Sociology is a social science that involves the study of social behavior and interactions in family units, groups, organizations, institutions, communities and societies. Sociologists view the world through the lens of different cultures, social classes and social groups. The field trains students to use theoretical frameworks and scientific methods to examine questions about various aspects of social life such as workplace policies and corporate restructuring, the global economy, health and healthcare, religions and religious organizations, educational quality and achievement, technological changes and multi-cultural communication.

Careers in Sociology

Students seeking a degree in sociology will be equipped with critical skills necessary to succeed in a 21st-century workplace including critical thinking, analytic problem-solving, effective written and verbal communication, and an understanding of multicultural and global issues.

Few fields incorporate such a broad knowledge base, skill set and application to the social world. Sociology graduates often are employed in areas such as sales and marketing, human resources, social science and marketing research, nonprofit services and administration, education and public relations. Many sociology graduates also pursue professional and graduate degrees in law, social work, counseling, criminal justice, public administration, public policy and advanced degrees in sociology.

The University’s Career Center is an important resource for students pursuing their career. Licensed counselors are available to provide strategies for mastering job interviews, writing professional cover letters and resumes and help students connect with campus recruiters, among other services.

Sociology at UT Dallas

The mission of the BA program in sociology is to provide undergraduate students (both majors and non-majors) with broad knowledge of the theoretical concepts, empirical research findings and methodological approaches of the discipline of sociology, with an emphasis on theory and research related to social inequality. Sociology majors should gain mastery of these concepts, as well as develop skills for analysis of social structures, processes and institutions. At UT Dallas, sociology majors are encouraged to go beyond scholarly study to explore the ways that this area of study can be applied to business, government and nonprofit organizations.

Students are strongly encouraged to participate in an internship while in the sociology program. This will provide an opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge acquired through coursework in a work setting, as well as to expand valuable social network connections. The general BA degree requires 120 hours to graduate: 42 hours from the University’s core curriculum, 48 hours from the major and 30 hours of electives.

Fast Track

The Fast Track program enables exceptionally gifted UT Dallas students to include master’s level courses in their undergraduate degree plans. Students who meet the requirements for admission to graduate school and the minimum GPA requirement for their major can take up to 15 hours of graduate level coursework that can apply toward their undergraduate and graduate level coursework. To take graduate courses in the Fast Track program upper-division undergraduates must have completed 90 semester credit hours and petition their associate dean for permission to take graduate courses.

About the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences

Every new generation inherits a world more complex than that of its predecessors, which prompts a need for new thinking about public policies that impact people’s daily lives. In the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences (EPPS), we examine the implications of innovation and change for individuals and communities. The social sciences are where the world turns to for answers to the important issues of today and the future such as education and health policy, financial crises, globalization, policing, political polarization, public management, terrorism, and the application of geographical information sciences to study social, economic and environmental issues.

As an undergraduate in EPPS, you will have the opportunity to work with professors who are probing issues that will affect your future. You will develop the vital skills you need to thrive in a rapidly evolving, highly competitive job market. EPPS will prepare you for careers in government, non-profits and the private sector that enable you to make a real difference in the world of today and tomorrow. EPPS is at the forefront of leadership, ethics and innovation in the public and nonprofit sectors. Our students and faculty look forward to new opportunities to study and address the complex and evolving issues of the future. Research informs much of the instruction. The school has four centers of excellence:

• Center for Global Collective Action
• Texas Schools Project
• Institute for Urban Policy Research
• The Negotiations Center

Degrees Offered

Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts: Criminology, economics, geospatial information sciences, international political economy, political science, public affairs, public health, public policy, sociology

Master of Science: Applied sociology, criminology, economics, geospatial information sciences, international political economy, social data analytics and research

Master of Arts: Political science

Master of Public Affairs: Public affairs

Master of Public Policy: Public policy

Doctor of Philosophy: Criminology, economics, geospatial information sciences, political science, public affairs, public policy and political economy

Certificates

EPPS offers the following 15-hour graduate certificates, which generally can be completed in one year of part-time evening classes:

• Economic and Demographic Data Analysis: focusing on the understanding and application of quantitative analysis of demographic and economic data.
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS): focusing on the application of GIS in government, private sector and scientific areas.
• Geospatial Intelligence: focusing on the application of geospatial ideas and techniques to national security and other intelligence activity.
• Local Government Management: designed to broaden knowledge of important issues and approaches employed by professional local public administrators.
• Nonprofit Management: designed to provide an overview of the nature and context of nonprofit organizations and develop competencies needed by nonprofit managers.
• Program Evaluation: designed to provide students the opportunity to gain competencies in the design and implementation of program evaluations in fields such as education, health care, human services, criminal justice and economic development.
• Remote Sensing: focusing on remote sensing and digital image processing.