AREAS OF CONCENTRATION

Medical Sociology and Mental Health

We offer a specialization in medical sociology and the sociology of mental health.  Within those broad areas, students and faculty study a range of topics, such as the stress process, neighborhoods and heath, doctor-patient interaction, identities and health, aging, health disparities, care giving and caregivers, epidemiology, and substance use.  The department offers numerous courses on health and mental health including the Sociology of Healthcare, Sociology of Medicine, Epidemiologic Methods in Health Research, Sociology of Mental Health and Mental Disorders, and Social Gerontology.

Social Inequalities

We offer a specialization in social inequities with emphases in the three broad areas of race/ethnicity, class and gender.  Within those broad areas, students and faculty study a range of topics including: inequality in various life domains (e.g., work, education, family and health), racism and discrimination, immigration, race/class/gender intersectionality, economic inequality, masculinity and sexuality.  The department offers numerous inequalities courses, including Stratification and Health, Social Stratification to Social Inequalities, Sociology of Gender, Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, and Work and Family

Social Psychology

We offer a specialization in social psychology with emphases in the three broad areas: group processes, social structure and personality, and symbolic interactionism.  Within those broad areas, students and faculty study a range of topics including deviance, emotions, gender, identity, mental health, race and status.  The department offers numerous social psychology courses such as Social Psychology, Personality and Social Systems, Sociology of Sentiments and Emotions, Sociology of Communications, and Self, Identity and Interaction.  

Criminology and Deviance

We offer a specialization in criminology and deviance.  Students and faculty study a range of sociological and criminiological theories as they apply to alcohol and drug use, alcohol use and abuse, gender and crime, homicide, interpersonal violence, intimate partner violence, juvenile delinquency, media and crime, positive deviance (e.g., Altruism), suicide, and victimization.  The department offers numerous courses on crime and deviance including Crime and Inequality, Deviant Behavior, Family Violence, Women and Crime, and Violence and Victims.