Studying sociology
Learn how to tackle big-picture problems in our world. 
What is sociology?
Sociology is the scientific study of social life, institutions, and societies. It
investigates how social forces shape behaviors and life chances—and how human action,
in turn, creates, maintains, and transforms social systems. A core objective of sociology
is to understand how and why human societies operate the way they do in order to systematically
improve human well-being.
Why major in sociology?
As a sociology major, you’ll investigate the pressing social issues of our time and
the social forces shaping personal lives, communities, societies, and the world. You
will develop the tools to understand complex human systems, foster positive community
outcomes, and understand our global interconnectedness. Along the way, you’ll build
essential, transferable skills—critical reasoning, qualitative and quantitative research
design, data analysis, policy evaluation, cross-cultural attentiveness, leadership,
and expanded empathy—to prepare you for success in any career.
Where can sociology take me?
The sociology degree provides a powerful foundation that sharpens work in any field—law,
medicine, business, communication, journalism, or education and beyond—by giving you
a deeper understanding of human behavior, institutional systems, and organizational
dynamics.
Listen directly to students about why they chose to study sociology:
What can I do with this degree?
Top career paths for sociology and anthropology majors include:
Nonprofit management, human resources, public administration, policy analysis, journalism, research, linguistics, government and more.