Sociology

Discover the forces behind social inequality and social change.

在这个视频中，教职员工Dr. Rachael Neal and Dr. Michelle Robertson, tells a little more about the Sociology degree and why St. Edward's University is the right place to learn more about people, their beliefs, 以及它们之间的相互作用. 

A major in Sociology will help you understand why society functions the way it does, and how you can work to make it more just.

You’ll learn about individual and group identities connected to race, class, gender, sexuality, age, culture and religion. Study institutions like family, politics and religion, and how power is distributed in society. Sociology helps you understand why some groups maintain the status quo while others upend and reshape society. It helps you see an event like a crime wave as the tip of an iceberg and identify the larger social and historical forces at work under the surface.

Sociology will teach you to study the causes and consequences of human beliefs and behavior from a scientific perspective. You’ll learn how to design a research study of a topic you’re curious about and produce professional-level work. Outside the classroom, you’ll apply your skills by interning at a place like a child welfare organization, 为城市贫民服务的非营利组织, girls empowerment club, family violence shelter, or environmental or human rights advocacy group.

After graduation, 你可以在社会服务部门工作, business, the health professions, journalism or government – or pursue a career producing sociological research, which underpins many policy decisions and social programs. 无论你选择什么，你都会离开圣. Edward’s with strong research skills, insight into society and a passion for social justice.

What do our graduates do?

Sociology majors go on to a variety of careers and graduate schools from St. Edward’s. Here’s a sample.

• English Teaching Assistant in the Fulbright U.S. Student Program
• 厄瓜多尔和平队成员
• Senior associate in Client Solutions at the Gerson Lehrman Group
• Student in the Sociology PhD program at Washington State University in Pullman
• Donor relations and data coordinator at Foundation Communities, 这提供了支持, 为有需要的家庭提供经济适用房

The Classroom and Beyond

As a Sociology major, you’ll learn through service, research and internships. These experiences will help you understand how the dynamics you’re studying in class unfold in the Austin community.

Research

Sociology majors learn methods for conducting research to understand social phenomena. You’ll have the opportunity to present your work at the St. Edward’s Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression or at a professional academic conference, where you can learn about the careers in research and academia and build your network.

Study Abroad

在任何一所大学学习一个学期. 爱德华的合作校园, 或者在一个较短的教师主导的项目中, will enrich your understanding of Sociology. You’ll witness how different policies and cultural expectations affect social justice in another country and build your ability to critically analyze initiatives in the United States.

Service Experiences

Campus Ministry offers numerous service programs open to all students, regardless of major or religious affiliation. Give back to your community and learn about real-world efforts to address the challenges you’ve learned about in class.

S.E.R.V.E Austin is a weekly, semester-long volunteer commitment at a specific site where you’ll develop relationships with immigrants and refugees, 参加课外活动的孩子们, 正在做GED考试的年轻人, 老年人或以前无家可归的人.

S.E.R.V.E. 1 Day events are Saturday-morning programs that include breakfast, 到工地的交通, lunch and a reflection. These one-day projects often involve physical labor, like cleaning up a park, removing invasive species or painting a school.

服务中断经历 give you the chance to travel to another community, 做志愿者，了解当地生活. SBEs are built on ongoing relationships between St. Edward’s and the service location and require students to prepare – educationally and spiritually – for several months beforehand. The trips incorporate structured reflections so you’ll integrate what you’ve learned and use it to fuel your charity and justice work going forward. A hallmark of SBEs is their emphasis on living simply – you’ll leave your phone and other luxuries behind.

Many of the organizations where students intern (listed below) also accept volunteers. These are good settings to contribute to an organization’s mission while learning about a potential career path.