The objectives of the Social Science curriculum at Erie Community College are twofold: to provide a transfer program for students in the Social Science disciplines as well as in areas such as the arts, sciences and business/ management; and to provide general education courses for students enrolled in other curricula.

For those students who transfer to four-year institutions (particularly state colleges and university centers within New York State), the program provides completion of lower-division requirements in any of the social science departments. The attainment of the Associate in Arts degree can confer full first-term junior status.

Erie Community College has agreements with the State University of New York at Buffalo, Hilbert College and various other four-year institutions to make it possible for students to achieve guaranteed course or program transferability and/or acceptance from SUNY Erie into the four-year social science major of their choice. Program requirements for both joint admissions and articulation agreements are specified in the Admissions section of the course catalog.

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The Social Science Program presents a broad spectrum of study in both the social and behavioral sciences, comprising the disciplines of anthropology, economics, geography, government, history, human service, psychology, sociology and interdisciplinary social science. The variety of topics available within these areas enables students to design a course of study specifically related to their individual academic and career goals. In a world of such rapid technological and social change, the social science major is uniquely qualified to adapt to new courses of study and job market fluctuations. 

All degree candidates must complete a minimum of 60 credit hours to graduate. Students must seek approval for all courses from their adviser prior to registration. Courses not approved by a social science adviser may not be accepted as credit toward a degree. Social science majors must select the required 21 credit hours from among the social science disciplines which include anthropology (AN), economics (EC), geography (GP), government (GO), history (HI), human service (HU), psychology (PS), sociology (SO) and social science (SS).  Within these 21 credit hours in Social Science, students must take either PS100 OR SO100 and at least one History course. In addition, social science majors must receive a grade of "C" or better in all social science courses used to fulfill the 21 hours of social science elective credit in their degree program. Students must study from at least three disciplines and may not exceed 12 credit hours in any one discipline.