The study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior.

What is Sociology?

Sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. As human behavior is primarily social, sociology can range from the study of sexuality to criminology to social welfare or to contemporary issues in corporations, families and business. Sociology provides an excellent liberal arts background which prepares students for advanced degrees as well as employment upon graduation. Sociology majors find employment in management, social work, statistical analysis, market research, education, criminal justice, government, probation, community services, and social services. Completion of the degree in Sociology should provide the student with a knowledge and understanding of the basic data, concepts, theories (classical and/or contemporary), and modes of explanation appropriate to the understanding of human societies; a basic knowledge of the four options offered in the department; and the statistical and methodological skills (both quantitative and qualitative) needed for sociological research, their application to real-world problems, and the appropriate interpretation of research methods.

The study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior.

  • Entertainment & Pop Culture
  • Geography & Travel
  • Health & Medicine
  • Lifestyles & Social Issues
  • Literature
  • Philosophy & Religion
  • Politics, Law & Government
  • Science
  • Sports & Recreation
  • Technology
  • Visual Arts
  • World History
  • On This Day in History
  • Quizzes
  • Podcasts
  • Dictionary
  • Biographies
  • Summaries
  • Top Questions
  • Week In Review
  • Infographics
  • Demystified
  • Lists
  • #WTFact
  • Companions
  • Image Galleries
  • Spotlight
  • The Forum
  • One Good Fact
  • Entertainment & Pop Culture
  • Geography & Travel
  • Health & Medicine
  • Lifestyles & Social Issues
  • Literature
  • Philosophy & Religion
  • Politics, Law & Government
  • Science
  • Sports & Recreation
  • Technology
  • Visual Arts
  • World History
  • Britannica Classics
    Check out these retro videos from Encyclopedia Britannica’s archives.
  • Demystified Videos
    In Demystified, Britannica has all the answers to your burning questions.
  • #WTFact Videos
    In #WTFact Britannica shares some of the most bizarre facts we can find.
  • This Time in History
    In these videos, find out what happened this month (or any month!) in history.
  • Britannica Explains
    In these videos, Britannica explains a variety of topics and answers frequently asked questions.
  • Buying Guide
    Expert buying advice. From tech to household and wellness products.
  • Student Portal
    Britannica is the ultimate student resource for key school subjects like history, government, literature, and more.
  • COVID-19 Portal
    While this global health crisis continues to evolve, it can be useful to look to past pandemics to better understand how to respond today.
  • 100 Women
    Britannica celebrates the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment, highlighting suffragists and history-making politicians.
  • Britannica Beyond
    We’ve created a new place where questions are at the center of learning. Go ahead. Ask. We won’t mind.
  • Saving Earth
    Britannica Presents Earth’s To-Do List for the 21st Century. Learn about the major environmental problems facing our planet and what can be done about them!
  • SpaceNext50
    Britannica presents SpaceNext50, From the race to the Moon to space stewardship, we explore a wide range of subjects that feed our curiosity about space!

Given the range of topics covered and transferable skills, there are many career options: 

  • Potential careers:

    • Politician

    • Counselor

    • Law Enforcement Officer

    • Public Relations Specialist

    • Human Resource Manager

    • Data Analyst

    • Epidemiologist

    • Screenwriter

    • For more potential careers, visit the Career Center website.

Sociology also provides great preparation for going on to law school, medical school, business school, and for graduate degree programs in sociology and complimentary disciplines like social work, education, public policy, public health, and communication studies. 

Many people who major in sociology have never heard of it before attending college. These students learn that sociology offers an innovative undergraduate major for people interested in the social and collective dimensions of politics, religion, medicine, race and systemic white racism, gender, sexuality, social interaction, language, selves, and much more. Sociology also offers concentrators an opportunity to deepen their understanding of international concerns, and is designed so that students who wish to go abroad in the spring of the junior year can do so. Our students benefit from a smaller major, experiencing greater individual attention from faculty than they reasonably can expect in the larger concentrations.

Sociology, broadly defined, is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies, and how people, in turn, are shaped and shape by these contexts. The scope of the discipline is as broad and diverse as social life itself. Sociologists study social interaction and relationships, organizations and institutions, communities and whole societies. The methods of sociological investigation vary: sociologists immerse themselves in the daily life of groups, interview group participants, examine recorded interaction, interpret historical documents, analyze census data, and conduct large surveys. The methods and concepts of sociology yield powerful insights into the social processes shaping lives, problems and possibilities in contemporary society. Understanding how society works and how people relate within it is increasingly critical to the effective functioning of the world. Through the sociological perspective, we are able to step back from the familiar routines of our lives in order to see them in a new light– how we are always participating in something larger than ourselves.

Students are attracted to sociology for all kinds of reasons. A curiosity about how society works or a concern about social issues draws students to the major. Taking one of the department’s introductory-level courses on a topic such as mass media, gender, systemic white racism, or social movements often leads a student to pursue further study in sociology.

The sociology major prepares individuals for a broad range of career options and graduate and professional studies. Employment opportunities available to the graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in sociology include work in community service organizations and health agencies, government service, human resources, and many other fields. The major also provides a foundation for students planning careers in law, social welfare, urban planning, business, education, and public health as well as for graduate work in sociology, social psychology, and related fields. Wherever they go and whatever they do, sociology majors share common strengths: the ability to organize and interpret data and the ability to analyze human behavior and social structures – processes fundamental to success in virtually every life pursuit.

What is the study of sociology?

Sociology examines the organization, structure, and change of social groups and institutions. It combines rigorous methods of inquiry and analysis in various areas of research, such as: mass media, the environment, racism, gender issues, class, and deviance and social control.

What is the study of social relations and human society?

Sociology is the study of human social relationships and institutions.

What is sociology and psychology?

Sociology is a social science that focuses on groups of people and their methods of social interaction – as families, nations, companies, and so on. Psychology is a social science that concentrates on the thoughts and behaviors of individual people.

What is sociology major?

A sociology major focuses on the study of humans. Students in this major explore the diversity of social behavior and interactions. They seek to understand the human perspective by investigating different groups and institutions, such as religious sects, families, or gender and race.