What is the relationship of self to society? Who determines societal norms? What factors create cultural identity? Does human suffering have a purpose? Questions of sociology are as diverse as people and societies themselves. Why Study Sociology?

The Sociology program at Nazareth College is the study of human life, group behavior, and social systems. Marriage and family, racial, cultural, and gender issues, criminal justice, and media and popular culture are just part of the terrain we cover. The program also encourages self-reflection from students (as well as faculty) http://www.everydaysociologyblog.com/2011/10/im-not-a-feminist-but.html#more - helping them gain insight into the human condition and their own behavior in social situations. Graduates often say that the program has helped them be more open-minded, objective, and understanding of social and cultural differences.

There is a lot more to Sociology than learning in a classroom, however. Students have completed service learning projects and internships working in soup kitchens, on Native American reservations, and in the criminal justice system. They also volunteer for the United Way and mentor disadvantaged children.

Program Highlights

• Small classes, individual attention from faculty.
• In the Social Research Methods II course, students do a semester long project where they carry out a project designing and collecting data, analyzing it, and writing an article describing the results.
• Qualified juniors and seniors are eligible to apply for the endowed Urlaub Internship.
• Many students combine Sociology with the Inclusive Education Program (Quad Program) and become teachers.
• Students go on to attend graduate school or work in such fields as counseling, human resources, communications, human services, and international relations.