DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY & CRIMINOLOGY
The Department of Sociology & Criminology is recognized as one of the most prolific in the country, consistently producing pioneering scholarly research across a broad spectrum of disciplines, including Environmental Sociology, Political Sociology, Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, Sociology of Development, Sociology of Gender, Sociology of Health, Population Studies, and Criminology.
Undergraduate Programs
Sociology
Study human behavior and how it shapes and is shaped by larger cultural and social contexts.
Degree options: major or minor
Criminology
Examine issues such as race and criminal justice, police brutality, sexual assault, terrorism and more.
Degree options: major or certificate
Diversity Certificate
Study the social impacts of race, ethnicity, class, and gender through multiple perspectives and contemporary theories.
Degree option: certificate
Have a question or ready to declare?
Graduate Programs
Master of Statistics in Sociology
Apply statistical methods to sociological and social problems and gain broad knowledge in statistics and probability theory.
Ph.D. in Sociology
Train in social theory, research methods, statistical analysis, instructional pedagogy and research ethics to gain the skills needed to pursue a range of academic and applied careers.
In addition, work closely with faculty members to pursue specialized training in one or more of eight program areas: Environmental Sociology, Political Sociology, Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, Sociology of Development, Sociology of Gender, Sociology of Health, Population Studies and Criminology.
What can you do with a degree in Sociology?
The American Sociological Association's Careers in Sociology suggests the following areas for seeking employment:
- Social services--in rehabilitation, case management, group work with youth or the elderly, recreation, or administration
- Community work--in fund-raising for social service organizations, nonprofits, child-care or community development agencies, or environmental groups
- Corrections--in probation, parole, or other criminal justice work
- Business--in advertising, marketing and consumer research, insurance, real estate, personnel work, training, or sales
- College settings--in admissions, alumni relations, or placement offices
- Health services--in family planning, substance abuse, rehabilitation counseling, health planning, hospital admissions, and insurance companies
- Publishing, journalism, and public relations--in writing, research, and editing
- Government services--in federal, state, and local government jobs in such areas as transportation, housing, agriculture, and labor
- Teaching--in elementary and secondary schools, in conjunction with appropriate teacher certification.
Sociology is a valuable major for students planning careers in a wide variety of fields including social research, criminology, demography, social psychology, public administration, gerontology, education, rehabilitation, social work, and research. It provides a useful background for those planning to enter law, business, medicine, community planning, architecture, and politics.
$1.3
million in grants awarded during 2017-2018
10:1
ratio of currently enrolled students to faculty
#1
sociology program in Utah
#25 in the nation
200+
publications by faculty from 2016-2019
News
Brown Bag Lecture #2 in 2025: "Views on Use of Laws for Environmental Protection: Examining the Political Partisanship Perspective on the Liberal-Conservative Divergence on Environmental Concern and Behavior"
Lazarus Adua presenting a Brown Bag Lecture entitled "Views on Use of Laws for Environmental Protection: Examining the Political Partisanship Perspective on the Liberal-Conservative Divergence on Environmental Concern and Behavior".
Brown Bag Lecture #1 in 2025: "Deflecting the Shots: Varieties of Individualism and Nonmedical Vaccine Exemption Rates across U.S. States, 2010 to 2019"
Wade Cole presenting a Brown Bag Lecture entitled "Deflecting the Shots: Varieties of Individualism and Nonmedical Vaccine Exemption Rates across U.S. States, 2010 to 2019".
What The Sociology & Criminology Program Can Do For You
Linden Hughes is an alumnus of the Sociology Department through obtaining the Criminology Certificate and uses her background in sociology/criminology everyday as a researcher for the Utah Department of Corrections. Linden was gratious enough to let us know how the Sociology & Criminolgy program helped her in her career. Here is what she had to say.