Check out the new Sociology Corner for the latest happenings in the CMU sociology program!
Sociology Corner: What's Happening this Semester
Sociology is the study of social life, social organization, and social change. Sociologists study the causes and consequences of a wide range of human behaviors, interactions, groups, organizations, and institutions. Students at Colorado Mesa University can take courses in sociology on substantive topics like the life course and aging, family, religion, social movements, health and medicine, race and ethnic relations, gender, sexuality, and more. These courses are taught by passionate faculty who prioritize excellent teaching and student success. Sociology has a tradition of developing explanations for how social order can be maintained as well as how and why social change happens. Few fields of study are as far-ranging and relevant to the everyday world that we live in.
Colorado Mesa University offers a comprehensive program leading to a Bachelor of Arts in sociology. It is also possible to earn a minor in sociology. The minor nicely complements virtually any other academic program at CMU, including any of the other degree programs in the Social and Behavioral Sciences. Both options (BA in sociology, minor in sociology) exemplify Colorado Mesa University's liberal arts mission by emphasizing critical thinking, statistical literacy, and the application of the "sociological imagination" to problems, programs, and policies in the real world. Beyond these opportunities, a degree in sociology prepares students for responsible action in the social world and provides a foundation for lifelong learning and civic participation.
Career Opportunities
Sociology provides many distinctive perspectives on the social world, as well as a range of research methodologies that can be applied to virtually any aspect of social life, from corporate downsizing to problems of peace and war to the expression of emotion and beyond. Because sociology addresses the most challenging issues of our time, it is an expanding field whose potential is increasingly tapped by those who craft policies and create social programs. Sociology majors gain important skills in critical thinking, research methods and responsible citizenship. Thus they are well-prepared for future graduate work in sociology and related disciplines, as well as for careers in social services, human resources, government, business, the health professions, and the criminal justice system. For more information, visit the American Sociological Association's website.
The Sociology Program
One of the strengths of the CMU sociology program is its emphasis on the values and content of a traditional liberal arts degree, providing students with critical thinking skills, communication skills, and research skills that are applicable in a broad range of careers in non-profit organizations, business and government. The program also offers excellent preparation for graduate study in sociology. Courses on substantive topics include social inequality, family, gender, sexuality, religion, race and ethnic relations, health, social movements, and environmental sociology. Sociology majors are encouraged to earn a minor in one of a wide variety of disciplines. Sociology majors at CMU enjoy a high acceptance rate to graduate school in sociology, applied sociology, and social work. Graduates who continue their education also go to law school, divinity school, public administration, human relations, and international studies. Click here for a more in-depth program overview.
What Alumni Have to Say
Alpha Kappa Delta
The sociology program maintains an active chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta, the international honor society for sociology. AKD offers mentorship, paper contests, and funds and opportunities for sociology majors to travel to professional conferences and bring speakers to campus. Involvement in AKD is also a great "resume builder" that helps students applying for jobs and graduate school.
Graduates of this major will be able to:
Apply Scientific Principles to an Understanding of the Social World in a Summative Project (Specialized Knowledge/Applied Learning)
Rigorously Analyze and Evaluate the Quality of Social Scientific Methods and Data (Quantitative Reasoning)
Defend Sociological Analyses of Social Phenomena in Formal Papers and Oral Presentations. (Communication Fluency)
Critically Evaluate Explanations of Human Behavior and Social Phenomena (Critical Thinking)
Use Sociological Knowledge to Contribute to Public Understanding of Social Issues, Policy Debates, and the Development of a Sense of Civic Duty (Personal and Social Responsibility; Applied Learning)
Develop Scholarly Arguments by Locating, Evaluating, Applying, and Synthesizing Information from Sociological and Other Social Scientific Sources (Information Literacy)