Sociology: Overview

The sociology department at the University of Portland focuses on understanding society and culture as it is organized in various social institutions. Our undergraduate major provides training in the methods of social research and familiarity with the various theories of social organization and social change. The variety of topic areas offered for students in this major include marriage and family, criminology, urban society, gerontology, minority relations, social psychology, gender, social inequality, and the study of culture.

Sociology majors graduate with a variety of capacities that are valuable in today’s world, including:

• The ability to see larger social processes and be aware of social change;
• The ability to think critically about social life, to question assumptions, and to consider alternatives;
• An understanding of the social forces that shape individuals and the way that these forces limit or enable us;
• The ability to understand, interpret, and design social research;
• The ability to express themselves through the written and spoken word;
• An understanding of culture and the way it shapes our perception of the world.

Please feel free to explore our website through the above tabs to learn more about sociology at the University of Portland.