Discover the forces behind social inequality and social change.

This video, with faculty members Dr. Rachael Neal and Dr. Michelle Robertson, tells a little more about the Sociology degree and why St. Edward's University is the right place to learn more about people, their beliefs, and their interactions with each other. 

Major Roadmap

Explore your options — classes, internships, research and study abroad. Find what interests you in the Sociology Major Guide, discover what you love, and create a major experience that jumpstarts your future. 

A major in Sociology will help you understand why society functions the way it does, and how you can work to make it more just.

You’ll learn about individual and group identities connected to race, class, gender, sexuality, age, culture and religion. Study institutions like family, politics and religion, and how power is distributed in society. Sociology helps you understand why some groups maintain the status quo while others upend and reshape society. It helps you see an event like a crime wave as the tip of an iceberg and identify the larger social and historical forces at work under the surface.

Sociology will teach you to study the causes and consequences of human beliefs and behavior from a scientific perspective. You’ll learn how to design a research study of a topic you’re curious about and produce professional-level work. Outside the classroom, you’ll apply your skills by interning at a place like a child welfare organization, nonprofit that serves the urban poor, girls empowerment club, family violence shelter, or environmental or human rights advocacy group.

After graduation, you may work in social services, business, the health professions, journalism or government – or pursue a career producing sociological research, which underpins many policy decisions and social programs. Whatever you choose, you’ll leave St. Edward’s with strong research skills, insight into society and a passion for social justice.

What do our graduates do?

Sociology majors go on to a variety of careers and graduate schools from St. Edward’s. Here’s a sample.

  • English Teaching Assistant in the Fulbright U.S. Student Program
  • Peace Corps member in Ecuador
  • Senior associate in Client Solutions at the Gerson Lehrman Group
  • Student in the Sociology PhD program at Washington State University in Pullman
  • Donor relations and data coordinator at Foundation Communities, which provides supportive, affordable housing to families in need

Breakout Fulbright Students

Rachel Leader ’19, a Sociology major, received the highly selective Fulbright award, a scholarship and grant program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. Read about her experiences — and those of other Fulbright scholars — on the hilltop.

The Classroom and Beyond

As a Sociology major, you’ll learn through service, research and internships. These experiences will help you understand how the dynamics you’re studying in class unfold in the Austin community.

Research

Sociology majors learn methods for conducting research to understand social phenomena. You’ll have the opportunity to present your work at the St. Edward’s Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression or at a professional academic conference, where you can learn about the careers in research and academia and build your network.

Study Abroad

Studying for a semester at any of St. Edward’s partner campuses, or during a shorter faculty-led program, will enrich your understanding of Sociology. You’ll witness how different policies and cultural expectations affect social justice in another country and build your ability to critically analyze initiatives in the United States.

Service Experiences

Campus Ministry offers numerous service programs open to all students, regardless of major or religious affiliation. Give back to your community and learn about real-world efforts to address the challenges you’ve learned about in class.

S.E.R.V.E Austin is a weekly, semester-long volunteer commitment at a specific site where you’ll develop relationships with immigrants and refugees, children at an after-school program, young adults working on their GED, the elderly or the formerly homeless.

S.E.R.V.E. 1 Day events are Saturday-morning programs that include breakfast, transportation to the site, lunch and a reflection. These one-day projects often involve physical labor, like cleaning up a park, removing invasive species or painting a school.

Service Break Experiences give you the chance to travel to another community, volunteer and learn about local life. SBEs are built on ongoing relationships between St. Edward’s and the service location and require students to prepare – educationally and spiritually – for several months beforehand. The trips incorporate structured reflections so you’ll integrate what you’ve learned and use it to fuel your charity and justice work going forward. A hallmark of SBEs is their emphasis on living simply – you’ll leave your phone and other luxuries behind.

Many of the organizations where students intern (listed below) also accept volunteers. These are good settings to contribute to an organization’s mission while learning about a potential career path.

Standing Up and Speaking Out

Public speaker and international scholar Alexis Reed ’23 uses her own story of activism to inspire her peers.

SEU to You

Teaching one of the most timely courses on campus, Dr. Michelle Robertson invites you to observe and understand the social world, learn why it functions the way it does, and explore your role as an architect in that process. Dive deep in exciting topics spanning from culture, social structure and current events.