Sociology Major and Minor

The Path to Your Dream Career

Just a few of the many career options include:

• Community Organizer
• Policy Analyst
• Data/Research Analyst
• Health Administrator Case Manager
• Demographer
• Rehab Counselor
• Social Worker
• Victim Advocate
• Corporate Ethnographer
• User Experience (UX) researcher
• Youth and Family Counselor

Or apply the communication and interpersonal skills you’ve gained in business, education, and health-related fields.

Our Alumni in the Field

Our alumni are leading the way at:

• Victory Programs
• Craig's Doors
• Homeless shelters

And they’re continuing their educations at:

• UMass Boston
• Merrimack College
• Simmons University
• George Washington University
• and more!

Mission:

The Sociology program at Curry College offers students the opportunity to look at small-scale interactions of daily life and the large- scale organization and functions of social institutions in various settings and societies. Students gain insight into how the social world transcends individuals in historically evolving structural and cultural patterns. The program enables students to understand the influence of diversity (e.g., race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation) and inequality on their lives and the lives of others. These influences will be framed under the larger themes of social justice and global awareness, with an emphasis on social construction and the ways in which these constructions create boundaries that categorize, separate, advantage, or marginalize people. Using the knowledge gained from this perspective, students will better understand how people live together and give meaning to their own actions and attribute meaning to others’ actions. Students will be able to think critically about solutions to social problems in the United States and globally. Students will gain a deeper understanding and awareness about themselves and the wider world and acquire knowledge and skills that are useful personally and professionally (e.g., human services, social work, criminal justice, politics, and business). The program and its faculty encourage community service and internships.

Explain how sociology differs from other social sciences and demonstrate an understanding of the interrelationships between individuals, communities, and the broader society:

1. Explain and apply the concept of the sociological imagination and evaluate how social factors influence individuals’ behavior, life chances, and life choices.
2. Differentiate between micro and macro levels of analysis and describe the reciprocal relationship between the two.
3. Explain the process of socialization and analyze how socialization shape the development of the self and influence culture and society.

Compare and contrast different methodologies and theoretical perspectives and articulate the relationship between sociological theory and sociological research:

1. Define major sociological theories classic and contemporary and apply sociological theory to explain social problems and social life.
2. Explain the role of theory in knowledge production and the reciprocal relationship between theory and research.
3. Apply critical thinking skills and knowledge of research methods to evaluate sociological research.
4. Be able to ask and answer sociological questions through gathering and analyzing data.

Explore the social processes through which power is allocated and how this leads to privilege or marginalization:

1. Explain the sociological relevance of inequalities related to race, ethnicity, nation, class, ability, and gender and/or sexuality.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of inequality at both the individual and structural/systemic levels.
3. Recognize the role of activism in social change through studying social movements and/or participating in activism.
4. Demonstrate awareness of global issues and analyze how global processes shape local social structures and individuals.