The Department of Social Sciences applies theory to practice every day, focusing on the relevancy of its courses in analyzing current events and preparing the cadet to meet the challenges of the post September 11th world. The Department teaches courses in the interrelated fields of economics and political science. Each core and elective course endeavors to give cadets a basic understanding of the subject matter, to present a methodology for solving real-world problems, and to indicate the relevance of the course material to the cadet's future duties and responsibilities as a citizen and an officer. The economics major is structured to introduce the theoretical approaches, issues, and analytical tools comprising the discipline's foundation, and then extends and utilizes this body of knowledge to examine advanced topics in the field. Cadets studying political science take electives which introduce them to the methods, theories, and scope of the discipline. Within their elective program, cadets select courses which focus their studies in one of three fields: American Politics, Comparative Politics, or International Relations.