Welcome to the Social Thought & Political Economy (STPEC) Community

Social Thought and Political Economy Program (STPEC) encourages students to engage in a critical examination of society and to develop their own capacities for critical reading, writing, and thinking on different axes of societal oppression/resistance, most prominently class, race, gender, and sexuality. STPEC students cross disciplinary lines to confront fundamental questions often ignored or neglected by traditional academic thought as they explore theories that address relations among individuals, society, and government. STPEC courses explore issues such as freedom and the state, structural inequality in the economy, work and labor relations, the relationship of Western to non-Western cultures, social and economic power dynamics, and theories of social change. STPEC students study to understand the world, and to contribute to its transformation. Emphasizing the relationship between theory and practice and the necessity for skill development, STPEC requires that students pursue internships in the community, play a role in university and/or campus community affairs, and assume active responsibility for the shape of their own education within the STPEC Program. https://youtu.be/Y42Gcu39BOY

Work in the SBS Pathways Center next year!

We’re hiring, and we’re looking for SBS majors like you to join our team for the fall and spring. These jobs are posted in Handshake. Click the links below for more information about the positions. Come join our SBS Pathways …

By Carol Sharick
Carol Sharick Exec. Director of Career and Professional Development, SBS
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New Salary Tool for UMass SBS Students: Labor Market Insights

The SBS Pathways Center is excited to share our newest resource for students with the introduction of our Labor Market Insights module.  In our virtual career center this tool will allow you to both explore and prepare for a potential …

By Emily Schuett
Emily Schuett
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It’s the SBS Career Cafe! Your One Stop Shop for career preparation.

Wednesday March 4th, 1-3:30pm at the Pathways Center and Thompson Hall Lobby

Join us at the SBS Career Café ☕ — an interactive experience designed to help you take your next career step!

Explore four zones focused on your growth:

✨ Bonus: The …

By Carol Sharick
Carol Sharick Exec. Director of Career and Professional Development, SBS
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Labor Market InsightsIn partnership withLightcast logo

Explore occupations by career categories and pathways and use real time labor market data to power your decision making.

Type in a keyword to select a relevant occupation. (If you'd like to see data for a specific location only, filter by state.)

Explore Outcomes

The SBS Office of Career & Professional Development annually surveys graduating seniors in order to provide a snapshot of their post-graduation plans.  The survey begins just prior to graduation, and continues until six months after graduation.  Our data collection process is guided by the industry standard put forth by the National Association of Colleges & Employers, and includes information collected by the SBS Office of Career & Professional Development, the Office of Institutional Research at UMass Amherst, and by various academic departments, as well as from information that is made publicly available by students. The SBS undergraduate outcomes knowledge rate for 2025 was 71%, though knowledge rate varies among departments.

The SBS Office of Career & Professional Development annually surveys graduating seniors in order to provide a snapshot of their post-graduation plans.  The survey begins just prior to graduation, and continues until six months after graduation.  Our data collection process is guided by the industry standard put forth by the National Association of Colleges & Employers, and includes information collected by the SBS Office of Career & Professional Development, the Office of Institutional Research at UMass Amherst, and by various academic departments, as well as from information that is made publicly available by students. The SBS undergraduate outcomes knowledge rate for 2025 was 71%, though knowledge rate varies among departments.

  • First Destination
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First Destination

SBS graduates pursue a range of plans after graduation, including employment, continuing education, and volunteering/service, among others.  This graph depicts what recent SBS graduates tell us they are doing within six months after graduation.

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