Mission and Program Goals

The MISSION of the Department of Sociology is to serve its students-majors, minors, and others-by developing and teaching courses and by providing learning activities designed to fulfill the department's Program Goals.

Sociology's Program Goals include the following:

• To cultivate students' understandings of human groups, organizations, communities, society, and culture.
• To develop students' analytical and critical-thinking skills.
• To develop students' methodological, research, and statistical skills.
• To deepen students' understandings of the complexities and interdependencies of social life and of relationships.
• To promote students' international and cross-cultural awareness.
• To augment students' capacities for making informed ethical judgments and decisions.
• To provide students with opportunities for on-site field learning experiences such as internships, volunteer community service projects, research activities, etc.
• To prepare students for successful personal careers as well as for productive, responsible lives which serve their communities and society.