Social Sciences and History Exam Info
The Social Sciences and History exam covers a wide range of topics from the social sciences and history disciplines. While the exam is based on no specific course, its content is drawn from introductory college courses that cover United States history, Western civilization, world history, economics, geography, and political science. The primary objective of the exam is to give you the opportunity to demonstrate that you possess the level of knowledge and understanding expected of college students who meet a distribution or general education requirement in the social sciences and history areas.
Knowledge and Skills Required
History40%
Requires general knowledge and understanding of time- and place-specific human experiences. Topics covered include political, diplomatic, social, economic, intellectual, and cultural material.
13–15% United States History
Covers the colonial period, the American Revolution, the early republic, the Civil War and Reconstruction, industrialization, the Progressive Era, the First World War, the 1920s, the Great Depression and the New Deal, the Second World War, the 1950s, the Cold War, social conflict in the 1960s and 1970s, the late 20th century, and the early 21st century.
13–15% Western Civilization
Covers ancient Western Asia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome as well as medieval Europe and modern Europe, including its expansion and outposts in other parts of the world, its imperial contraction, and new economic and political forms.
13–15% World History
Covers Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America from prehistory to the present, including global themes and interactions.
Government/Political Science20%
- Comparative politics
- International relations
- Methods
- United States
- Civil rights and liberties
- Constitution and its interpretation
- Institutions
- Parties, interest groups, and media
- Voting and political behavior
Geography20%
- Key geographical skills
- Cultural geography
- Physical geography
- Population
- Regional geography
- Rural and urban land use
- Spatial interaction
Economics20%
- Economic measurements
- International trade
- Major theorists and schools
- Monetary and fiscal policy
- Product markets
- Resource markets
- Scarcity, choice, and cost