Sociology

Sociology Major (BA)

Complementary Programs

Criminal Forensics (Minor)
Criminology (BA, Minor)
Disability Services (Minor)
Human Services (Minor)
Law and Society (Minor)
Popular Culture (Minor)

Related Program

Sociology (Minor)*

*You may not combine the sociology major with this minor.

The discipline of sociology is dedicated to the analysis of different forms of interaction and their significance for personal and social life.

The sociology major is designed to equip students with the foundation and basic research skills that make possible a rigorous study of the social dynamics of human interaction, group processes, and major social institutions. By means of critical and creative sociological practice, students will be led to analyze vital questions about media and popular culture, social justice and poverty, and social control and deviance.

Students will join faculty who are tackling a wide range of topics in their own research, including race and identity, family cohesion, the sociocultural origins of different musical genres, civic engagement and community partnerships, sociology of the city, and the evolving social dynamics of religion, digital technology, and culture.

Majors complete an internship, conduct an independent study project, or study abroad.

What can I do with a sociology degree?

Guidance counselor
Human resources (HR) representative
Lawyer
Management consultant
Market research analyst

Media planner
Policy analyst
Public relations (PR) specialist
Social worker
Survey researcher/pollster

Sample Courses

SOCI 201 — Social Life in America

This course, which introduces students to the fundamentals of sociology, explores culture, society, and personality and their relationship with one another. Students will develop a sociological frame of reference that enables them to gain a new perspective of modern society. They also will learn about the many career paths open to those with sociological training.

SOCI 203 — Culture, Identity, and Consumption

In this introductory course, students examine the conceptual framework of cultural studies. Among the key concepts addressed are mass culture, the culture industry, cultural production, consumption, cultural identities, representation, multiculturalism, hegemony, and postmodernism. There is special emphasis on the production and consumption of mass culture, interpretive strategies, and the role of mass culture in everyday life. By the end of the semester, students will have an elevated level of cultural literacy and be even more well-informed consumers of culture.

SOCI 225 — Poverty, Homelessness, and Social Justice

This course introduces students to the major issues, research areas, and theoretical perspectives in the sociological study of poverty and homelessness in America. Areas studied include the nature, extent, and causes of poverty and homelessness; cultural representations of the poor and homeless; and public attitudes about these social groups. Students explore the roots of prejudice, discrimination, hate, and violence against the poor and homeless. Students also engage in a critical examination of the American opportunity structure and its effects on such issues as access to affordable housing, jobs with a living wage, and social mobility. Finally, the course covers initiatives aimed at reducing or eliminating poverty and homelessness.

SOCI 256 — Deviance, Crime, and Social Control

This course provides a broad overview of theoretical treatments of deviance, deviant careers, and societal reaction to deviance, including the formalization of deviant behavior within legal systems. The role of power relations in the social construction of deviance and social control is examined. Topics of study also include, among others, the medicalization of deviance, drug use, sexual deviance, religious deviance, and the simulation of deviance in popular culture and media.

Alumni Spotlights

Davion Washington ’21

Davion Washington '21 built on his sociology major at Lynchburg with plenty of leadership experience and minors in history, political science, and popular culture to pursue a sociology PhD at NC State.

Faculty Contact

Paul K. McClure, PhD
Assistant Professor of Sociology
Chair of the Sociology and Human Services Department

434.544.8617
mcclure_pk@lynchburg.edu

Sociology Major