"Social Sciences"? What does that even mean? What is the difference between history and social studies? Social sciences, or social studies, are actually a broader term having to do with human social interaction. So it can include history, government, economics, psychology, and sociology.Some colleges might use the terms "Social Studies" and "History" interchangeably in their application requirements. When they say they want to see four years (usually) of "social studies" or four years of "history" on...