American Sociological Association:

What is Sociology?: Imagine having the ability to analyze the dynamics of a hostile mob, track patterns in corporate downsizing, explore how people express emotions, or study the effects of cultural difference on problems of peace and war. Sociology is the scientific study of social life. It is the exploration of social change and a lens into the complexity of the causes and consequences of human behavior.

Majoring in Sociology

Thinking about Majoring in Sociology?
What kinds of marketable job skills do sociology majors gain? Where are recent graduates workng?
Navigating the Sociology Major
This article by Stephen Sweet and James Rothenberg discusses topics such as strategic course selection, the value of research and internships, careers, graduate school and much more.
ASA Quick Style Guide
This 2-page PDF gives you all the basics for including proper citations and references in your written work.

Educational and Professional Development Opportunities

Career Resources for Undergraduates

ASA Honors Program

Undergraduate Research Opportunities (coming soon)

Thinking about graduate school?

Tell your department to pick up this great publication or buy it yourself in our online bookstore

Sociology: A 21st Century Major
This brochure answers the question ‘What is sociology?” and includes quotes from students about why they chose to major in sociology. It also includes a list of specific employable skills that students gain by studying sociology, and quotes from recent graduates about the jobs they got after graduation.

A Long Line of Great Minds

There are thousands of accomplished people with B.A. M.A. and PhD degrees in sociology who are not necessarily Sociologists with a capital "S" Below is a list of just a few, found by Peter Dreier, Occidental College, for his commencement address to the 2001 department of sociology graduating class of the University of Oregon.

Politics:

Wellington Webb, mayor of Denver

Brett Schundler, mayor of Jersey City

Annette Strauss, former mayor of Dallas

Rev. Martin Luther King

Roy Wilkins, former head of NAACP

Rev. Jesse Jackson

Rev. Ralph Abernathy

Shirley Chisholm, former Congresswoman from NY

Maxine Waters, Congresswoman from LA

Barbara Mikulski, US Senator from Maryland

Tim Holden, Congressman from Pennsylvania

Cardinal Theordore McCarrick, Archbishop of Washington, DC

Saul Alinsky, father of community organizing

Saul Bellow, novelist

Ronald Reagan (double major in sociology and economics)

Emily Balch, 1946 Nobel Peace Prize winner (a social worker and social reformer)

Francis Perkins, social reformer and former Secretary of Labor

Richard Barajas, Chief Justice, Texas Supreme Court

Michelle Obama, Attorney and First Lady of the United States of America

Arts:

Saul Bellow, novelist

Regis Philbin, no-talent TV host

Dan Aykroyd, actor/Blues Brother

Robin Williams, actor/comedian

Paul Shaffer, bandleader on David Letterman Show (and before that, Saturday Night Live)

Dinah Shore, singer

Ruth Westheimer, the “sex doctor”

Kalpen Suresh Modi, White House Liaison for Arts and Humanities

Sports:

Alonzo Mourning, Miami Heat

Bryant Stith, Boston Celtics

Brian Jordan, Atlanta Braves

Joe Theisman, NFL quarterback

Eric Bjornson, Dallas Cowboys

Bobby Taylor, Eagles cornerback

Ahmad Rashad, Sportscaster