Sociology is the study of the organization, dynamics and consequences of social life. The scope of the discipline is as broad and diverse as social life itself. Sociologists study social interaction and relationships, organizations and institutions, communities and whole societies. The methods of sociological investigation are also varied: sociologists immerse themselves in the daily life of groups, interview group participants, examine recorded interaction, interpret historical documents, analyze census data, and conduct large surveys. The methods and concepts of sociology yield powerful insights into the social processes shaping lives, problems and possibilities in contemporary society. The capacity to identify and understand these processes — a capacity which C.W. Mills called the “sociological imagination” — is valuable preparation for personal and professional participation in a changing and complex world.

In addition to contributing to a liberal arts education, the sociology major prepares individuals for a broad range of career options and graduate and professional studies. Employment opportunities available to the graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in sociology include work in community service organizations and health agencies, government service, human resources, and many other fields. The major also provides a foundation for students planning careers in law, social welfare, urban planning, business, education and public health as well as for graduate work in sociology, social psychology, and related fields.

Mga Resulta ng Pagkatuto

1. Critical evaluation of social and political arguments using empirical data

2. Effective and convincing formulation of written and oral arguments that integrate sociological evidence

3. Demonstrated understanding of the difference between an individual-level and collective-level explanation of behavior

4. Demonstrated understanding of the major sociological methods, including interviewing, ethnography, conversation analysis, content analysis, survey design, and statistical analysis, the types of questions they can be used to answer, and their limitations

5. Demonstrated familiarity with several major classical contemporary sociological theoretical perspectives and how they can be used to analyze contemporary or historical events or phenomena

6. Understanding of some ways in which biographies are shaped by institutions, patterns of social inequality, or cultural practice