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Sociology FAQ

 What is sociology?

Sociology is the scientific study of social behavior. Sociologists use the scientific method combined with critical analysis to discover and explain things that are otherwise hidden. Sociology is different from psychology in its emphasis on the study of human behavior in social contexts and how interaction in a social context creates identities, linkages, groups, culture, and social systems.

 

Why Major In sociology?

Are you fascinated by society? Do you wonder why society is the way it is? Are you hoping to help change the world? Then sociology is the major for you! You can learn about diverse issues, groups, and social behavior while developing practical, marketable skills such as:

  • superior communication skills (written and oral)
  • quantitative reasoning
  • critical thinking
  • teamwork and problem solving
  • data collection (surveys, interviews, etc.) and analysis (transforming information into knowledge)

What can I do with a DEGREE IN SOCIOLOGY?

Sociology majors have enormous flexibility in work and graduate school options. They are prepared for

entry-level positions in:

  • research,
  • counseling, social services,
  • juvenile justice, criminal justice, courts, law enforcement,
  • community organizing, political campaigns,
  • coaching, teaching, or public service.

Sociology is an excellent major for students interested in pursuing graduate degrees in:

  • social work and counseling,
  • public health,
  • criminal justice and law,
  • education,
  • public administration,
  • journalism, business, or urban planning.

Over 60 percent of our graduates complete graduate or professional degrees. Graduates pursuing Ph.D.s in sociology have all received full fellowships for graduate study. To see what Xavier Sociology graduates have done with their degree, consult our Graduate Placement page under DOCUMENTS.

 

Is the Sociology – Crime and Social Justice Concentration the same as criminal justice?

The Sociology – Crime and Social Justice Concentration degree option (CSJ) at Xavier is certainly appropriate for students interested in working in the fields of law enforcement and criminal justice, but he focus of the program is broader and employs the lens of SOCIAL JUSTICE to explore how to reduce the pipelines to the criminal justice system and to reveal the inequalities in that and other institutions that fuel and replicate inequality. The same career options available to those with a Criminal Justice undergraduate degree are available, but a much wider range of options with more opportunity to growth are also potential career paths or those majoring in this degree program.

Students transferring to Xavier who have completed Criminal Justice coursework may discuss with their adviser options for applying some or all of their transferred credit to the CSJ degree requirements at Xavier.

 

Is the Sociology – Health, Medicine & Society Concentration the same as Sociology Pre-Med?

The Sociology – Health, Medicine & Society Concentration (HMS) may be taken along with the pre-requisites for medical school (like any major can be), but it is distinct from just a traditional sociology degree with medical school pre-requisites worked in. 

This degree program is a specialized sociology program, allowing undergraduates to gain a broad perspective in the discipline of sociology while nourishing their interest in the sub-field of Medical Sociology. A central theme for this program is that health (physical, behavioral, and mental) and disease do not depend solely on biological mechanisms. Health and medicine are intimately linked to our social contexts, social institutions, cultural norms, systemic inequalities, and prevailing clinical practices in the promotion and maintenance of health and well-being.

Students who opt for this concentration generally go on to work in the field of health care (physical, behavioral and/or mental) or opt for continued study in Public Health, Medical Sociology, or a clinical medical field (doctor, nurse, dentist, etc.).

The curriculum in this and all sociology degree options allows students to complete the coursework required for medical school entrance (and other fields) through minoring or double concentrations and a generous supply of free electives that may be used for these pre-requisites. However, this is a choice and not a part of the required curriculum for the Sociology – Health, Medicine & Society Concentration (HMS) degree program.