Nova Scotia Public Affairs and Social Sciences Graduate Programs
Whether you are interested in serving your community as a whole or counseling individuals Public Affairs and Social Sciences Graduate Programs offer an array of fascinating academic disciplines. Public Affairs programs are concerned with issues such as policy development and analysis, economics and government, public health and concerns of society. Social science is focused on society and the relationships between people within their society.
Choosing to earn a graduate degree in any of the Public Affairs and Social Sciences fields may give you the opportunity to research, refine your knowledge, improve your analytical and leadership skills to take you to the next level of study or career.
Public Affairs and Social Sciences Graduate Programs: Basics
Public Affairs and Social Sciences Graduate Degree Programs are available as graduate certificates, masters and doctorate degrees. Graduate level education often requires completion of an internship and thesis or dissertation, depending on the level of study. Each Public Affairs and Social Sciences Graduate degree offers more advanced and in-depth study, and a curriculum appropriate to that subject and could require a specific undergraduate degree.
Types Of Graduate Degrees and Programs
There are many types of Public Affairs and Social Sciences Graduate degrees to choose from. Choose your subject from the directory on the left to help narrow down your selection or browse some popular subjects below:
- Counseling Psychology
- Economics
- Educational & School Psychology
- Emergency Management
- Environmental Management
- Human Services
- Non-Profit Administration
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Public Administration & Policy
- Public Health
- Social Work
- Sociology
Masters Degrees: If you are approaching grad school with an undergraduate degree, a masters program typically provides an opportunity to concentrate on an area of interest. Choose your subject from the directory to review listings in that category. For instance, if you select public Administration and Policy, some of the listings might include: Master of Public Administration (MPA) or Master of Public Policy and Administration: Concentration in Social Change Leadership.
Doctorate Degrees: Going further, doctorate Public Affairs and Social Sciences programs tend to be research-focused and/or clinical practice degrees such as the PhD or Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology.
Graduate CertificatesPost-master’s graduate certificates allow grads to fine tune specific skill-sets and may be attractive to currently working students as a way to boost credentials. Some of your many options may include: Graduate Certificate in Public Administration, Advanced Conflict Resolution Practice Graduate Certificate, Counseling, 6th year and Graduate Certificate of Completion in Human Factors Psychology.
What are Public Affairs Graduate Programs?
Public Affairs graduate programs prepare students to serve society as well, but through public service, civic engagement, politics, communications, and non-profit areas. These programs offer leadership and decision-making skills to equip graduates to operate in the public interest, as well as address social needs and concerns. If you are looking for a graduate degree in a Public Affairs field, you might review:
- Conflict & Peace Studies
- Emergency Management
- Environmental Management/policy
- Human Services
- International Relations
- Non-profit Administration
- Political Science/military
- Public Administration and Policy (Government, labor relations. Public administration, public policy)
- Public Health (Bioethics, epidemiology, health education & communication, international health, occupational health and safety)
- Urban Affairs & Planning (urban studies)
What Are Social and Behavioral Sciences Graduate Programs?
Social sciences are often associated with behavioral sciences in that they explore the activities and interactions among human beings. Many social and behavioral science disciplines are relevant to the understanding of the mission of public health but they differ on their level of scientific analysis of behavior. Social science graduate students will analyze how human behavior can create ripple effects in behavior, economics and environment. If you visualize ‘Social Sciences’ as a tree, the main branches include[ii]:
- Economics
- Political Science
- Human Geography
- Demography
- Public Health
- Sociology
- Social Work
- Humanities (ie. Anthropology, archaeology, jurisprudence, psychology, history and linguistics)
The behavioral sciences, particularly psychology, are concerned with the study of the actions of humans and animals. A Behavioral Science degree connects the natural sciences with the social sciences.
DID YOU KNOW?
Coursework in statistics, program management and policy analysis is considered helpful if you aspire to work in social and community services management[i]
Choosing a Public Affairs and Social Sciences Graduate Program Format
Once you've narrowed down your subject selection, select your format type. Most programs are offered either online, on-campus or as a hybrid. Hybrid is sometimes referred to as partially online as there are some onsite requirements but most of the courses are offered remotely. Another great way to find graduate schools with the type of social science or public affairs graduate degree you seek is by location. Use the city, state or country tabs for a full selection of colleges and universities in your preferred area.
Both Program and Institutional accreditation are important, and should play a role in selecting a graduate program in social sciences or public affairs. There are different agencies committed to this process. You can check the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)[iii]. In the case of Public Affairs Graduate Programs, you can also check with NASPPA[iv]
Sources: [i] bls.gov/ooh/management/social-and-community-service-managers.htm | [ii] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_science | [iii] chea.org/public_info/index.asp| [iv] accreditation.naspaa.org
Take the Next Step
Whether you are interested in the behavioral and social sciences, want to specialize in neuroscience, gerontology or public policy, a graduate degree may help shape your future professional life. Public Affairs Social Science Graduate programs offer you the opportunity to move away from more generalized study, and potentially prepare you for a bright future in any number of possible career paths.
