Social Science Department
Welcome to the Fall 2025 Semester!
Majoring in Social Science at Gavilan is an exciting adventure that may bring you closer to your community or take you adventuring around the globe - or both! The Social Science Department at Gavilan empowers students to explore, and change, the world. Students with social science backgrounds transfer successfully to four-year colleges, pursue fascinating professions, and make meaningful contributions to their communities and society.
Several academic disciplines are housed within the Social Science Department, including Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy, History, Political Science, Ethnic Studies, and Geography. Each of these disciplines offers personally enriching, career relevant, intellectually stimulating courses. Please take your time to explore our department homepage links. You will find information about our courses, the AA-T Degree Requirements, and the Social Science faculty at Gavilan College. If you are interested in the career options related to these majors, our Career and Academic Pathways page is an excellent resource.
Gavilan College, along with all California community colleges, has implemented Career and Academic Pathways (CAPs) as part of the statewide Guided Pathways framework. This initiative aims to provide students with clear, structured paths to achieve their educational and career goals. The disciplines of the Social Science department are situated within the Social Sciences & Humanities CAP, which includes all the pathways that are designed to prepare you to think critically, communicate effectively, problem solve, and lead empathetically in a diverse and increasingly interconnected world. This pathway provides you with research and writing skills; knowledge about social issues; opportunities for civic engagement; and an understanding of history, culture, and humanity. This pathway prepares you for a future with certificates, degrees, transfer, and careers in education, social justice, public policy, journalism, child development, research, counseling, social work, and more.