Sociology Department

The sociology curriculum at Chapman focuses on the interaction and relationships among human groups and institutions observing how behavior is shaped by these relationships. It examines how society maintains stability and how it changes, investigating both consensus and conflict among social groups. Sociology's subject matter consists of social institutions including family, work, religion, and social processes such as identity development, deviance and socialization. Sociology majors explore foundational ideas about the nature of society, are introduced to key subfields of the discipline, and acquire fundamental research and analysis skills to carry out their own inquiries. The department’s faculty members emphasize empirical work in a number of subfields including applied and community sociology, the family, health and medicine, law and society, international and global sociology, gender, the sociology of religion, qualitative and quantitative research methods and cultural anthropology.

The B.A. in Sociology embodies the essential values of a liberal arts education in its emphasis on analysis and problem solving, comparative thinking, writing and critical inquiry. These skills provide a solid foundation for professions in teaching, medicine, social work, law, business and social justice. Finally, sociology provides the breadth of theoretical and methodological training for advanced graduate work in all the behavioral sciences.

Home
Wilkinson College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Sociology

»Welcome to the Sociology Department!

Sociology studies interaction and relationships among human groups and institutions and how behavior is shaped by these relationships. It examines how society maintains stability and how it changes,investigating both consensus and conflict among social groups. Sociology'ssubject matter consists of social institutions including family, work,religion, and social processes such as identity development, deviance andsocialization. Sociology majors explore foundational ideas about the nature ofsociety, are introduced to key subfields of the discipline, and acquirefundamental research and analysis skills to carry out their own inquiries. Thedepartment's faculty members emphasize empirical work in a number of subfieldsincluding applied and community sociology, the family, health and medicine, lawand society, international and global sociology, gender, the sociology ofreligion, qualitative and quantitative research methods and culturalanthropology.

Sociology embodies the essential values of aliberal arts education in its emphasis on analysis and problem solving,comparative thinking, writing and critical inquiry. In providing such skills,sociology is a good background for professions in teaching, medicine, socialwork, law, business and social justice.

Finally, sociology provides the breadth oftheoretical and methodological training for advanced graduate work in all thebehavioral sciences.

+-Anthropology Minor

The minor in Anthropology at Chapman University focuses on Cultural Anthropology; the study of shared meanings gives us tools for relating across cultures and understanding our rich heritages and traditions. It is a perfect partner for those pursuing degrees in Sociology, Business, Film, or Natural and Physical Sciences. We interact with people from all over the world in our professional lives. Anthroplogy provides tools that are essential for success whether you are providing services, doing business, marketing or researching. Cultural Anthropoloogy implements Chapman University's commitment to Global Citizenship. (see More)

+-Law, Justice and Social Control Minor

The minor in Law, Justice and Social Control provides students with an opportunity to examine key areas of law and social control as well as explore selected aspects of social justice. After completing three required courses to introduce them tothe basis for law and social control, students are allowed to select from a wide variety of courses that span the disciplines of sociology, political science, psychology, philosophy and forensics. This flexibility allows students to tailor their minor to their own unique interest in the broad area of law and social control. (see more)

+-Women's Studies Minor

The women's and gender studies minor provides an overview of the interdisciplinary approaches to the study of women and gender inequality; cultural representations of women and their social roles; and the social axes of gender, race, class and sexuality. The minor provides students with a broad, interdisciplinary framework for analyzing social practices related to gender as well as the impact on their own lives. (See More)

+-Alpha Kappa Delta

What is AKD?

AKD stands for Alpha Kappa Delta, a non-secret, democratic, international society of scholars dedicated to the ideal of Athropon Katamanthanein Diakonesein or "to investigate humanity for the purpose of service." AKD seeks to acknowledge and promote excellence in scholarship in the study of sociology, the research of social problems, and such other social and intellectual activities as well as will lead to improvement of the human condition. (See More)