• As a science, sociology seeks to understand and explain the social world through systematic, critical thinking and the application of empirical methods.
• As a social science, sociology seeks to understand and explain how we create and maintain shared patterns of thought, belief, judgment, and behavior, and how we are in turn shaped and constrained by those patterns.
• As a liberal art, the sociological perspective reminds us that values are embodied in and transmitted through social structures that express and encourage the realization of the social justice and peace.

Students majoring in Sociology at Manchester are prepared to continue study in graduate programs or to enter career fields such as public policy, human services, research analysis, community organizing, or law enforcement, among others. 

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Learning Objectives for the Sociology Major

A Manchester College student graduating with a major in sociology will be able to study, understand, discuss, and apply the following:

The discipline of sociology

• explain how it differs from and is similar to the other social sciences

• discuss the contributions of sociology to a liberal arts education

• apply the sociological imagination to her/his own life

The role of theory

• define theory and explain its role in building sociological knowledge

• compare and contrast basic theoretical orientations

• show how theories reflect the historical and cultural contexts in which they were developed

• describe and apply some basic theories and/or theoretical orientations to at least one aspect of society

The role of evidence and qualitative and quantitative methods in sociology

• identify major methodological approaches and explain the role of methods in building sociological knowledge

• compare and contrast the basic methodological approaches for gathering and analyzing data

• design a research study in a chosen area and explain why various decisions were made

• critically assess a published report and suggest how the study might have been  improved

Basic concepts in sociology

• define, give examples, and demonstrate the relevance of these basic concepts:  culture, social structure, social institution, status and role, socialization, deviance and social control, social stratification, social change

The relationships between individuals and society

• explain sociologically the development of the self and how social factors influence individual behaviors, attitudes and values

• explain how individuals, groups and organizations influence society

• distinguish sociological approaches to understanding the self from psychological, economic, and other approaches

The diversity of American society and other societies

• describe and explain the significance of variations by race, ethnicity, class, gender, age, disability, and sexual orientation

• describe and explain the dynamics of prejudice, discrimination, oppression, and inequality based on race, ethnicity, class, gender, age, disability, and sexual orientation

• discuss the social, economic, political, and moral importance of reducing the negative effects of social inequalities

• compare and contrast social and cultural patterns in the U.S. and other societies

One or more areas of study in sociology, in depth

• summarize basic questions and issues in the area(s)

• compare and contrast basic theoretical orientations as applied to the area(s)

• summarize current research in the area(s)

• suggest policy implications of research and theory in the area(s)