Sociology

Why Sociology?

Sociology is at the core of the social sciences, and bridges many disciplines. Sociology majors pursue careers in law, social work, medicine and public health, consulting, finance, nonprofit and public administration, community activism, social network research, policy analysis, social and market research, human resources, culture, and the arts.

The Perspective

The Department of Sociology emphasizes social theory and social science analytics. Students who pursue a liberal arts degree in sociology are rigorously trained in how to examine how social groups, institutions, and social structure may influence human behavior. Our students graduate as leaders ready to tackle local and global social challenges from social justice and service perspectives.

The Concentrations

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

Criminology
The criminology concentration explores contemporary topics that constitute the American criminal justice system. The courses cover a range of exciting, important, and timely criminal justice topics that will challenge preconceptions and broaden perspectives. This concentration of study is ideal for students who wish to pursue graduate education in criminal justice or criminology, and/or careers in:
- Law enforcement
- Law
- Corrections
- Criminal justice advocacy
- Nonprofit organizations
Geography
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
Social Services
Taught by certified practitioners, the Social Services concentration is ideal for students who wish to pursue careers in:
- Social Work
The concentration offers courses such as:
- Introduction to Social Services
- Social Service Practice
- Codes of Gender
- Race and Resistance
- Urban Sociology

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) broadened 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 Stahl ’22, Geography Minor

Minors in cultural anthropology and geography are ideal for students interested in studying human societies, cultures, and their development.

Meet a Major: Ryan Waters

Sociology and urban studies major Ryan Waters discusses the benefits of double majoring for his future career and the many hands-on learning opportunities in the School of Liberal Arts.

Start Your Manhattan College Story

What Will You Learn?

Sociology’s core curriculum includes social problems, structural inequalities, methods and advanced methods, theories, and seminar. 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, law, social work, medicine and public health, consulting, finance, nonprofit and public administration and beyond.

The faculty and staff, who were always ready to answer my questions, or guide me if I needed direction, constantly created in me a desire to learn. Their enthusiasm made me interested in topics I had never considered before, topics like urban anthropology, colonial literature, and nutrition. Every single one of my professors at Manhattan College has shown me why they love what they do, and it has made me love it too.

Kelly Cousins ’15, Sociology graduate, English Teacher in Changzhou, China