Sociology (BA)

College of Arts and Sciences

Program Website

Program Description

Sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies, and how people interact within these contexts. Since all human behavior is social, the subject matter of sociology ranges from the intimate family to the hostile mob; from organized crime to religious cults; from the divisions of race, gender, and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture; and from the sociology of work to the sociology of sports.  In fact, few fields have such broad scope and relevance for research, theory, and application of knowledge.

Sociology provides many distinctive perspectives on the world, generating new ideas and critiquing the old. The field also offers a range of research techniques that can be applied to virtually any aspect of social life: street crime and delinquency, corporate downsizing, how people express emotions, welfare or education reform, how families differ and flourish, or problems of peace and war. Because sociology addresses the most challenging issues of our time, it is a rapidly expanding field whose potential is increasingly tapped by those who craft policies and create programs.

Honors Program

Honors criteria described here will start for all graduates in the 2026-2027 academic year.

Sociology majors may be awarded for excellence in the major, denoted as “Honors in Sociology.” In addition to the regular requirements of the major, candidates for honors must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least an A– in all sociology classes, complete SOC 4950 Honors Research and SOC 4960 Honors Thesis: Senior Year (in the senior year), and write an honors thesis.

Students are awarded honors in sociology based on evaluations by the director of undergraduate studies and the honors advisors of the level and quality of the work completed toward the honors thesis and quality of the course work. The honors distinction will be noted on the student’s official transcript and it will also be indicated on the student’s diploma.