Undergraduate
About the BA degree with a Major/Minor in Sociology or Criminology
Sociology is both a liberal arts discipline and a profession.
One of our most notable features as people is that we create groups: we establish friendships, begin families, start jobs or businesses, create committees, establish neighborhoods, join religious organizations, and build cities and nations. The kinds of groups that people create and belong to, and how those groups shape and influence our lives, are issues at the core of sociological study. In addition, we study how these groups relate to one another; we study the structure of the society in which we live.
At the undergraduate level, studying sociology provides the student with broad understandings of the many ways in which groups and social structure impact our lives. The student also learns the nature of social science, and the uses and misuses of such in today's continually self-examining society. Students will learn how sociologists go about answering questions like these:
How do students' race, social class, and gender affect their school experiences?
Are healthcare needs being met and how do we find out?
How does problem drinking influence violence?
What problems do parents face in raising families today?
Why do some people use drugs?
What will happen to our society as the number of older adults (65+) continues to grow?
What is the nature and extent of racial profiling used in policing today?
How much inequality is there in the distribution of income and wealth in the U.S.
How can we improve the institution and delivery of medicine, and control health care costs?
What are the social and economic consequences of addiction?
How are the individual and society interconnected?
We think you will agree that finding answers to any of these questions is an important reason for studying sociology.
The analytical skills obtained are very useful in lines of work ranging from business to government, and from the criminal justice system to the health professions. Sociology is a good foundation, through a major or minor, for students considering careers in social work, politics, and public administration; also for professions such as law, business, education, architecture and medicine. While relatively few jobs are labeled for sociologists as such, the insights and skills gained from studying sociology transfer to a surprising number of work opportunities. The department can supply you with more information if you so request.
