• Sociology Graduation 2024
    Sociology students and faculty at graduation 2024.
  • Sociology Ghost Hunt Group
    Sociology students tour the "haunted" Willella Howe-Waffle House.
  • Sociology Club at Eastern Sociological Society
    Sociology Club at Eastern Sociological Society.
  • Sociology Awards Ceremony
    Sociology Academic Student Awards.
Sociology Department

The study of social life, social change, and social causes.

»Welcome to the Sociology Department!

Sociology studies the 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'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.


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Degree Requirements

Students pursuing the B.A. in Sociology are required to:
  • Maintain at least a 2.000 grade point average in the major.
  • Earn a grade of “C-“or higher in core courses in the major.
  • Complete all core courses in the major for a letter grade.
  • Complete 21 credits from upper-division courses in the major.
  • Complete the senior thesis requirement SOC497

Curriculum for Sociology Major:

Sociology Core Requirements (18 credits)

  • SOC 101 Intro to Sociology 
  • SOC 201 Intro to Research Methods
  • SOC 305 Social Theory
  • SOC 318 Quantitative Data Analysis
  • SOC 397 Capstone I: Field Research
  • SOC 497 Capstone II:Senior Thesis Project

Social and Anthropology Electives (18 Credits)

Total credits: 36

Sociology Learning Objectives

Sociology courses vary widely in their subject matter, theoretical orientation and the research methods used, but an overarching goal of this program is to instill in you the following broad skills:

  • Disciplinary Knowledge:
    Students will develop the ability to explain and discuss sociological history, theory and terminology. Students will be able to find and properly cite primary sources in the sociological literature.
  • Disciplinary Application:
    Students will develop the ability to apply sociological theory and insights to a broad range of social problems and to the operation of social institutions in both a US and global context
  • Oral Communication:
    Students will develop the ability to communicate effectively in oral form which includes the ability to present and summarize information and research results effectively and respond to critical feedback.
  • Written Communication:
    Students will develop the ability to communicate effectively in written form which includes the effective development of an argument, accurate discussion of sociological theory, and the application of sociological theory and knowledge.
  • Research Skills:
    Students will apply theoretical, methodological, and research skills to carry out empirical research. Students will develop an understanding of both qualitative and quantitative methods for conducting research and how both methodologies complement one another.
Sahara Zúñiga Fernández
Sahara Zúñiga Fernández
'26 Sociology and Film & TV Production major
"We have incredible professors in the sociology department who have a great array of research focuses. Find a professor who researches or has experience with a topic you are interested in and try to connect with them in class or through research efforts!"

Contact Us!


Sociology Department
Roosevelt Hall 210
1 University Drive
Orange, CA 92866

Department Chair
Pete Simi, Ph.D.
simi@chapman.edu

Administrative Assistant
Aimee DeMier
ademier@chapman.edu

Sociology Peer Advisor
COMING FALL 2026