<p>Here is a list of top national liberal arts colleges sorted by the proportion of bachelors degrees awarded in the social sciences. Social sciences include anthropology, economics, political science, international relations, sociology. This list excludes psychology. Based on IPEDS 2004 data.</p>
<p>CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE 288 135 0.47
RANDOLPH-MACON COLLEGE 235 109 0.46
BARD COLLEGE 306 116 0.38
COLGATE UNIVERSITY 646 242 0.37
BOWDOIN COLLEGE 414 148 0.36
TRINITY COLLEGE 492 175 0.36
LAFAYETTE COLLEGE 541 187 0.35
ST LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY 499 171 0.34
PITZER COLLEGE 207 68 0.33
DREW UNIVERSITY 359 116 0.32
BARNARD COLLEGE 600 193 0.32
HAMILTON COLLEGE 457 147 0.32
BRYN MAWR COLLEGE 299 93 0.31
SPELMAN COLLEGE 533 163 0.31
COLLEGE OF WOOSTER 391 120 0.31
MOUNT HOLYOKE COLLEGE 553 170 0.31
OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE 459 143 0.31
WELLESLEY COLLEGE 603 185 0.31
COLLEGE OF THE HOLY CROSS 675 212 0.31
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE 278 84 0.3
AGNES SCOTT COLLEGE 204 59 0.29
SWARTHMORE COLLEGE 364 104 0.29
CONNECTICUT COLLEGE 452 133 0.29
WHEATON COLLEGE 356 104 0.29
MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE 632 185 0.29
COLORADO COLLEGE 523 149 0.28
BELOIT COLLEGE 261 72 0.28
SMITH COLLEGE 688 193 0.28
RHODES COLLEGE 334 91 0.27
DAVIDSON COLLEGE 426 116 0.27
WILLIAMS COLLEGE 531 145 0.27
BATES COLLEGE 450 122 0.27
KALAMAZOO COLLEGE 285 73 0.26
CENTRE COLLEGE 258 67 0.26
HAVERFORD COLLEGE 323 84 0.26
SWEET BRIAR COLLEGE 132 34 0.26
WHITMAN COLLEGE 337 85 0.25
ST MARY'S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND 396 98 0.25
ALBION COLLEGE 309 77 0.25
WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY 420 107 0.25
VASSAR COLLEGE 614 153 0.25
GRINNELL COLLEGE 367 89 0.24
DENISON UNIVERSITY 514 121 0.24
POMONA COLLEGE 394 95 0.24
FRANKLIN AND MARSHALL COLLEGE 433 104 0.24
DICKINSON COLLEGE 512 123 0.24
SCRIPPS COLLEGE 172 41 0.24
CARLETON COLLEGE 455 104 0.23
URSINUS COLLEGE 361 83 0.23
SEWANEE: THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH 313 73 0.23
WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY 722 168 0.23
AMHERST COLLEGE 428 99 0.23
ALLEGHENY COLLEGE 455 101 0.22
COLBY COLLEGE 486 109 0.22
KENYON COLLEGE 399 89 0.22
WABASH COLLEGE 181 40 0.22
WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY 398 85 0.21
MACALESTER COLLEGE 428 90 0.21
HOBART WILLIAM SMITH COLLEGES 446 95 0.21
KNOX COLLEGE 265 54 0.2
HANOVER COLLEGE 217 44 0.2
SAINT JOHNS UNIVERSITY 494 101 0.2
PRINCIPIA COLLEGE 113 23 0.2
AUSTIN COLLEGE 310 59 0.19
BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY 856 159 0.19
DEPAUW UNIVERSITY 522 97 0.19
UNIVERSITY OF PUGET SOUND 579 108 0.19
EARLHAM COLLEGE 249 45 0.18
HENDRIX COLLEGE 230 42 0.18
REED COLLEGE 310 55 0.18
SAINT OLAF COLLEGE 708 125 0.18
FURMAN UNIVERSITY 643 114 0.18
SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 311 52 0.17
GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS COLLEGE 703 120 0.17
GETTYSBURG COLLEGE 597 101 0.17
BENNINGTON COLLEGE 129 21 0.16
OHIO WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY 377 60 0.16
GOUCHER COLLEGE 272 43 0.16
MILLS COLLEGE 194 32 0.16
WHEATON COLLEGE 604 96 0.16
WOFFORD COLLEGE 247 38 0.15
LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY 314 47 0.15
OBERLIN COLLEGE 722 106 0.15
SKIDMORE COLLEGE 597 91 0.15
PRESBYTERIAN COLLEGE 268 37 0.14
WELLS COLLEGE 91 13 0.14
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND 757 108 0.14
MUHLENBERG COLLEGE 595 70 0.12
HOLLINS UNIVERSITY 189 22 0.12
MILLSAPS COLLEGE 225 27 0.12
AUGUSTANA COLLEGE 540 61 0.11
ILLINOIS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY 462 47 0.1
COLLEGE OF SAINT BENEDICT 475 48 0.1
JUNIATA COLLEGE 332 28 0.08
BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN COLLEGE 236 20 0.08
HOPE COLLEGE 638 46 0.07
UNION COLLEGE 132 5 0.04
HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE 176 2 0.01</p>
<p>same data sorted by the NUMBER of bachelors grads in the social sciences.</p>
<p>college, total bachelors, social sciences bachelors, proportion of social sciences bachelors</p>
<p>COLGATE UNIVERSITY 646 242 0.37
COLLEGE OF THE HOLY CROSS 675 212 0.31
BARNARD COLLEGE 600 193 0.32
SMITH COLLEGE 688 193 0.28
LAFAYETTE COLLEGE 541 187 0.35
WELLESLEY COLLEGE 603 185 0.31
MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE 632 185 0.29
TRINITY COLLEGE 492 175 0.36
ST LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY 499 171 0.34
MOUNT HOLYOKE COLLEGE 553 170 0.31
WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY 722 168 0.23
SPELMAN COLLEGE 533 163 0.31
BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY 856 159 0.19
VASSAR COLLEGE 614 153 0.25
COLORADO COLLEGE 523 149 0.28
BOWDOIN COLLEGE 414 148 0.36
HAMILTON COLLEGE 457 147 0.32
WILLIAMS COLLEGE 531 145 0.27
OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE 459 143 0.31
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE 288 135 0.47
CONNECTICUT COLLEGE 452 133 0.29
SAINT OLAF COLLEGE 708 125 0.18
DICKINSON COLLEGE 512 123 0.24
BATES COLLEGE 450 122 0.27
DENISON UNIVERSITY 514 121 0.24
COLLEGE OF WOOSTER 391 120 0.31
GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS COLLEGE 703 120 0.17
BARD COLLEGE 306 116 0.38
DREW UNIVERSITY 359 116 0.32
DAVIDSON COLLEGE 426 116 0.27
FURMAN UNIVERSITY 643 114 0.18
RANDOLPH-MACON COLLEGE 235 109 0.46
COLBY COLLEGE 486 109 0.22
UNIVERSITY OF PUGET SOUND 579 108 0.19
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND 757 108 0.14
WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY 420 107 0.25
OBERLIN COLLEGE 722 106 0.15
SWARTHMORE COLLEGE 364 104 0.29
WHEATON COLLEGE 356 104 0.29
FRANKLIN AND MARSHALL COLLEGE 433 104 0.24
CARLETON COLLEGE 455 104 0.23
ALLEGHENY COLLEGE 455 101 0.22
SAINT JOHNS UNIVERSITY 494 101 0.2
GETTYSBURG COLLEGE 597 101 0.17
AMHERST COLLEGE 428 99 0.23
ST MARY'S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND 396 98 0.25
DEPAUW UNIVERSITY 522 97 0.19
WHEATON COLLEGE 604 96 0.16
POMONA COLLEGE 394 95 0.24
HOBART WILLIAM SMITH COLLEGES 446 95 0.21
BRYN MAWR COLLEGE 299 93 0.31
RHODES COLLEGE 334 91 0.27
SKIDMORE COLLEGE 597 91 0.15
MACALESTER COLLEGE 428 90 0.21
GRINNELL COLLEGE 367 89 0.24
KENYON COLLEGE 399 89 0.22
WHITMAN COLLEGE 337 85 0.25
WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY 398 85 0.21
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE 278 84 0.3
HAVERFORD COLLEGE 323 84 0.26
URSINUS COLLEGE 361 83 0.23
ALBION COLLEGE 309 77 0.25
KALAMAZOO COLLEGE 285 73 0.26
SEWANEE: THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH 313 73 0.23
BELOIT COLLEGE 261 72 0.28
MUHLENBERG COLLEGE 595 70 0.12
PITZER COLLEGE 207 68 0.33
CENTRE COLLEGE 258 67 0.26
AUGUSTANA COLLEGE 540 61 0.11
OHIO WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY 377 60 0.16
AGNES SCOTT COLLEGE 204 59 0.29
AUSTIN COLLEGE 310 59 0.19
REED COLLEGE 310 55 0.18
KNOX COLLEGE 265 54 0.2
SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 311 52 0.17
COLLEGE OF SAINT BENEDICT 475 48 0.1
LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY 314 47 0.15
ILLINOIS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY 462 47 0.1
HOPE COLLEGE 638 46 0.07
EARLHAM COLLEGE 249 45 0.18
HANOVER COLLEGE 217 44 0.2
GOUCHER COLLEGE 272 43 0.16
HENDRIX COLLEGE 230 42 0.18
SCRIPPS COLLEGE 172 41 0.24
WABASH COLLEGE 181 40 0.22
WOFFORD COLLEGE 247 38 0.15
PRESBYTERIAN COLLEGE 268 37 0.14
SWEET BRIAR COLLEGE 132 34 0.26
