The College of Social Sciences and Public Policy was founded in 1973.

We have six departments: Economics, Geography, Political Science, Sociology, Urban and Regional Planning, and the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy. Other programs focus on International Affairs and Interdisciplinary Social Science.

Among our research centers are the Center for Demography and Population Health, the Pepper Institute on Aging and Public Policy, the DeVoe L. Moore Center for Critical Issues of Economic Policy and Government, the Collins Center for Public Policy and the Pepper Center.

Our distinguished faculty includes 20 Eminent Scholar Chairs and Named Professors. National recognition are reflected in high program rankings: recent ranking place Political Science in the top ten among U.S. public universities and 17th among all American institutions; gender studies (10th); population studies (14th); Urban and Regional Planning (13th); and the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy is ranked the 4th most productive among public affairs schools in the nation.

Last year over 30,000 students enrolled in our courses and we have 4600 majors in our degree programs. During 2006-07 we conferred 1460 degrees, a figure that includes 240 master's degrees and 33 Ph.D.s.