Rice University School of Social Sciences

Rice School of Social Sciences is an academic school on the Rice University campus. It serves the largest number of undergraduates, with over a third of Rice undergraduates choosing a major in the social sciences.[1] It is composed of seven departments: anthropology, economics, linguistics, political science, psychology, sociology, and sport management. At the graduate level, six of the seven departments have Ph.D. programs. Each of these programs achieves excellence by concentrating on selected areas for education and research. The School of Social Sciences also offers professional master’s programs in Energy Economics, Global Affairs, Human Factors and Human Computer Interaction, and Social Policy Evaluation.

School of Social Sciences

Type	Private
Dean	Susan McIntosh, Interim Dean
Location	Houston , Texas , USA
Website	https://socialsciences.rice.edu/

The mission statement for the school is, "Rice University's School of Social Sciences is a vibrant, inclusive community of scholars, students and educators committed to connecting our teaching and research with policy for the betterment of society. We are seven departments with one mission: to tackle society's greatest challenges with an unconventional vision toward shaping a future that we can all thrive in, both individually and collectively."[2]

On May 15 2019, Susan McIntosh, Professor of Anthropology at Rice, was appointed interim dean for the School of Social Sciences. Former deans include Antonio Merlo (2016-2019), Lyn Ragsdale (2007-2016), Robert Stein (1996-2007), James Pomerantz (1988-1996), and Joseph Cooper (1979-1988).

Created in 2008, the school is actively served by the Dean's Advisory Board. The board is composed of notable alumni and community partners and is a vital source of information and innovative ideas to help guide the School's future and one of the reasons for the success of the school. [3]

Facilities

The School of Social Sciences opened its new headquarters, Kraft Hall, in February 2020, in conjunction with its 40th anniversary. The 78,000 square-foot Patricia Lipoma Kraft and Jonathan A. Kraft Hall for Social Sciences is named for Patti and Jonathan Kraft, the lead donors for the project.[4] It houses nearly 250 faculty, staff, and graduate students and includes a large Dean’s Suite and meeting facilities. The Economics and Sociology Departments, and research institutes including the Kinder Institute for Urban Research; the Houston Education Research Consortium (HERC); the Texas Policy Lab; Religion and Public Life program and the Boniuk Institute for Religious Tolerance are all housed in the new building. The School is fundraising now to build a second building.

The School of Social Sciences also occupies other buildings on campus include Sewall Hall, Herzstein Hall, Herring Hall, Tudor Field House, and the Biosciences Research Collaborative (BRC).

References

1. Rice University School of Social Sciences,
2. "School of Social Sciences | Rice University". School of Social Sciences. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
3. "Advisory Board".
4. "Kraft Hall".