We began as one of the oldest departments of sociology in the United States, dating back to the early years of this century. Anthropology was established as an undergraduate major in 1970, thus giving the department two majors, plus an M.A. in Sociology. Both disciplines study how societies are organized and why people behave the way they do, but from different points of view. Anthropology explores the full range of social groupings and cultural meanings through which human beings encounter the world. Anthropologists at Ohio University work within these fields as they study societies in Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
Sociology focuses on the social causes of human behavior such as group membership.
Membership in a particular social category such as young or old, male or female, rich or poor often decides how people behave. Sociologists at Ohio University study crime and its causes, how groups organize themselves to solve problems, mental illness and its social consequences, how people find work, and how social relationships shape political activity. Following graduation, students have pursued a variety of professions and careers in both the public and private sectors. For example, recent graduates from the Criminology Program have found positions in the field of criminal justice. Other alumni have gone on to further studies in sociology, anthropology, law, and medicine, while some have entered business.