Social Worker- $56,692 per year
• Market Research Analyst- $58,140 per year
• Urban Planner- $65,988 per year
• Human resources manager- $69,962 per year
• Historian- $81,370 per year
• Psychologist- $95,023 per year

Social Science vs. Social Studies: Key Differences

So what is the difference between social science and social studies? Here’s outlining the same below: 

Conclusion

Now that you have a basic idea about the difference between social science and social studies, you should observe the core orientation of both. Social studies has a unique slant, although it makes use of disciplines from social science. Social studies are included as a core offering at several educational levels, while social sciences can be studied as specializations at several academic levels as well. To conclude, it can be stated that society and human development would have been impossible, unless there was a seamless amalgamation and collaboration between social sciences and social studies.