Social Sciences and Humanities Master's Degrees

Earn a Humanities or Social Sciences Master's Degree in a Broad Variety of Disciplines

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Grand Canyon University offers dozens of master’s degree programs in a variety of disciplines to help you advance your education. Whether you are seeking to position yourself for potential career advancement in public administration, criminal justice, education or human services, we provide quality programs that can help you with your career goals.

Our social sciences and humanities master's degree programs are offered online to help you reach your educational goals in a convenient way.1 With this flexible learning option, you have the opportunity to learn anytime, anywhere while still connecting with peers and faculty. Earn your master's in humanities online degree from a leader in online education while advancing your knowledge in your field.

 

Master of Public Administration Degree Emphases

GCU’s Master of Public Administration programs can prepare you to help drive change in public sector organizations. In these social sciences master’s degrees, you will be taught to apply administrative and leadership skills in nonprofit and community arenas and become a change agent in your community. Choose an emphasis in government and policy if you want to focus on issues facing federal and state policy, public governance and governmental power. Or, explore a healthcare management emphasis if you wish to focus on our healthcare system’s responsibility to patients and families.

Criminal Justice Programs

If you are interested in growing your skills in crime analysis and strategic planning, then consider earning a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from GCU. This criminal justice master's degree helps professionals in law enforcement or those looking to enter this exciting field by providing a curriculum focused on criminal law, legal research, statistical analysis, law and public policy. Choose from an emphasis in law enforcement or an emphasis in legal studies, and prepare to become a leader and decision-maker in the field.

Liberal Arts Education Programs

If your goal is to educate students at a two-year or four-year higher education institution, then consider one of our master's in social sciences or humanities online or on-campus degree programs with an emphasis in education. These programs provide a strong foundation in your field, while also offering a deep understanding of pedagogy at the university level, adult learning theories and strategic and collaborative curriculum design. Choose from a degree in English, history, sociology or communications as you prepare to interact with diverse audiences in postsecondary education settings.

Mental Health Graduate Programs

A Master of Science in Mental Health and Wellness is ideal for students who want to develop expertise in overall mental well-being and how it is impacted by cultural, spiritual, biological and social factors. Immerse yourself in a program focused on leadership, culture, ethics and advocacy, and discover how you can make a broader impact on your community with a foundation in mental well-being. This human services degree is ideal for anyone seeking to deliver mental health support and can be applied in a variety of diverse environments.

Master's Degrees in Counseling

Those who are seeking licensure to practice professional counseling should consider one of our master's degree programs in counseling. Our college is pleased to offer online counseling programs, which are available online to help you earn your education on your own schedule.1 Explore some of our online social sciences and humanities master's degree programs, including Christian counseling, clinical counseling and addiction counseling, and emphasis areas, such as marriage and family therapy, trauma, childhood and adolescence disorders, and substance use and addictive disorders.

Graduate Degrees in Psychology

Gain greater insight into the field of psychology with a Master of Science in Psychology from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Our on-campus and online humanities master's degree programs focus on action research and critical thinking, with an emphasis on why people behave and think the way that they do. With a variety of emphases in areas like geropsychology, human factors, life coaching and more, you can expect to strengthen your foundation in contemporary and ethical psychology issues while gaining insight into a specific area of your field.

Social Sciences and Humanities Master’s Degree Program FAQs

A master’s degree in humanities is an interdisciplinary degree that focuses on graduate-level study of a variety of subjects, such as linguistics, philosophy, history, literature and theology. Students in a humanities master’s degree program will study human behavior, thought and practices within these disciplines.

Graduate-level humanities degrees provide a broad education combined with an in-depth study of people and history that qualifies graduates to work in many fields. It is best to earn a humanities master’s degree that will benefit you most in your chosen field and career path.

Common career fields for those with a humanities master’s degree are social sciences, marketing and advertising, journalism and publishing, international relations and teaching. Graduate humanities degrees are ideal for individuals who want to advance in their study of people, language, art and history.3

The social sciences are a group of disciplines focused on how human beings interact with one another and how they impact their environment. A social sciences master’s degree can prepare you for a variety of careers in many different fields. Those who have a master’s in social sciences are taught valuable skills that are beneficial in areas such as government, nonprofits, social services, educational institutions and businesses.

There are wide variety of degrees that fall under the category of social science. No matter what degree you choose, you can be sure you’ll receive a strong foundational education in the study of humans and how to address issues within society. Depending on your career aspirations, common social science degrees are in criminal justice, political science, psychology, sociology and anthropology.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 136,800 new jobs are estimated to open for life, physical and social science occupations from 2022 to 2032. 2 For 2022, the BLS lists the top highest median pay positions within the social science category that require a master’s degree or higher. These positions include political scientist, economist and sociologist.4

1 Online courses exclude programs with residencies and field experience.

2 COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 to 2022 may be atypical compared to prior years. Accordingly, data shown is effective September 2023, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Life, Physical and Social Sciences Occupations. retrieved on Jan. 29, 2024.

3 Herrity, J. (2023, Jan. 17). 13 Jobs for Humanities Majors. Indeed. Retrieved Jan. 29, 2024.

4 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (n.d.). Life, Physical and Social Science Occupations. Retrieved Jan. 29, 2024.

 

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136,800

Estimated number of new jobs expected to open for life, physical and social science occupations from 2022 to 20322