The Sociology and Anthropology program cultivates a different point of view by applying analytic tools to popular culture, historical artifacts, individual identity, and power arrangements. This frame of mind is illuminating and empowering.
Sociology is the study of the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of human groups and how people act within social contexts. Since all human behavior is social, the subject matter of sociology ranges from the intimate family to the hostile mob; from organized crime to religious movements; from the divisions of race, class and gender to the shared beliefs of a common culture; from work lives to digital selves.
Anthropology’s diverse subject matter of human beings in all times and places reflects the discipline’s interest in human culture dating from the Paleolithic past to contemporary times; from distant societies to the myriad subcultures of the Western world; from the biological bases of human behavior to our most elaborate cultural creations; and in the interaction of diverse peoples from colonial to modern contexts.
Students develop the conceptual and analytic skills for understanding identity, behavior, culture, power, and social change. Coursework and curriculum in the Sociology and Anthropology program emphasize practical application of skills to a variety of social questions. Our students develop a critical, historical, and comparative perspective on social worlds and an appreciation for cultural diversity. The program’s close and supportive relationship with local groups and organizations provides a basis for meaningful student involvement in problem solving. Practical experiences culminate in a senior Capstone designed and carried out under faculty supervision.
Sociology and Anthropology majors pursue professional careers in a range of areas, including teaching, business and marketing, human and social services, healthcare and public health, and natural and cultural resource management. A Georgetown University study reports that nationwide 94% of Sociology and Anthropology graduates are employed, with a median annual income of $45,000. The major will also prepare students well for a range of professional and graduate degrees, including Master in Social Work, Master in Public Health, Master of Arts in Teaching, and PhD programs in Anthropology, Sociology, and related disciplines.
Sociology and Anthropology students can get hands-on research experience at the SOU Laboratory of Anthropology (SOULA) and the SOU Research Center (SOURCE).
SOU Sociology & Anthropology Program
1250 Siskiyou Blvd.
Ashland, OR 97520
541.552.6761
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