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Sociology Major
Common Career Paths
- Policy and research
- Human services
- Criminal justice/law enforcement
- Political advocacy
- Human resources
- Public relations
Whether you plan to pursue a career in the helping professions, public administration, law, business, politics or education, a bachelor’s degree in sociology from George Fox University is a great start.
Sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior, so it’s a versatile discipline that gives you plenty of career options. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations and societies, and how people interact within these contexts.
The sociology major serves as a broad liberal arts base for professions such as law, medicine, counseling, criminology/corrections, law enforcement, urban planning, social work, education and community development. It is also an excellent choice for those planning to become a college professor, researcher or applied sociologist. What further distinguishes our program is the fact we offer a Christian college environment that encourages not only academic – but spiritual – growth.
Request information about the sociology major at George Fox University or apply now to begin your education at Oregon's Christian university, ranked as one of the top Christian colleges in the nation by Forbes.
Jobs, Internships and Graduate School
Job Outlook
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the demand for sociologists is expected to grow by 21 percent through 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations. This is because the incorporation of sociology into research in other fields continues to increase. Graduates with a BA in sociology can expect to secure an entry-level position, while those with graduate degrees will often receive advanced positions and a higher salary.
Positions sociology majors have held
- Mental Health Specialist, Family Solutions
- Reading for All Community Specialist, Polk County
- Intake Coordinator, Georgia Justice Project
- Student Engagement Coordinator, AmeriCorps, Linfield College
- Youth Director, Norwegian Cruise Line
- Public Policy Associate, Internews Network
- Young Adult Pastor, Yakima Foursquare Church
Graduate schools to which sociology majors have been accepted
- Portland State University
- University of California, Davis
- University of Nevada at Las Vegas
- Arizona State University
- Lewis and Clark
- George Fox University
Internships sociology majors have held
- The Micah Challenge, Portland, Ore. (Working to mobilize communities, churches and Christian organizations on behalf of global poverty.)
- Yamhill County Action Partnership, McMinnville, Ore. (Advocating for and assisting persons towards self-sufficiency in Yamhill County.)
- Yamhill County Community Corrections, McMinnville, Ore. (Working with an variety of corrections and community safety programs.)
Additional learning opportunities outside the classroom
- Students will complete an original research project by defining topic, methodology, and collecting and analyzing data. Some topics of research completed by sociology seniors have included homelessness count in Yamhill County, prostitution in Portland, Ore., and the function of small-scale farms and their consumer support base.
- Participate in a community activism project in the Social Change course.
- Apply for study abroad or for Richter Scholarships for research and study.
Points of Distinction
- Sociology majors will learn a brand of research that can be applied to any aspect of social life, such as delinquency, corporate downsizing, emotions, welfare or education reform.
- Students will complete original research projects.
- Students will become involved in class projects that explore broad issues connected to social justice. Recent projects have involved creation care, climate change and social justice as it relates to food.
- Sociology is a solid undergraduate degree for entrance into graduate school for teaching, law school, ministry or business/policy programs.
- Our faculty includes Melanie Hulbert, an expert in sociology of work and gender issues and family. Read an interview with her here.
Why George Fox?
- Christ-centered community
Our faith influences everything we do here, from the way our professors teach to the way we relate to one another and serve in the community. - Global opportunities
Half of George Fox undergraduate students study abroad. That ranks in the top 50 out of 1,400 American colleges! - Small classes
Our 13-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio means you’ll get to know your professors on a personal level. - National recognition
George Fox University is a Christian university classified by U.S. News & World Report as a first-tier regional university, and Forbes ranks George Fox among the highest Christian colleges in the country.
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Sociology Student Experiences
“To live well in God’s world requires asking good questions. Through studying sociology at George Fox, I learned how to ask these questions and how to think critically about the problems in the world. Now equipped with this ‘sociological imagination’ I am able to live the questions I learned to ask and incarnate a Christian response to issues like social stratification, racial reconciliation and gender inequality that plague our society and the church today.”
- Allison Ogle ('10)
“My education in sociology at George Fox has been fundamental to shaping the way I understand the world and make decisions about how to live. This program taught me the important connections between power structures in society, gave me theories to understand it all, and provided a Christian voice in the midst of sometimes hopeless statistics. My professors helped me to think critically, encouraged my questions, taught me how to research and gave voice to the parts of society that are often overlooked.”
- Sara Eccelston ('11)