Department of Sociology

Sociology is the scientific study of human relationships—how people work, play, cooperate, compete, and live together in many different groups and settings—offices, homes, families, gangs, teams, neighborhoods, and cities.  Our comprehensive undergraduate curriculum ensures that students learn to use sociological concepts and methods to help them understand real-world social phenomena.   Our undergraduate program prepares students to enter many occupations that require the knowledge of social relationships and communication and critical thinking skills emphasized in our courses.

Our graduate program, leading to M.A. and Ph.D. degrees, is organized around four major areas: Criminology and Deviance, Family Studies, Demography, and Social Psychology. We also offer an M.A. in Applied Demography, and a Ph.D. minor in quantitative methods. Our doctoral program has recently been ranked in the top 20 nationally in productivity by the National Research Council. Graduate students receive extensive training in the latest theories, research methods, and data analysis techniques, as well as mentoring and experience in teaching. 

Alumni of our graduate program hold teaching, research, and administrative positions in universities, businesses, non-profit organizations, and governments throughout the world.

Our permanent faculty consists of eighteen members whose scholarship is highly respected nationally and internationally. All have Ph.D.s, all teach, and all involve students in their research. Currently we have 50 students in our graduate program and about 100 undergraduate majors.

We hope you find the information here about our students, faculty, programs, teaching, and research efforts interesting and helpful.  Of course we welcome all inquiries about our undergraduate and graduate programs.

Gary R. Lee, Chair