Sociology

Why Choose Sociology? 

Sociology is at the core of the social sciences, and bridges many disciplines. Sociology majors go on to work in a variety of different fields, from social and market research to policy analysis to human resources and community activism.

The Perspective

The sociology program at Manhattan College emphasizes critical thinking and ingenuity. As a sociology major, you will become familiar with sociological concepts, theories, research methods and findings. You will gain exposure to diverse social systems and cultures. You will graduate with a greater global awareness and appreciation for social justice and service. 

The Concentrations

The sociology program offers three optional career-focused concentrations. Each is designed to build careers in the following areas:

Crime, Law and Social Justice

The Criminology and Criminal Justice concentration is ideal for students who wish to pursue careers in:

• Law Enforcement
• Law
• Corrections
• Criminal Justice Advocacy
• Non-profit Organizations
• Graduate school in Criminal Justice or Criminology

The concentration allows students to take a variety of criminal justice and criminology courses. These classes include:

• Modern American Gangs
• Mass Incarceration & Collateral Consequences
• Gender, Crime and Justice
• Criminology
• Criminal Justice
• Law and Society

“I love the variety of unique classes offered, I have never heard of someone taking a gangs class before. I’m much more confident in studying criminal justice knowing there’s so much attention and effort going into studying what we will need to know in Criminal Justice related fields” - Elizabeth, Sociology Major, and Crim Concentration

Immigration and Global Sociology

For students seeking a career in immigration policy and advocacy, local immigrant support services, or international cooperation and development agencies. This concentration is guided by an overarching commitment to social justice. Students explore the challenges facing immigrant communities, and the larger social development implications. Possible course topics include:

• Power and Conflict
• Urban Sociology
• Political Economy of Global Migration 

Georgraphy

We recommend the Geography concentration for students with career interests in:

• Planning
• Conservation
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Geography students learn concepts about gender, class, race, and other axes of difference, while building technological skills. Classes include:

• Political Ecology
• Sustainable Development
• Telling Stories with Maps
• The Geography of New York

"Geographic Information Systems (GIS) broadended my idea of what I could do. I was able to correlate everything we did in class with my passions. As I spoke to others, I realized just how valuable GIS was across a broad array of professions."  - Mary, Introduction to Geographic Information Systems student

Social Services

Taught by certified practitioners, the Social Services concentration is ideal for students who wish to pursue careers in:

• Social work

• Introduction to Social Services
• Social Service Practice
• Codes of Gender
• Race and Resistance
• Urban Sociology

For those interested in further study of human societies, cultures and their development, a minor in cultural anthropology is also offered.​

What Will You Learn?

​Sociology’s core curriculum includes Social Inequalities, Research Methods and Sociological Theories. Senior year culminates with a research seminar. As a sociology major, you will:

• Analyze the U.S. class structure and how class status affects one’s life
• Learn the logic and skills of social scientific research
• Gain first-hand experience collecting and analyzing data
• Survey major sociological theories, tracing contemporary approaches to classical sociologists
• Complete a capstone project based on original research

See degree requirements

What Will You Do?

​The sociology program will prepare you for graduate school or careers in research, teaching, human resource management, civil service and beyond.