Sponsored Listings
- Queen's University, Ontario, Canada Kingston, NSKingston, NS
Queen's University, Ontario, Canada
Economics
Queen’s offers what we believe are the finest graduate programs in Economics in Canada. Our programs are rigorous and demanding, but are also challenging and exciting, and are noted for being highly collegial and congenial. Also, because of our low stud...
- Kingston, NS
- Kingston, NSKingston, NS
Urban and Regional Planning
Queen's is home to one of the lead planning schools in Canada & is officially recognized by the Canadian Institute of Planners...
Program: Campus
Degree: Master
- Kingston, NSKingston, NS
Political Studies
The Department of Political Studies at Queen’s University has long been known for its graduate programs. We are small enough to provide our students with a highly personalized graduate experience, and our faculty is sufficiently strong, diverse, and...
Program: Campus
Degree: Master, Doctorate
- Kingston, NSKingston, NS
Psychology
The graduate program in Psychology at Queen’s is internationally renowned for the excellence and integrity of its faculty, students and training and the innovation and value of its research, scholarship and skill development. We have designed our gra...
Program: Campus
Degree: Doctorate, Master
- Kingston, NSKingston, NS
Epidemiology
This program aims to provide students with the educational opportunities needed to acquire the knowledge, attitudes and methodological skills necessary to participate in health services or epidemiology research teams or in public health practice. The...
Program: Campus
Degree: Doctorate, Master
- Kingston, NSKingston, NS
Public Administration
Queen's provides advanced training in policy analysis and public management for entry-level and mid-career candidates.
Program: Campus
Degree: Master
- Dalhousie University Halifax, NS
- Halifax, NS
- Halifax, NS
- Halifax, NSHalifax, NS
Political Science
Today Political Scientists still study these matters, but the discipline has grown to encompass many aspects of government, such as parliaments, elect...
Program: Campus
Degree: Doctorate, Master
- Halifax, NSHalifax, NS
Social Anthropology
Anthropology is composed of four subfields, social/cultural, archaeological, biological, and linguistic.
Program: Campus
Degree: Master, Doctorate
- Halifax, NSHalifax, NS
Leisure Studies
The MA Leisure Studies program provides students with theory,issues, and research expertise on leisure-related topics.
Program: Campus
Degree: Master
- Halifax, NS
- Halifax, NS
- Halifax, NS
- Halifax, NSHalifax, NS
Graduate Program in Political Science
The Centre for Foreign Policy Studies is a research unit at Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Program: Campus
Degree: Master, Doctorate
- Halifax, NS
- Halifax, NSHalifax, NS
Graduate program in Clinical Psychology - Forensic Psychology specialization
This department offers a specialization in Forensic Psychology within either the clinical or experimental program.
Program: Campus
Degree: Doctorate
- Halifax, NS
- Halifax, NSHalifax, NS
Sociology
From its inception in the nineteenth century, sociology has been concerned with understanding the growth and evolution of modern societies.
Program: Campus
Degree: Doctorate
- Halifax, NS
- Halifax, NSHalifax, NS
Planning
Dalhousie's professional Planning program is 20 months long, and includes a co-op work term (summer). Its areas of focus include urban design, communi...
Program: Campus
Degree: Master
- Online
- Online
- Coady International Institute OnlineOnline
Coady International Institute
Master of Adult Education - Community Development Stream
The Master of Adult Education - Community Development Stream is a self-directed, self-paced distance learning program offered jointly by the Departmen...
- Acadia University Online
- Wolfville, NS
- Wolfville, NSWolfville, NS
Graduate programs in Political Science
Our department offers a number of interesting and challenging academic programs for those students with an affinity for the study of politics.
Program: Campus
Degree: Master
- Wolfville, NSWolfville, NS
Counseling Program
Graduate students are welcome at Acadia. They provide an important dimension to campus life.
Program: Campus
Degree: Master
- Wolfville, NSWolfville, NS
Clinical Psychology
Graduate students are welcome at Acadia. They provide an important dimension to campus life.
Program: Campus
Degree: Master
- Wolfville, NSWolfville, NS
Department of Sociology
Graduate students are welcome at Acadia. They provide an important dimension to campus life.
Program: Campus
Degree: Master
- St. Mary's University Halifax, NSHalifax, NS
St. Mary's University
International Development Studies
Saint Mary's offers a multi-disciplinary program leading to a Master's degree in this subject.
- Halifax, NS
- Halifax, NSHalifax, NS
Applied Psychology
A Master of Science degree is offered in two fields of applied psychology:clinical, and industrial/organizational (I/O).
Program: Campus
Degree: Master
- Mount Saint Vincent University Halifax, NSHalifax, NS
Mount Saint Vincent University
School Psychology
The Master of Arts Program in School Psychology is a clinical speciality designed to build on the experiences of participants to enable them to enter...
- Halifax, NS
- Halifax, NS
- University College of Cape Breton Sydney, NSSydney, NS
University College of Cape Breton
Community Economic Development
The goal of the University College of Cape Breton (UCCB) Master of Business Administration in Community Economic Development [MBA (CED)] program is to...