Is there a U.S. undergraduate degree similar to Cambridge's Natural Sciences?

What are the ways and good resources to obtain skills in academic research as done in social sciences without getting a degree preferably only by my efforts and help from others?

• I want to use skills in academic research as done in social sciences not in the field of science but for practical - personal or career, professional - reasons. I know generally that  there are two types of research - qualitative and quantitative and mix between both. But this is all I know. For my purpose I think I need 2 things - competencies and skills. Competencies or knowledge. What is the general overview of research as done in social sciences and the used strategies or process? What are the basics of research done in social sciences? What basic prerequisites do I have to have to do such research? Skills What are the basic skills that social science researcher obtains? What a  social science researcher is expected to be able to do in regard to doing research? What course of action for me do you propose? Would you point me to resources (web pages, articles, books) that will help me? That is my main goal with the question but all adequate answers to the question and sub-questions will be appreciated.

• Answer:

  This is an extremely broad question, as each branch of the social sciences has its own goals and subfields that often require specific methodologies. Yes, some are qualitative and some are quantitative, but within those there are many specific procedures and many more ways to analyze the data obtained from said procedures. Learning about research methods can be done without getting a degree, per se, but my best recommendation given limited background is to try to obtain a research assistantship in a lab (most likely at a university, but there are other options too) that conducts research in a topic that you are interested in (e.g., my specialties include language and cognitive development, generally). Yes, I am sure you can find websites that describe different types of research designs and data analyses, but without actual lab or field experience it will be tough to have a clear understanding of how research works, end to end. Prerequisites to obtaining a research assistantship (even at the undergraduate level) typically include one research methods course and one statistics course. If you have any specific questions, I'd be happy to elaborate. Good luck!