If you find people, social life, and the wider world fascinating, sociology may be the major for you. Sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies, and how people interact within these contexts.
Since all human behavior is social, the subject matter of sociology ranges from the intimate family to the organized social movement for change; from deviant behavior to organized crime to religious cults; from the divisions of race, gender, and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture; and from the sociology of health and medicine to the sociology of mass media. In fact, few fields have such broad scope and relevance for research, theory, and application of knowledge. At Transylvania we encourage students both to theorize about society and to apply their knowledge through internships, service learning, and participation in public affairs.
The sociology program at Transylvania looks at a broad range of human behavior issues from a social-structural and cultural perspective. There is a special interest in the areas of crime, deviance, and social inequalities. Among other topics of study are the family, race and ethnicity, healthcare systems, gender, verbal and nonverbal communication, religion, and social and cultural change.
A major in sociology gives students a solid foundation for occupations that involve understanding and working with people of diverse backgrounds. In the past decade, the number of sociologists in business alone has doubled. The sociology major provides excellent preparation for graduate and professional schools in such areas as law, medicine, and human services.
Sociology students at Transylvania benefit from the college's location in metropolitan Lexington, Ky., a city of 270,000 that is home to a wide variety of businesses, government agencies, healthcare centers, educational institutions, and non-profit agencies that offer numerous internship opportunities. Transylvania students have interned at Blackburn Correctional Complex, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Police Department, the Center for Women, Children, and Families, and the Lexington Rape Crisis Center, among other places.
Alpha Kappa Delta (sociology and anthropology honorary)
Transylvania University admits students regardless of age, race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, national origin, or any other classification protected by federal or state law or local ordinance.