Sociology

The Study of Human Societies

Sociology is the study of society and social behavior. Individuals studying sociology learn by examining the groups, cultures, organizations and social institutions people form. They also study the activities in which people participate, including social, religious, political, economic and business organizations. The field of sociology has been listed by the Wall Street Journal as one of the top ten career areas. Sociology has very marketable job skills due to its methods and theory, which allow its practitioners to offer insight into the complex realities of the rapidly changing world. It is the career that will be at the cutting edge of the many directions that society will take in the twenty-first century.

Your Next Step

What Will I Study?

Students in the Sociology major complete core courses in social theory and research methods. They also choose from an array of courses dealing with different topics such as marriage and family, minority groups, health and illness, social change, deviant behavior, urban sociology, disaster preparedness and response, and the field of aging. At the end of their program of study, students conduct a senior capstone research project based on their own interests and topic of choice.

Why Choose Sociology?

The Sociology program is an excellent preparation for a wide-range of careers, including:

• Criminology
• Education
• Health Care
• Justice System/Law
• Marketing/Business Administration
• Sociologist
• Urban Planning/Public Policy

What are Graduates of Sociology Doing Now?

Our Sociology graduates have pursued graduate degrees at various graduate schools around the country. Some of these graduate programs include advance study within the fields of Sociology, Social Work, Ministry and a variety of human service fields. Others have found employment opportunities in both the private and public sectors.

What Graduates Have to Say

“My time at Oak Ridge National Laboratory was a fantastic way to start my career after undergraduate school. The lab was a bit different than what I was expecting. I assumed that there would be a very professional and rigid work environment enforced to an extent simply by the fact that the individuals I was working with are renowned in their fields. What I found there was in fact a diverse environment full of people who simply want to do good research on topics that they're passionate about. The individuals above me in the organization pushed us (younger interns and post-bachelors) to think critically and independently and come up with our own research ideas. Throughout the entire experience, I found that I was using skills I learned at Ferris to think critically about the problems I faced in my projects, to think about how different groups of people affect the results of my work, and to try and comprehend what the results meant within the big picture. It was a fantastic experience that has helped me build upon the knowledge I learned in the Ferris State Sociology program and will help me in my future endeavors to continue my education and career.”

Zach Palmer, 2012 Graduate of Sociology