Research

Staff

Leadership

Openings

Resources

The University of Michigan is widely recognized for its promotion of interdisciplinary studies in the social sciences. Among the unique opportunities to pursue interdisciplinary research are the following.

1. The Institute for Social Research is the nation's longest-standing laboratory for interdisciplinary research in the social sciences. The research staff represents the disciplines of psychology, political science, economics and sociology, among others. The world's largest university-based social research unit, with a professional and administrative staff of 350, ISR is known for methodological innovation.
   1. Within ISR is the The Center for Political Studies (CPS). The CPS analyzes interactions among institutions, political processes and individuals. The Center's research themes -- values and participation, media and politics, race and politics, and international peace and security -- are united by a concern for democracy and for the advancement of political analysis. CPS is the home of the National Election Studies. CPS is forging new ground in cross-national research with its current focus on world politics and international relations.
   2. Also within ISR is The Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research, the largest archive of such data in the United States. ICPSR has 350 member institutions in 16 countries. As an extension of its pro-active role in facilitating research, ICPSR offers scholars and students an in-depth summer training session in statistical analysis, research design, computer applications, and formal modeling.
2. The Center for the Study of Complex Systems is a broadly interdisciplinary program designed to encourage and facilitate research and education in the general area of nonlinear, dynamical and adaptive systems. Participating faculty represent nearly every college of the University. The Center is based on the recognition that many different kinds of systems that include self-regulation, feedback or adaptation in their dynamics may have a common underlying structure despite their apparent differences. The Center offers a Certificate in Complex Systems. The specific aim of the curriculum is to allow students from different fields to integrate the rich paradigms and useful analytic and modeling techniques of complex systems into their own research. 3. An unparalleled collection of nationally top-rated departments and professional schools are available for coursework, research opportunities, and joint Ph.D. programs. Closely related Departments include Economics, Psychology, History and Sociology. A closely related school is The Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy which seeks to improve the understanding of public policy problems and to contribute to their solution. Another closely related school is the School of Information that works to develop an integrated understanding of human needs as they relate to information systems and social structures. Other top-rated programs are The School of Social Work, the Law School the Business School. All of these are ranked by US News and World Report in the top dozen nationally, and most are in the top half-dozen.