Sociology

Sociology is the scientific study of human interaction, groups, social institutions, culture and social forces producing order or causing change in society. Our faculty share a common mission: to instill in students an appreciation of what C. Wright Mills called "the sociological imagination." We help students better understand the ways that social forces shape people's lives, while at the same time comprehending the role of people in creating, sustaining, and changing society.

Students of sociology at Augustana also find that they're plugged into the discipline far beyond their campus. Dr. Peter Kivisto, the department chair, is the former editor of The Sociological Quarterly, one of the discipline's oldest and best-read journals.

About the program

• Augustana College offers a major and minor in sociology, and a concentration in social welfare. Sociology is the scientific study of human interaction, groups, social institutions and culture-social forces that create order or cause change in society. Students who choose a sociology major with a concentration in social welfare examine responses of society to human needs and social problems.
• The sociology department offers a wide range of courses dealing with such topics as race, class, gender, aging, organization, religion, demography and crime. Students of social welfare focus on such issues as mental and physical health, crime, child and family welfare, and poverty.
• Because the study of sociology includes issues and themes found throughout the liberal arts, Augustana's liberal arts foundation provides the ideal environment for sociological studies. The sociology faculty contributes significantly to the Augustana General Education Series, the liberal studies sequence for all students.
• The six full-time faculty members all hold the Ph.D. and are affiliated with various professional associations. The department chair, Dr. Peter Kivisto, is the outgoing editor of The Sociological Quarterly, one of the oldest and most widely read journals in the field.
• Augustana students complete a Senior Inquiry capstone project during the senior year, working with a faculty mentor as they demonstrate and further develop knowledge in their field. Within the sociology department, students create a portfolio of their major papers along with a final research project.

Outside the classroom

• Sociology students have opportunities to collaborate with faculty on research in the fields of sociology, social work and social policy.
• The sociology department assists students in finding internship placements in various areas including non-governmental organizations and non-profit sectors, public health, education, publishing and business.
• Students of sociology often participate in the student-run sociology club and the college's chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta, the international sociology honor society. In all, the college offers more than 150 co- and extra-curricular student organizations.
• Every year, Augustana sociology students showcase their research at state, regional and national conferences.

After Augustana

• Career opportunities for sociology majors stem from our graduates' knowledge of social organizations, social relations and collective behavior, and from the research skills they acquire. A degree in sociology from Augustana prepares graduates for employment in a variety of areas, including community relations, human resources, social planning, legal assistance, marketing, applied research and criminal justice.
• Students concentrating in social welfare are prepared for careers in the increasingly complex network of human services, including family welfare, health care, counseling, community organizing, policy analysis and program planning.
• Augustana's graduates in sociology and social welfare have attended graduate school in sociology, law, public administration, social work, criminal justice, education leadership and counseling.

What students say

Josh Morgan '10, sociology and political science majors, psychology minor:
"The sociology and social welfare programs at Augustana prepare you for the future in a multitude of ways. Whether it is through research opportunities or internship experience, the department and faculty are always developing new ways to incorporate learning experiences outside the classroom. In fact, the faculty encourages students to consider a variety of possibilities and to personalize the program to fit their interests. In the course of personalizing my program I was given the opportunity to intern with Arrowhead Ranch, an at-risk center for troubled youth, and the chance to work on a wide range of research projects. I know I am well-prepared for the future, no matter what path I take-law school or graduate school-because Augustana College has made sure this is possible through its prominent liberal arts education."

Sarah Cermak '09, sociology and anthropology majors:
"The sociology department at Augustana comprises professors who love what they teach and love teaching. Studying diverse populations through many of the anthropology and sociology classes I've taken led me to take part in a summer internship through Family Resources, Inc., working primarily at their domestic violence shelter in Davenport, Iowa. This was a challenging internship, but thanks to the education and mentoring I have received at Augustana, I definitely was prepared not only for the internship but also ... my future endeavors."