At the higher secondary level, those who study from the humanities, their main goal in studying at the university is to complete higher education with the subjects of social science and arts faculty. But beyond the humanities department, after studying science or commerce in higher secondary, many are interested in studying social science subjects later. Social science subjects have a special value in higher education as they are much richer and respected due to their wide application importance in the domestic and international context.
Md Imran Hossain Bhuiyan, Assistant Professor, Department of Development Studies, Dhaka University (DU) has given instructions on why a student should study social sciences, what are the opportunities for higher education and career. Shah Biliya Zulfikar gives the details-
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Subjects covered in social science
Social science subjects include economics, political science, sociology and anthropology on the one hand. On the other hand there are important subjects like public administration, mass communication and journalism, and international relations. In addition to this, Dhaka University and other universities in Social Science Faculty are keeping pace with the international needs and era in Development Studies, Population Sciences, Women and Gender Studies, Peace and Conflict Studies, Criminology, Japanese Studies, Communication Disorders, Television Film and Photography and Printing and publication studies.
For those who wish to study subjects in the social sciences, such as economics, political science, sociology, anthropology, public administration, and international relations. And those who want to study challenging and practical subjects in tune with international needs and times, can study subjects like Development Studies, Mass Communication and Journalism, Population Sciences, Women and Gender Studies, Criminology, Japanese Studies and Television Film and Photography. Here, one of the major advantages of studying modern subjects is that these subjects are more practical and interdisciplinary.
How to get an opportunity to study
In terms of subject selection in the university, only those who have studied humanities department at the higher secondary level, those who have studied from science and commerce department, they can also study social science subjects. In this case, in the admission test held for social science faculty in autonomous and government universities, students from humanities at higher secondary level can participate directly and if they pass, they can choose their preferred subject according to their merit.
On the other hand, students who fall out of science and commerce at the higher secondary level can in some cases study the subjects of the social science faculty by passing the admission test for the social science faculty directly or passing the exam of the unit in which all students have the opportunity to change the department.
Higher education opportunities abroad
There are endless opportunities for social science graduates in higher education abroad. There are many state and institutional scholarship opportunities for Masters and PhD in social science subjects worldwide. Social science subjects are more multi-faceted than commerce and arts subjects with full scholarship to study abroad. There are huge opportunities to study with scholarships in various Master’s and PhD programs in universities in North America, Europe, and Australia in the social sciences in various aspects of economic, social, political, and environmental development.
Among social science graduates, students who complete a bachelor’s degree in economics and development studies are more likely to pursue higher education in various branches of economics such as environmental economics, political economy, labor economics, health economics, agricultural economics, development economics, and public policy. However, all social science graduates major in international development, international relations, international security, politics, political economy, public policy, environment and climate change, natural resource management, gender and development, media studies, mass communication, project management, film studies, and criminology. You can take higher education abroad in such subjects very easily.
Jobs and Careers
From a career perspective, in the context of Bangladesh, the subject knowledge of social sciences can be particularly applied to work in various government institutions, financial institutions, educational institutions at various levels, social research institutions, media, and domestic and foreign development organizations.
In the international context, social science graduates with advanced degrees and relevant experience have the opportunity to work in universities, government institutions, research institutes, and development organizations worldwide in higher education-related fields. Moreover, graduates of other social sciences majors such as mass communication, journalism, television, and film are preferred to work in modern media sectors.
However, in the 21st century, IT and communication skills are essential for social science graduates to pursue a career in any field. Therefore, in addition to subject knowledge, if you have skills in information technology and communication skills in important foreign languages such as English or French, social science graduates can find employment and research opportunities in various public and private domestic and foreign institutions.
