social studies

American  

noun

1. a course of instruction in an elementary or secondary school comprising such subjects as history, geography, civics, etc.

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social studies British  

noun

1. (functioning as singular) the study of how people live and organize themselves in society, embracing geography, history, economics, and other subjects

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Etymology

Origin of social studies

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Frankl became a friend and mentor to Eger, who taught middle-school social studies in El Paso and later earned a Ph.D. in psychology from Saybrook University.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

Experts in Oklahoma education also questioned how much any changes in social studies standards would actually make a difference on the ground.

From Slate • Jul. 22, 2025

In one episode, the board rejected a state-sanctioned social studies curriculum that mentioned gay rights activist Harvey Milk but then reversed course.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2025

A prestigious social studies institute in Paris recently sent its students a warning, following reports of foreigners being questioned about their political beliefs and refused entry.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2025

In social studies, in a unit on basic economics, Jake helped Mr. Lyons by describing the difference between satisfying wants and meeting needs to a group that just couldn’t grasp the concept.

From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein