Programs in Sociology
Faculty
Becky Thompson, Professor and Undergraduate Program Director of Sociology
Dawna M. Thomas, Professor (On leave 2025 Fall semester)
Overview
The sociology program offers students a framework to understand social issues from a grounded and critical perspective and attracts students who are committed to social justice as an intellectual and activist pursuit. Students learn ways to apply research and theoretical skills toward social equity and leadership through our curriculum.
As a key component of the Department of Race, Gender, and Sexuality, the sociology program emphasizes critical reading, thinking, and writing. From W.E.B. Du Bois to Winnie Mandela to Patricia Hill Collins, there has always been a synergistic relationship among scholars in Africana Studies, Gender & Women's Studies, and Sociology. We support interdisciplinary approaches to the studies of inequalities, resistance, and social change. Sociology is known as the queen of the social sciences in our commitment to rigorous, life-embracing methodologies for studying the world. We welcome collaboration with other majors and minors to foster a well-rounded and rigorous liberal arts education.
Sociology majors are encouraged to treat community service and activism as integral to their studies. Many of our students continue studies in sociology and related fields at the graduate level. Sociology provides particularly good preparation for people interested in healthcare, community organizing, law, public policy, social work, and human services, doctoral work in sociology, and teaching at the primary, secondary, and university level.
Do you want to change the world? First we have to understand it.
You'll study everything from the global economy to the punishment industry, from religion to social justice organizing. The major allows you to develop a sophisticated understanding of what motivates human behavior. Sociology students are encouraged to study globally and apply your substantial training to the real world. The culture at Simmons is focused on community service and activism, giving you ample opportunities to connect and grow within our community.
Our faculty encourages diverse learning styles, offering options for independent learning. With your technical and intellectual experience, you will find successful careers in community organizing, law, public policy, academia, and social work –in the U.S. and internationally.