The Department of Sociology at the University of Washington is one of the oldest Sociology departments in the country. Our distinguished faculty is actively engaged in both research and teaching, and we aim to bring excitement about Sociology to all our interactions with students. Our undergraduate major graduates several hundred students each year, and offers opportunities for student to participate in both traditional classroom based learning as well as hand-on-learning in our practica courses, study abroad, and honors program. Undergraduate sociology majors go on to work in a variety of careers, including social services, marketing, law, and teaching. Our graduate program is designed to prepare a select group of students for independent research careers.
The work sociologists do is crucial for building stronger and more just communities, economies, and a better world for all.
We are dedicated to the use of scientific methods to:
- Identify barriers to opportunities to live in safe and prosperous communities
- Understand the role of culture and social movements in the processes of social change
- Highlight and challenge the unequal application of justice
- Understand how the conditions in which we live, work, and grow influence health and well-being
- Evaluate how social policies influence people's living and working conditions
- Study the role of powerful institutions in propagating inequality
- Understand changes in the composition of our population and how these changes shape conditions in our communities
- Assist community partners to provide crucial services to our communities
We are also dedicated to providing students with the skills to:
- Analyze complex social problems and systems
- Investigate the role of social organizations in providing opportunities and services for individuals and communities
- Assess the effectiveness and efficiency of public policy
- Critically evaluate the quality of evidence reported in news media as well as official reports
- Work with community partners to strengthen opportunities for individuals and families
- Communicate effectively in multiple modes and with a wide variety of audiences
- Synthesize information from multiple sources to provide a critical analysis of an issue
We invite you to explore the pages below to learn more about our academic programs.