Sociology

In an increasingly global society, you’ll need to be prepared to work with diverse groups of people in a variety of different social settings.

Our applied sociology program is designed to create independent thinkers with a clear understanding of real-life situations, and the ability to work towards resolving social problems. We provide you with the tools needed to survive and thrive in a rapidly changing social world, whether you choose a general sociology major or a sociology minor.

Our program prepares you for graduate study or work in sociology or related fields such as counseling, administration, law, applied social research, and social work.

Career opportunities span virtually any vocation that involves working with people, including juvenile services, social planning and policy-making, personnel management, public and industrial relations, probation, law enforcement, community action, advocacy and non-profit organizations.

Program Overview

Thanks to a strong, theoretical foundation in traditional liberal arts, and our unique, experiential-focused curriculum, our sociology program will provide you with an understanding of social relationships through periods of stability and change, as well as conflict and cooperation among individuals, groups, organizations and communities.

Your sociology major will transform you into an independent thinker with a clear understanding of the complexities of contemporary social issues and the ability to assess root causes of social problems in order to identify potential solutions to resolve or reduce conflict.

As a sociology major, you will learn to:

• Understand the role of sociology in contributing to cultural awareness of social realities.
• Comprehend sociological theories and their application to current social issues
• Develop computational research skills useful to acquire knowledge, uncover patterns, formulate opinions and support conclusions through cutting-edge technologies.
• Build effective communication skills to convey understanding and empathy in a manner that promotes cultural inclusion and celebrates diversity.
• Evaluate and identify career options and professional opportunities in relation to personal values, traits and experiences developed in our hands-on Field Period® program and experiential, applied curriculum.

By the time you graduate, you will have acquired up to 560 hours of real-world experience through your senior sociology fieldwork placement and annual Field Period® opportunities which can take the shape of a professional internship, a cultural study at home or abroad, community service project, artistic endeavor or spiritual-based exploration. Find a variety of settings where you can develop your personal and professional interests in the fields of social service, mental health, criminal justice and more.

Deepen and refine connections between classroom learning and hands-on experience, as you explore career opportunities, gain transferable skills within your field and build your professional network.

The sociology major may be completed with either a general major or a concentration in criminology.