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Boston College: Making an impact on the world through social science

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At the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences (MCAS), the oldest and largest school at Boston College, graduate students in four social science fields engage in cutting-edge research, combining data and theory to find solutions to critical issues ranging from inequality and polarisation to migration and climate change. With over 35 research centres and institutes, US$86+ million in sponsored research grants, and the expertise that comes with world-class academics, there’s nothing you can’t achieve as an MCGS graduate.

The expansive world of social science

Morrissey College offers master’s and doctoral options in both its Political Science and Sociology departments, where students tackle practical, theoretical, and quantitative questions rooted in civic aspirations through social justice, societal movements, and environmental change.

For students looking to step away from a Eurocentric world, develop a deep understanding of the politics and international relations, or the religion, culture, and society of the Middle East, the MA in Middle Eastern Studies is a fitting option.

Seeking a career at the intersection of data, finance, and policy? Boston College MCGS offers an Economics doctoral programme that’s led students to positions in universities around the world, the World Bank, Federal Reserve, and more.

Social science cohorts are kept small for an involved, personable learning experience. Source: Boston College

Limitless opportunities in the real-world

Matthew Del Sesto, Sociology PhD graduate, has deemed the process of writing his book the most rewarding research experience at Morrissey College. “In the course of writing, I had the chance to reflect on the last 10 years of my teaching, research, and practice within and outside of universities.” Del Sesto is penning a book about the relevance of design to sociology practice: “I’ve learned a great deal from the series editors and peer reviewers in the process, which has allowed me to see some of my experiences in a new light.”

For Political Science PhD graduate Will Lombardo, a seminar devoted to Blaise Pascal’s Pensées (a book penned by a 17th-century philosopher and mathematician) embodied the true learning experience at MCGS. “[It was] A small group of dedicated, eager students who convene for the purpose of arriving at a greater understanding of the most fundamental questions,” he says. “It became a very real example of the benefits that accrue when we break out of our disciplinary silos — an interdisciplinarity that Boston College does so well to foster.”