Sociology
Brief
The study of social interaction and change, behavior of groups and organizations, deviance from the norm, and population growth and distribution. The skilled sociologist will understand the effects of ecology, social structure, conflict, and culture on a group. He will be able to examine and quantify the effects of various factors on group social behavior, including religious beliefs and practices, racial and ethnic interaction, age and sex differentiation, criminal behavior, economic stratification, population density, and political structure. This skill is especially suited for public relations, law enforcement, and community planning occupations.
Introduction
The study of the structure of society and its enduring patterns of social relations is sociology's primary mission. Sociology studies human conduct from the perspective of the history and the anatomy or structure of the groups. It focuses on how people coordinate their activities to reach individual and collective goals through the development of roles, meanings, and norms that make behavior reciprocally predictable and organized. Sociology investigates questions such as how such patterns of interdependent activity originate and what sustains them, why they take one shape instead of another, how some societies change more rapidly than others, how groups are related to each other, and how people justify and explain what they are doing. The patterns are learned as customary behavior and institutional practices. The sociological perspective is closely linked to comparative historical and cross-cultural studies of social institutions and to psychological studies of human interaction in a wide range of social, economic, educational, religious, familial, and political settings.
Who should take Sociology?
This major is of interest to the individual who is observant of other people’s actions when they interact with each other and who is looking for patterns and consistencies in their interaction. This is the primary field of choice. Sociology is the study of this as well as many other aspects of human interaction taking into account things like race, gender, setting, upbringing, etc. The individual who is curious about this will learn many things in this field, and will be trained to use the knowledge gained advantageously.
What Courses Do Sociology Majors Take?
The required and elective courses you would take for Sociology majors vary considerably among institutions. Courses are listed here that are illustrative of the breadth of topics you are likely to experience were you to major in this field.
Economic Sociology
Introduction to Sociology
Organizations / Stratification / Race
Personality and Social Systems
Political Sociology
Race and Ethnicity
Research Methods
Social Movements
Social Stratification and Class
Sociology of Culture
Sociology of Religion
Career Options in Sociology
These professions and professional organizations illustrate the types of positions you might qualify for if you complete this degree. Some programmes are more directly related to employment than others, however. You should consider the likelihood of employment after graduation carefully, if you do not plan to go on for graduate work in a field. Even with the completion of graduate work in some fields, however, employment is difficult, so you should determine what the prospects are for this or any programme. Employment possibilities are often enhanced by the selecting employment-related courses.
Applied Sociologist
Business
Counseling
Demographer/Planner
Journalism
Political Research
Social Service
Teaching
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