Sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior.
Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies, and how people interact within these contexts.
Since all human behavior is social, the subject matter of sociology ranges from the intimate family to the hostile mob; from organized crime to religious cults; from the culturally specific aspects of race, gender and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture; and from the sociology of work to the sociology of sports. In fact, few fields have such broad scope and relevance for research, theory, and application of knowledge.
Sociology provides many distinctive perspectives on the world, generating new ideas and critiquing the established ideologies. The field also offers a range of research techniques that can be applied to virtually any aspect of social life: street crime and delinquency, corporate downsizing, how people express emotions, welfare or education reform, how families differ and flourish, or problems of peace and war.
Because sociology addresses the most challenging issues of our time, it is a rapidly expanding field whose potential is increasingly tapped by those who craft policies and create programs. Sociologists understand and analyze social inequality, patterns of behavior, forces for social change and resistance, and how social systems work. Sociology is an exciting discipline with expanding opportunities for a wide range of career paths.
The UNCW Sociology Program offers a comprehensive introduction to the study of human society and social interaction. All sociology students take a core set of courses: Introduction to Sociology, Research Methods, Data Analysis, and Social Theory.
In these core courses, students learn about the dynamics of how people socially relate to one another and how society is organized. They also learn how to do research on human populations by collecting and analyzing social data, using computer-assisted technology.
Our sociology students can choose between two concentrations: general sociology and public sociology.
It typically takes a minimum of two years to complete the requirements for a major in Sociology, whether choosing the General or Public Sociology concentration. We are happy to answer any questions you may have about the major!
For more information about the Sociology Program please contact the department. The Undergraduate Program Coordinator:
Dr. Shane Elliott
Assistant Professor of Sociology
elliottc@uncw.edu
or the main office: BR 207
(910) 962-3420 or (910) 962-3432
soccrm@uncw.edu