College of Behavioral & Social Sciences

BA in Social Science

Program Highlights

Online Social Science Program ranked #1 in the nation in both quality and affordability and named Best Value Nationally in 2017.

Student Success

Awards/Scholarships

  • International Scholar Laureate Program International Relations and Diplomacy Delegate
  • Panetta Fellowship
  • CSUC Research and Creativity Award for Undergraduates

AS Government Positions

  • Director of University Affairs
  • Director of Legislative Affairs

Graduate School

  • CSU, Bakersfield
  • CSU, Chico
  • CSU, Fullerton
  • CSU, San Jose
  • Free University of Amsterdam
  • Indiana University
  • Northwestern University
  • Nottingham University
  • SUNY, Albany
  • UC, Irvine
  • UCLA

Presentations/Conferences/Publications

  • Far West Pop Culture Conference
  • Western Social Science Association
  • Pacific Sociological Association
  • BSS Symposium
  • The Journal of Community College Research and Practice

Jobs

  • Butte College, various Student Services positions
  • Staff Assistant and Legislative Aid, Capitol Hill
  • City Clerk, Grass Valley
  • City Planner, Corning
  • Development Officer, San Jose State
  • Director of Disability Support Programs for Students and Workability, Feather River College
  • Peace Corps
  • Pleasanton Police Department
  • Staff position with Student Conservation Association Excelsior Program, New York State
  • Student Services, CSU, Chico
  • Student Services, Stanford University
  • Transportation Planner, Caltrans
  • Vocational Rehab Specialist, Catholic Charities of Santa Clara
  • Women's Center Youth and Family Services, Stockton

The majority of our internships are in Nonprofits, PreK-12 Education, and Government Agencies

Social Science Internships by Category

Government Agencies

  • Panetta Institute for Public Policy
  • Victim Witness Assistance
  • Butte County Juvenile Detention Center
  • Pleasant Valley State Prison
  • Redding Police Department
  • Redding Library
  • UCLA Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program

Nonprofits

  • Butte Environmental Council
  • International Rescue Committee
  • Chico Community Children's Center
  • Catalyst Domestic Violence Services
  • Torres Community Shelter
  • Boys and Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley
  • Esplanade House (Community Action Agency of Butte Co.)
  • Stonewall Alliance
  • Private Industry Council
  • Women's Resource Clinic
  • Conflict Resolution Center
  • Women's Health Specialists
  • Planned Parenthood
  • Independent Living Services
  • United Way of Northern California
  • Caminar
  • International Rescue Committee

Student Services

  • CSU, Chico Career Center
  • CSU, Chico Academic Advising
  • CSU, Chico Student Learning Center
  • CSU, Chico Accessibility Resource Center
  • CSU, Chico EOP
  • CSU, Chico Safe Place

CSU Organizations (Non-Student Services)

  • CSU, Chico Cross-Cultural Leadership Center
  • CSU, Chico AS Recycling
  • Stop the Trafficking of Peoples (STOP)
  • Passages (Foundation)

Social Services Agencies

  • Sutter County Department of Child Support Services
  • Modoc County CalWORKS
  • Plumas Rural Services
  • Valley Oak Children's Services

Job Placement Agencies

  • Business Career Network
  • Lassen Career Network
  • Butte Community Employment Center
  • Butte College Career Center

Pre K-12 Education

  • Bidwell Academy for Young Children
  • Capital City Early Head Start
  • North Marysville High School
  • Foothill High School
  • Pillars Academy
  • Vista Verde Middle School
  • Esperanza High School
  • Johnsonville School
  • Citrus Elementary School
  • Academy for Change
  • Enterprise High School

Community Colleges

  • Butte College
  • Lassen Community College
  • West Hills College

Private Sector

  • Cline & Duplissea Advocacy Firm
  • United Health Care
  • Almond Blossom Senior Care

Graduation Rates Compared to College and University

Graduation Rates for Undergraduate Transfer Students F2011-F2015
Organizational UnitTwo YearsThree YearsFour Years
University26%63%76%
College(BSS)39%67%78%
Program (SOSC)60%76%92%
Distance Education (SOSC)*41%76%88%

Upper-Division Undergraduate Transfer Persistence Rates

A bar chart describes the growth we've seen in Upper Division Undergraduate Transfer Persistence Rates

Student Learning and Community Service

Agencies and Organizations
  • Working Strategies for Women, Shasta Co., CA
  • Special Needs Classroom, Chico, CA
  • 6th Grade Science Camp Asst., Oroville, CA
  • Senior Nutrition Program, Shasta Co., CA
  • Head Start Program, Tucson, AZ
  • Celebrate Recovery, San Pedro, CA
  • Bread and Broth, Lake Tahoe, NV
  • Alternative Transportation Project, CSU Chico
  • Accessibility Resource Center, CSU Chico
  • American Cancer Society, Butte Co., CA
  • 5th Grade Classroom Asst., Chico, CA
  • Disabled Citizens Program, Glenn Co., CA
  • GED Tutor
  • Friends in Helping (homeless svc.), Sonoma Co.
  • Girl Scouts food drive, Moreno Valley, CA
  • 4th Grade Classroom Asst.
  • Boys and Girls Club Excel Program, Chico, CA
  • Sierra Family Svc. for Teen Parents, Roseville, CA
  • Siskiyou Land Trust Outreach and Education, Mt. Shasta, CA
Agencies and Organizations
  • Pregnant Women Support Services, Butte Co., CA 
  • Classroom Assistant/Hmong Translator, Chico, CA
  • Passages Ombudsman Program, Butte Co., CA
  • 4th/5th Grade Classroom Asst., Chico, CA
  • Harvest Sacramento Food Bank, CA
  • Environmental Science Classroom Asst., Redding, CA
  • ESL Tutor, Chico, CA
  • Loaves and Fishes, Sacramento, CA
  • “Kids at College” outreach program, Mira Costa, CA
  • Special Education Vocational and Life Skills, Los Angeles Co.
  • Lassen Modoc Food Bank, Lassen/Modoc Co, CA
  • Boys and Girls Club Activity Organizer, Santa Monica, CA
  • Plumas Rural Services, Plumas County, CA
  • Goodwill Ind. Good Partner Coach, FL
  • Boy Scouts of America, Susanville, CA
  • CREATE (eating disorder support group), Shasta Co.

Social Science Honors and Research Projects

  • Danielle Casey. "Reimaging the Detroit Landscape." Recipient of Research and Creativity Award for Undergraduates, 2015. ($2,250)
  • Marcee Boggs. "A Comparison between Academic Probation Students and Students in Good Standing on Self-Efficacy, Stress, and Academic Performance." Honors in the Major Research Paper, 2015.
  • Cynthia Garrett. "Assessing the Differential Benefits of Volunteering." Honors in the Major Research Paper, 2013.
  • Sarah Dimick. "Anti-Social Networking." Honors in the Major Research Paper, 2012.
  • Mark Swift. "The Accumulating Academic Resources on Human Trafficking." Honors in the Major Research Paper, 2012.
  • Deena Ainsworth. "Scientific Perspectives on Sex Addiction: A Content Analysis." Honors in the Major Research Paper, 2010.
  • Christine Sylvia. "Challenges in Calculating Two-Year College Student Transfer Rates to Four-Year Colleges." Honors in the Major Research Paper, 2007. Published in The Journal of Community College Research and Practice, 2010.

2017 Social Science Outstanding Senior Awards

Jeff GravesAlumni Jeff Graves