Welcome to the Social Science Department at Tarpon Springs Campus.  The Social & Behavioral Department prepare students through the study of human behavior, societal institutions and political and economical systems to become lifelong learners, critical thinkers and productive, responsible citizens.  The program seeks to prepare students for successful transfer to four-year colleges and universities.

Areas of Discipline

·         Economics           

·         History

·         Political Science

·         Psychology

·         Sociology

 Director’s Welcome Statement

Welcome to the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the Tarpon Springs Campus of St. Petersburg College.  Our program houses the academic disciplines of Anthropology, American Government, Economics, Geography, History, International Relations, Psychology, and Sociology. This site has been designed to support the courses offered by this department from each of these disciplines.  You will find information relating to our faculty, courses, facilities, and other useful information.  I think you will find our program exciting and we hope that you decide to join us.

Our dedicated faculty works closely with students to provide the best learning experience possible. Our incoming freshmen are encouraged to participate in the social sciences beyond the required course work.  We offer several specialty courses that are designed for students majoring in one of our disciplines. These courses are small and allow a higher level of student interactions with instructors.  We encourage you to explore the site and give us any comments you may have about to improve the quality and content of this website.  If you require any additional information about the program or wish to discuss your options, please feel free to contact us.  All points of contact are provided on our contact us/staff and faculty information pages.

About the Social Sciences

Social Science courses helps us make sense of what is happening in the world.  Including the forces holding everything together or tearing everything apart.  Social sciences also help us to understand our social worlds – our communities, homes, and relationships – it illuminates the kinds of choices we face and how we make decisions.  Social sciences helps us to seek answers to many of the key issues that affect our lives and can provide us with insights into the questions that trouble us.

People study social sciences because they want to understand more about the issues and problems of everyday life.  They want to become better equipped to engage in discussions, to provide an informed view or to be more active citizens.  Many also study to enhance their opportunities for jobs and careers at both professional and occupational levels or, simply for personal interest.  It is a fascinating area of study and people with a social science background are found in just about every occupations. The following is a short list of career fields that utilize a knowledge in the social sciences:  law enforcement, media, military, banking or finance, federal, state and local governments, health related professions, volunteer organizations, environmental organizations, low, education and business. 

Mission Statement

The Social Sciences Department at SPC Tarpon Springs provides students with an awareness of how important cultural influences can be, a sense of history within the scope of changing cultural themes, and a sense of their own worth as human beings.  These understandings are refined through a sound curriculum in the behavioral sciences, which explains variations in human behavior based on theoretical models, instruction in research methods used by contemporary social scientists, and a special focus on Interdisciplinary connections among topical social issues.  As a group, we are committed to excellence in the classroom delivered by instructors with deep and up-to-date knowledge of their subject and an appreciation for the needs of students.

History

History is the comprehensive study of mankind’s past.  Accurate historical knowledge is a requirement for an understanding of where man has been and where he is going.  Without history, mand would be condemned to “reinvent the wheel” every generation, having lost information relative to every discipline from the physical sciences through politics.  It is the task of the historian to record, analyze and interpret the collected sources of the past and illustrate the relevance of those sources to the present and future.  It is the task of the history teacher not only to inform students about the information historians have collected and interpreted, but to illustrate why history is important and useful.  The emphasis of the history courses at the Tarpon Springs Campus of St. Petersburg College is to:

--give the students a basic factual and thematic knowledge of American History;

--help the student develop a stronger ability to assess and think critically about historical issues, including the ability to make connections between events to better understand the concepts of cause and effect;

--help the student develop the ability to analyze historical information.

American Government

American Government is a course that is designed to introduce students to the organization, the principles and the carious functions of the U.S. Federal Government.  Students will analyze the history, ideas, structure, and continual changes within the American government.  In addition, students will explore a variety of contemporary political issues as they relate to the course material. The larger effort in this course is to understand how and why the U.S. has crated a vast, dynamic and complex government system. Upon completion of this course, you will have the analytical skill and the knowledge necessary to better understand the American Government and why it works the way it does.

This is one of the rare collegiate courses where you will be encouraged to watch television. It will greatly benefit you to have a knowledge of current political events.  In addition, students are encouraged to read the newspaper, magazines, and other materials in an effort to stay informed about issues which relate to the course.  Using outside resources will greatly assist in your understanding of textbook and lecture topics.

The information provided in this class will enable you to participate in politics and make informed decisions in the very near future.  You will also gain may valuable insights that will help you gain and understanding of the day to day changes in your life.  In case you are in need a reminder of how quickly and drastically things can change, follow the link to see an image from the tragic event that has forever changed the cotemporary political environment – 9/11 clip. (Requires Quicktime Media Player (free download), download takes approx. 21 sec.)

Economics

Economics is the science that deals with the production, allocation, and use of goods and services, it is important to study how resources can best be distributed to meet the needs of the greatest number of people. As we are more connected globally to one another, the study of economics becomes an extremely important one.  While there are many subdivisions in the study of economics, two major ones are macroeconomics and microeconomics. Macroeconomics is the study of the entire systems of  economics.  Microeconomics is the study of how the systems affects one business or parts of the economic system.

Anthropology

Anthropology is a science of humankind.  It studies all facets of society and culture.  It studies tools, techniques, traditions, language, beliefs, kinships, values, social institutions, economic mechanisms, cravings for beauty and art, struggles for prestige.  It describes the impact of humans on other humans.  With the exceptions of the Physical Anthropology discipline, Anthropology focuses on human characteristics generated and propogated by humans themselves.  Physical Anthropology studies anatomy and biology – race, gender, adaptation.  It studies humankind as a biology type, describing physical development over the millennia. Linguistics studies the structures of language and historic and comparative perspective.  There is a subfield that concentrates on myth, music, and folklore to study human geography and human passage in time.  Applied Anthropology uses anthropological knowledge and expertise to deal with modern problems.  For example, it aids in impact studies of technological innovations or economic development patters.

Sociology

Sociologists use the scientific method to understand human relationships and the role social institutions play in our lives.  Sociology students explore and analyze the functioning of our society and the ways in which specific cultures and beliefs influence behavior and reflect the dynamics of individuals, groups, and societies.  In simpler terms, sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior.  Sociologists investigate  the structure of groups, organizations, and societies, and how people interact within these contexts.  Since all human behavior is social, the subject matter of sociology ranges from the intimate family to the hostile mob; from organized crime to religious cults; from the divisions of race, gender and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture; and from the sociology of work to the sociology of sports. In fact, few fields have such broad scope and relevance for research, theory, and application of knowledge.

Sociology provides many distinctive perspectives on the world, generating new ideas and critiquing the old.  The field also offers a range of research techniques that can be applied to virtually any aspect of social life; Street crime and delinquency, corporate downsizing, how people express emotions, welfare or education reform, how families differ and flourish, or problems of peace and war. Because sociology addresses the most challenging issues of our time, it is a rapidly expanding field whose potential is increasingly tapped by those who craft policies and create programs.  Sociologists understand social inequality, patterns of behavior, forces for social change and resistance, and how social systems work.