Northeastern University College of Social Sciences and Humanities

What Northeastern University College of Social Sciences and Humanities does

Northeastern University College of Social Sciences and Humanities (CSSH) is a constituent college of Northeastern University, a private R1 research university founded in 1898 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. The college delivers experiential liberal arts programs across 21 academic departments and schools spanning sociology, criminology, political science, history, economics, English, world languages, public policy, and interdisciplinary fields such as Women's/Gender/Sexuality Studies, Global Asian Studies, and Latinx/Latin American/Caribbean Studies. CSSH's distinctive offering integrates classroom instruction with co-op placements, study abroad through Dialogues of Civilization in 80+ countries, service learning, and research assistantships at partner institutions including the Library of Congress and Harvard research labs.

The college's product surface includes undergraduate majors and minors, master's and PhD programs (e.g., a five-year funded PhD in Sociology with stipend, tuition remission, and health insurance), executive education partnerships, and the publication of Signs: Journal of Women in Culture & Society, the premier academic journal of feminist studies. CSSH operates multiple research centers — the Center on Crime, Race, and Justice, Brudnick Center on Violence and Conflict, Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy, Violence and Justice Research Lab, and the recently established CRAIG responsible AI center — alongside shared Northeastern resources including the Network Science Institute and NULab for Texts, Maps and Networks.

Revenue is generated through three streams: tuition and fees from undergraduate and graduate enrollment, sponsored research grants from federal agencies (NSF, NIJ, NEH, Fulbright) and private foundations, and philanthropic donations directed to the Dean's Fund, Co-op and Scholarship Fund, student research, and faculty support. Pricing is not publicly disclosed at the college level; financial aid and admissions are administered through Northeastern's central infrastructure. Marketing is event-driven, leveraging student pathway narratives and alumni outcomes — including placements at MassDOT, Virginia Tech, UC Berkeley, and the documentary film sector — as primary recruitment vehicles across digital channels (LinkedIn, Instagram, X, YouTube, Bluesky) and direct outreach events.

Name

Northeastern University College of Social Sciences and Humanities

Legal name

Northeastern University College of Social Sciences and Humanities

Website

https://cssh.northeastern.edu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CSSH is a constituent college of Northeastern University that delivers experiential liberal arts education across 21 departments, serving undergraduate and graduate students through co-op programs, global study, and research centers including the CRAIG responsible AI center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

General Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAA)

Keywords

• Liberal arts education
• Experiential learning programs
• Social science research
• Graduate degree programs
• Humanities academic programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston, Massachusetts

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate student tuition, including master's student scholarships to recruit diverse graduate students.
2. Sponsored Research Grants: Federal and foundation research funding from agencies including NSF, National Institute of Justice, National Endowment for the Humanities, Fulbright, and private foundations supporting faculty research.
3. Philanthropic Donations: Gifts from alumni, parents, and friends supporting the Dean's Fund, Co-op and Scholarship Fund, Student Research, and Faculty Support programs. Corporate and foundation partnerships for strategic philanthropy.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CSSH is a constituent college of Northeastern University delivering undergraduate, master's, and PhD degree programs across 21 departments in social sciences and humanities. The college distinguishes itself by integrating classroom instruction with experiential components including co-op work placements, study-abroad programs (Dialogues of Civilization in 80+ countries), and access to multiple research centers. Programs emphasize critical thinking, cultural awareness, communication, and 21st-century proficiencies such as digital storytelling, computational research methods, and ethical AI engagement.

