Pacific Lutheran University

Sociology

Why study Sociology?

Sociologists study social life and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure and development of individuals, communities, organizations and societies. Few disciplines have such broad scope and relevance.

As a student of sociology, you will move beyond the world that is taken for granted. Sociology provides students with distinctive ways of looking at the world in order to generate new ideas and assess the old. Coursework includes analysis of crime, deviance, family and gender issues, race/ethnicity, social class, social problems and inequality. In addition, sociology provides training in a range of research techniques that can be applied to many areas of social life and policy.

What can I do when I graduate?

As a professional sociologist you will have learned to do many things. Only 25 years ago you would have been limited to one visibly prominent career: college teaching. Today, there are many options open to you. Many sociology majors pursue careers in government agencies, but sociologists in our modern industrial society are employed in a variety of professions, including:

law
public administration
social work
teaching
research and statistics
social service
human resources
business
criminal justice

As a PLU student, you are well prepared to pursue your goals in graduate school. Some recent PLU graduates have continued their study of sociology at Johns Hopkins, Vanderbilt, the University of Delaware, the University of California-Riverside and other notable graduate programs. Other students have pursued advanced degrees in related fields like education, economics, social work, medicine and justice studies.

Sociology Internships

One of the hallmarks of the PLU sociology program is the opportunity for you to receive extensive career field training before you graduate. You can gain important career experience at the many public and private social agencies that employ PLU sociology students as interns.

Private shelters for battered women, homeless shelters, social welfare agencies and the Pierce County Sheriff’s Of?ce provide ongoing opportunities for you to develop your sociology skills in a work setting. You could also make important contributions and gain valuable experience as a volunteer at agencies such as the YWCA, United Way, the Urban League and Centro Latino.

Scholarships

Robert K. Merton Scholarship - This scholarship was organized in 1994 to honor distinguished sociologist, Robert K. Merton, and to provide scholarly support to a sociology major at Pacific Lutheran University. Juniors with a minimum overall GPA of 3.2 who plan to pursue postgraduate work are eligible.
Johannes and Aleen Schiller Endowed Scholarship - The Schiller endowed Scholarship was established in 1979 by John and Aleen Schiller. Professor Schiller served as a faculty member, department chair and dean during his tenure at PLU. Juniors majoring in sociology are eligible. Students must demonstrate academic excellence in coursework (overall GPA of 3.2) and record of service and community outreach.

For more information, please contact the Department Chair.

Student Organizations

Zeta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta
Alpha Kappa Delta was founded in 1920 and currently has over 400 chapters. It is a professional organization dedicated to “the scientific study of social phenomenon for the promotion of human welfare” (AKD Handbook). PLU’s Chapter, Zeta of Washington, was chartered in 1993. In order to be eligible, a student must be an officially declared sociology major, either a junior or senior, have completed at least four (4) regular sociology courses, have a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 and have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in sociology. There is an initiation fee. Applications are usually processed early spring.

Sociology Club
The Sociology Club is a student-run organization that coordinates a number of academic, professional, and social events throughout the school year. Among its varied activities, the Club sponsors workshops on such topics as finding work with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and selecting and applying to graduate school, invites PLU sociology graduates to speak about their careers in the annual Alumni Panel.

Sociology Curriculum

The department curriculum is especially suited to accommodate special interests. Students may choose a major course of study in general sociology or place emphasis within one of two concentrations: Family/Gender and Crime/Deviance.