The department houses the three distinct, but interrelated, disciplines of sociology, anthropology, and justice studies. Students can obtain a B.A. or B.S. degree from any of these disciplines. Students can also pursue a minor in any of these fields as well as a minor in American Indian studies. In general, all of these disciplines provide students with the tools and perspectives necessary to better understand both small and large scale cultures, social issues, and complex societal problems. Graduates of the department work in a wide range of employment fields including social services, social policy research agencies, cultural resource management, law, and the justice system, or pursue advanced degrees.
Sociology is the study of group life.
Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies. The goal is to understand the characteristics, causes, and consequences of human behavior and social relationships in various kinds of groups and settings. Because human behavior is diverse, the field of sociology covers a range of subjects including collective behavior, marriage and family, stratification, race and ethnic relations, gender, aging, and religion, as well as others. The sociology program's strengths include the sociology of the family, applied research, social inequality,and theories of deviant behavior. In addition, the sociology program provides students opportunities to gain practical work experience through the form of internships and service learning.