The shift from rural to urban society is one of the largest and most profound shifts in the history of society. This area of concentration focuses on understanding the nature of this shift.

The purpose of this area is to encourage students to learn a set of methods that are associated with various computational orientations to social science.

Culture refers to a broad set of social institutions (for example, TV and other media, sports, and religion) that shape patterns of behavior in everyday life.

Economic sociology analyzes economic phenomena such as markets, corporations, property rights, and work using the tools of sociology.

A student who specializes in the area of gender must demonstrate special knowledge of how biological sex and gender shape individuals’ identities

Sociologists of inequality study the distribution of desired social goods, across groups defined by social classes and occupations, race, gender, immigrant status, age, or sexual orientation

Sociologists approach their objects of study in a number of ways among a broad range of methodological approaches.

This area is designed to increase students’ knowledge and mastery of a range of organizations, including business firms, non-profit organizations, and government bodies.

Sociology is increasingly linked to issues of social policy. This includes public policy, health policy and related domains.

Political Sociology studies the realm of political action, which is an important domain for understanding social structure at the national and local levels.

Students who specialize in this area focus on the role of the individual statuses of race/ethnicity and the experience of immigration

This area focuses on the technologies and institutions surrounding health outcomes.

Demographers in the field of sociology carry out research on varied aspects of population composition, distribution, and change.

Social network analysis is a way of conceptualizing, describing, and modeling society as sets of people or groups linked to one another by specific relationships.

Social psychologists study how behaviors and beliefs are shaped by the social context in which people are embedded.

This area seeks to ensure that students understand both theories associated with educational success from a sociological standpoint

Family research in the field of sociology addresses patterns of change and variation in family behaviors and household relationships by social class, race/ethnicity, and gender.

There is increasing recognition (including within the field of medicine) that health and illness are a function of social factors.