The Social and Political Sciences (SPS) Major at Ahmedabad University is an interdisciplinary programme, training students in the critical analysis of contemporary society, politics, economy and culture. It responds to the growing need for professionals equipped with societal insight, historical consciousness and rigorous analytical and methodological skills to engage with — and devise solutions for — the complex socio-political challenges of the 21st century. Students grapple with substantive theoretical questions and apply them to pressing contemporary problems: What obligations does the modern state owe its citizens? How do social structures shape individual experiences of power and inequality? How have new media technologies transformed the construction of self and society? What links globalisation to transnational institutions and local phenomena? To investigate such questions, students develop competency in both quantitative and qualitative methods, including data analysis, case study and comparative research, archival work and participant observation. Course activities are designed to bridge abstract ideas and lived realities, fostering critical engagement with the forces that shape individuals and societies. The Major ultimately prepares students to apply social science analysis to real-world economic, political, and social problems.

Students will explore rich theoretical questions with an eye towards applying their insights to the problems of contemporary society, such as: What are the values of a liberal democracy, and how are they realised or undermined? How are social identities constructed and how do they shape understandings and contestations relating to gender, race, class and caste?  What are the claims of a free market society and how does it operate in practice? Is inequality an inevitable outcome of modern capitalist societies? By engaging with such questions, the coursework will take students through key themes, influential thinkers and crucial debates in various social science disciplines. Students will be equipped with skills in quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection and analysis. Furthermore, course activities and assignments will require students to examine how abstract ideas specifically relate to the worlds they inhabit, and the possibilities that exist for engaging with the forces that are shaping their society.

The Social and Political Sciences Major (which includes GER courses, eight theory courses, a sequence of three methods courses, and six major electives) is designed to equip students with a basic understanding of how to apply social science analysis to contemporary economic, political and social problems:

Domain Knowledge and Application

On completion, the student will be able to:

• Analyse intersections of society, state, culture and economy
• Understand how the contemporary world is shaped by historical processes
• Demonstrate familiarity with key social science concepts and frameworks
• Analyse the relationship between knowledge production and power relations in society
• Identify and analyse social processes, mechanisms and institutions
• Frame a research question, identify suitable types of evidence, gather and interpret quantitative and qualitative data.

Engagement with Society

On completion, the student will be able to:

• Use problem-solving approaches to bridge the gap between knowledge and application
• Connect their personal experiences with larger social structures and phenomena

Personal skills

On completion, the student will be able to:

• Design and carry out independent study and collaborative projects
• Engage in academic reasoning and argumentation and present their analysis using both conventional and digital modes of presentation

Ahmedabad University also recognises that career options for young graduates are becoming more diverse, and therefore places emphasis on the skills required to innovate and succeed in a fast-changing economy. Students majoring in SPS will be able to pursue higher studies in disciplines such as anthropology, development studies, international studies, political science, sociology, and urban planning. In addition to academics, students will have acquired the required skills to pursue careers in journalism, law, new media, the development sector and in civil services.

To learn more about the Social and Political Sciences (SPS) Major at Ahmedabad University you may send an email to [email protected].

To know more about admission procedures, including lateral admission and about fees and financial aid​​​​​​, please visit our undergraduate admissions page or contact [email protected]​​​​​​.