Department of Sociology
We're the oldest sociology department in the United States - we study social life, social change and the social causes and consequences of human behavior.
Why Sociology?
- It opens plenty of career opportunities at the local, state, and federal levels
- It has relevance across a variety of fields
- You'll learn how to understand the world around you
- It prepares you for the pursuit of professional and graduate degrees
- It's a fascinating and multifaceted discipline
KU Sociology in the News
Qixin Pan receives CLAS Outstanding Thesis Award
KU Sociology graduate student Qixin Pan has been selected as a winner of the 2024 CLAS Outstanding Thesis Award. Congratulations, Qixin!
Mehrangiz Najafizadeh Receives 2023 Woodyard Award
Mehrangiz Najafizadeh, associate professor of sociology at the University of Kansas, is the recipient of the 2023 George and Eleanor Woodyard International Educator Award. She will give a talk on her work in international education during an award presentation and reception at 4 p.m.
Yurong Zhang receives Office of Graduate Studies Summer Research Scholarship
KU Sociology graduate student Yurong Zhang has been selected as the recipient of the 2024 Office of Graduate Studies Summer Research Scholarship. Congratulations, Yurong!
Trafficking Narratives and the Prosecution of NXIVM
Although cults often inflict significant damage upon their followers, the prosecution of cult abuse is a challenging feat because of the legally incoherent nature of the harms. Increasingly, prosecutors have addressed cult abuses by prosecuting cult leaders for human trafficking.
Undergraduate Program
There are different paths for students interested in Sociology. Discover which is right for you and explore our majors and minors.
Get StartedGraduate Program
Our graduate program allows you to learn alongside nationally recognized scholars and explore topics through faculty-student collaboration.
Explore our program