University of Illinois At Urbana Champaign

Large-scale societal change begins with individuals like you -- hungry for knowledge and ready to make a real difference; in the Department of Sociology you will study the inner workings of society with a focus on either Inequalities or Global Sociology.

Sociologists explore human social life at every level, from personal relationships to global society. Major topics of study include inequality, social movements, criminology, race and class relations, gender, social institutions such as religion and education, and fundamental population processes like immigration and mortality. Sociologists use a range of methods and theories to develop and evaluate ideas about social life.

As a student of Sociology, you will train in research methods and become fluent in social statistics while understanding the complexity of societal diversity and social change. These skills are usable in a wide variety of work settings and are skills that employers value.

Recent graduates have pursued careers with the FBI, as Human Resource Specialists, with non-profit organizations, as policy officers, and have earned advanced degrees in Social Work, Sociology, Law, Medicine, and more. The career paths of Sociology alumni are as diverse as our student population -- who represent the best and the brightest from a variety of backgrounds.

In the Department of Sociology you can choose the major in Sociology, the minor in Sociology, or the minor in Criminology, Law and Society (CLS). Whereas the major and minor in Sociology provide an overview into the broader disciplines of Sociology, the minor in CLS is a more specialized approach for those students intersted in law and justice related careers and occupations.

Each student should see a Sociology departmental advisor at least once a year to choose sociology courses and to monitor their progress.