Product overview

Northeastern University College of Social Sciences and Humanities (CSSH) is an academic institution offering a portfolio of experiential liberal arts programs through 21 departments and schools. The college integrates classroom learning with experiential opportunities including co-ops, study abroad programs (Dialogues of Civilizations), and research centers. Key offerings include the Signs: Journal of Women in Culture & Society (premier feminist studies journal), the CRAIG responsible AI center, and multiple research institutes. CSSH provides undergraduate majors/minors and graduate degrees across social sciences, humanities, languages, and interdisciplinary studies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs
• Graduate (Master's) Degree Programs
• PhD Programs
• Co-op Program
• Dialogues of Civilization Study Abroad Programs
• Signs: Journal of Women in Culture & Society

Quantifiable outcome

• PhD program provides five-year funding package including stipend, tuition remission, and health insurance
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• CRAIG (Center for Responsible AI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCRAIG is Northeastern's groundbreaking responsible AI center where CSSH students and scholars collaborate on AI ethics research and applications.
• Social Science Environmental Health Research InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterdisciplinary research center affiliated with Sociology and Anthropology PhD program, addressing environmental health issues through social science lens.
• Brudnick Center on Violence and ConflictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch center focused on community studies and intergroup conflict and violence, with work spanning Israel/Palestine, Northern Ireland, and the Balkans.
• Kitty and Michael Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional PolicycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolicy research center affiliated with Sociology PhD and School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, conducting research on urban and regional issues.
• Network Science InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNortheastern institute providing computational and network analysis resources for social science research across multiple departments.
• NULab for Texts, Maps and NetworksmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital humanities and computational social science research center supporting text analysis, mapping, and network visualization.
• Gallaudet UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents in ASL and Deaf Studies programs study for semesters at Gallaudet University, the premier university for Deaf and hard-of-hearing students.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Harvard University Faculty of Arts and Sciences: Harvard's primary college covering social sciences, humanities, and sciences. Comparable as a leading R1 university college in Boston offering undergraduate/graduate liberal arts programs, but with vastly larger resources, broader brand, and more selective admissions.
• Columbia University Faculty of Arts and Sciences: Columbia's primary college for arts, humanities, and sciences at an Ivy League R1 university. Comparable as a leading private university college offering social sciences and humanities programs, but with significantly larger resources and more selective admissions profile.
• MIT School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (SHASS): MIT's school for humanities and social sciences within a Boston R1 institution. Comparable structure as a constituent college at a research-intensive Boston university integrating social sciences with STEM and technology (similar to CSSH's AI ethics positioning).

Direct peers

• USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences: USC's largest college for letters, arts, and sciences at a major private research university. Comparable as a comprehensive social sciences and humanities college within a private R1, with similar scale, program breadth, and research-center portfolio.
• Boston College College of Arts and Sciences: Boston College's primary college for arts and sciences, including social sciences and humanities. Direct peer given shared Boston geography, similar R1/private university structure, and overlapping liberal arts and social science program offerings.
• NYU College of Arts and Science: NYU's foundational college for arts, humanities, and social sciences within a major private research university. Comparable structure, scale, and urban setting, with overlapping programs in social sciences, humanities, and interdisciplinary studies.
• Boston University College of Arts and Sciences: BU's primary undergraduate liberal arts college offering social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences programs. Closest direct peer given shared Boston geography, similar R1 research university structure, comparable scale, and overlapping program offerings in social sciences and humanities.
• Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences: Tufts' main undergraduate and graduate college for arts, humanities, and social sciences. Comparable as a Boston-area R1 liberal arts college within a research university, competing for similar students and faculty talent in social sciences and humanities disciplines.
• Brandeis University School of Arts and Sciences: Brandeis' primary undergraduate and graduate school focused on arts and sciences. Comparable as a Boston-area private university with strong social sciences and humanities emphasis, competing for similar students and faculty.
• Georgetown University College of Arts & Sciences: Georgetown's primary undergraduate and graduate college for arts and sciences within a private R1 university. Comparable as a major private university college offering liberal arts and social science programs with strong policy and international affairs concentrations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/nucssh
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/northeasterncssh
• Facebookfacebook.com/nucssh
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nucssh
• Instagraminstagram.com/nucssh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Northeastern University College of Social Sciences and Humanities