The major in sociology is oriented toward providing students with a better understanding of human behavior.  Students are introduced to some of the many subfields of sociology such as family, medical sociology, criminology, gender roles, race and ethnic relations, population, social problems, the sociology of inequality, and education.  Since required courses are kept to a minimum of four, students have ample opportunity to pursue their own interests and diverse career objectives by selecting department electives from these different areas.  Frequently students like to concentrate their course selections around certain themes; among the more popular are criminal justice, inequalities of race and class, and gender and gender issues.

Students who major in sociology complete a minimum of 10 courses, including four “core” courses (Introductory Sociology, SOC 201; Social Research Methods, SOC 209; History of Social Thought, SOC 403, or Contemporary Sociological Theory, SOC 417; and the Senior Capstone Seminar, SOC 450) and six electives.  Students are encouraged to spread their electives over the department’s six areas of concentration.  Those students interested in research-related fields or in attending graduate or professional schools are strongly encouraged to take Social Statistics, SOC 214.  Ordinarily, Social Research Methods and Theory courses must be completed by the end of the student’s junior year.

Because sociology relates to so many areas of life and work, many students find it to be ideal as part of a double major or additional minor in health services or with one of the other social or behavioral sciences such as: black studies, women’s’ studies, and public service.  For those students who are interested in working in the business world but do not want to major in business, sociology can be combined with the Business Studies Program.  Such students can major in sociology and, at the same time, gain exposure to the basic principles of business practice.