Its collegial organization combines tutorials and interdisciplinary courses in social theory within the college with individually selected courses from other departments and programs in the university to achieve an integrated education in the social sciences. Founded in 1959, the CSS has provided an unusual educational opportunity for many Wesleyan students, whose careers upon graduation have ranged from medicine to law, forestry to college teaching, international business to acting.
Interested students apply for admission to the CSS during the spring of their first year.
Each applicant is interviewed by a panel of CSS tutors and students. At the heart of the program in the sophomore year are the weekly tutorial and weekly tutorial essay, which are designed to develop conceptual and analytic skills as well as precision in writing and argument. The academic year is composed of three trimesters of nine weeks each, and each student takes a trimester tutorial in history, government, and economics. Comprehensive examinations, administered by the CSS tutors at the end of the sophomore year, produce the only official grade for sophomores. Students will also take several of their elective courses in the three CSS disciplines, for the purpose of enhancing research skills and the ability to accomplish major writing projects in the social sciences.