MILLS COLLEGE 194 32 0.16
JUNIATA COLLEGE 332 28 0.08
MILLSAPS COLLEGE 225 27 0.12
PRINCIPIA COLLEGE 113 23 0.2
HOLLINS UNIVERSITY 189 22 0.12
BENNINGTON COLLEGE 129 21 0.16
BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN COLLEGE 236 20 0.08
WELLS COLLEGE 91 13 0.14
UNION COLLEGE 132 5 0.04
HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE 176 2 0.01</p>
<p>I have separate figures for history. This is just the way IPEDS categorizes their data on the web. Not my choice. I'll post the figures for history when I have a chance, sorted both ways. I think it's kinda interesting.</p>
<p>Some of those numbers look low, even if they don't include Psych as a Social Science. I'm not sure why. Maybe they aren't counting double majors?</p>
<p>Swarthmore's number is way low. They've been running 175 social science majors per year in recent years:</p>
<p>interesteddad-
Perhaps the numbers seem low because these are only the bachelors graduates from 2004, not majors. And, I only counted first majors, not second majors. </p>
<p>Do you mean that Swarthmore has had about 175 senior majors every year in social sciences? If so, then I would also expect about 175 graduates. </p>
<p>I checked the IPEDS COOL website. For Swarthmore, they list 41 Poly Sci grads, 39 Econ grads, and 18 under "other social sciences" for a total of 98 conferred between June 30 2004 and July 1 2005. The number 104 above is from 2004 on the IPEDS Peer Analysis System, not the IPEDS COOL site. The numbers (98 and 104) are close but I don't know why they are different. </p>
<p>I noticed that Swarthmore is among the highest in the proportion of social science grads (29%).</p>
<p>Those 104 grads are no doubt among the best educated in the country.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Do you mean that Swarthmore has had about 175 senior majors every year in social sciences? If so, then I would also expect about 175 graduates.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yes. They've been right at 175 graduating Social Science majors each year since the Class of 2000. That does include Econ, Poli Sci, History, Classics, Sociology/Anthropology, Psych, Linguistics, and Education. It also includes double majors, which is quite a few students (this may account for the discrepancy).</p>
<p>Last year, they had about 100 Humanities majors, about 125 Science/Math/Engineering majors, about 175 Social Science majors, and 25 special majors that crossed divisional boundaries.</p>
<p>The IPEDs numbers don't match the number of Poli Sci or Econ majors in the College factbook. I'm not sure why. The only reason I brought it up is that I would expect the percentage of Social Science majors at virtually all top LACs to exceed 33%. Econ and Poli Sci are almost always two of the three most popular majors at these schools (with Biology usually being the other member of the big three).</p>
<p>interesteddad-
I think the IPEDS social science category excludes history (I just posted the list for history in another thread). It excludes classics and psych too. This could account for some of the difference.</p>
<p>Why is psych excluded? It's pretty much the largest and fastest growing major, or was, anyway, and very popular amongst students in almost all American higher education institutions.</p>
<p>Perhaps psych was excluded b/c its broad popularity would skew/obscure results? Just a guess...it's definitely one of the most popular majors at most schools. I don't think it hurts anything to exclude it because it can generally be assumed to have a substantial number of students in the department.</p>
<p>There are separate figures for psychology probably because it has high numbers and can stand alone. I will post the psych numbers when I get a chance.</p>