Social Theory & Practice

Students take 3 courses before declaring the STP Major (typically at the end of sophomore year or early junior year): 

• RCSTP 260: Theorizing Knowledge in the Social Sciences (3 cr, SS)
• RCSTP 290: Designing your STP Major Proposal (1 cr) 
  • Note: RCSTP 260+290 are taken in the same semester – usually second semester sophomore year
• A Social Science “Gateway” course: Students select a 200- or low 300-level “gateway” course in the social sciences. This course should introduce students to topics and approaches to exploring interdisciplinary social science questions. Some common (but not exclusive) examples include 200-level courses from RCSTP; WGS; PSYCH; AAS; AMCULT; ENVIRON; and SOC (3-4 credits).

All students take an RCSTP Theory course and a Research Methods course:  

• RCSTP Theory Course (choose one of two options):
  • RCSTP 301: Social Theory for Social Change
  • RCSTP 302: Contemporary Social and Cultural Theory
    
• Research Methods Course with a Quantitative Component. Common selections include (but are not limited to):
  
  • STATS 250
    
  • SOC 210
  • SOC 310

Additionally, students complete a minimum of 18 credits (at least six upper-level courses) exploring and informing the student’s self-identified social justice interests, questions, approaches, theories, and practices. These courses are initially selected in RCSTP 290, but can be modified in conversation with the STP advisor as the student progresses through the major. These 18 credits include:

• A second social theory course (at least 3 credits)
• A community engaged-learning course (at least 3 credits)
• At least 4 electives

Lastly, students take a final capstone class together in the fall of senior year: 

• RCSTP 490: STP Capstone - Senior Project Seminar

All STP students complete a Senior Project within RCSTP 490. These projects can take many forms, including a traditional, 25-30 page research paper; a shorter paper analyzing and reflecting on justice-focused community-engaged work; and/or creative projects such as performances, installations, documentaries, etc., accompanied by research-informed write-ups.

The STP Honors Thesis is an ambitious, 3-semester project that begins in a student’s second semester junior year, with the Junior Honors Thesis section of RCSTP 350. Enrollment in this course is by-permission only, and prospective students must meet with the STP Advisor to discuss their interest and plans for the Honors Thesis. 

Students use the Honors Thesis Proposal that they develop in RCSTP 350 as their application to continue with the STP Honors Thesis; applications are due at the beginning of April during a student’s junior year and are reviewed by a committee of STP faculty members. The application must include a commitment from a faculty member to serve as the student’s Honor Thesis advisor for the subsequent year.

If the application is accepted, students continue working on their Honors Theses during the fall of their senior year while taking RCSTP 490 - their Honors Thesis is their STP Senior Project - and the Honors Thesis continues with an independent study during their second semester senior year. 

Additional details – including the Honors Thesis Application and Mentor Agreement Forms – will be provided to interested students. Students are encouraged to schedule an advising appointment or reach out directly to the STP Program Head, Becca Pickus (rpickus@umich.edu), with any questions.