Program Description
Vermont State University’s Bachelor of Arts in Sociology program emphasizes lifelong learning, workforce development, and community engagement. As Vermont’s first “engaged” program recognized by Campus Compact, the BA in Sociology prioritizes experiential learning through civic involvement, study abroad, diversity and inclusiveness training, and sustainability. Core courses provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to become effective global citizens, address social issues, and promote social justice. Graduates are prepared for careers in human services, education, law, diversity management, human resources, counseling, government, research analysis, and criminal justice.
The program integrates well with related disciplines, allowing students to pursue dual degrees in fields like Social Work, Criminal Justice, Anthropology, History, Political Science, and Psychology. All sociology majors complete internships to gain real-world experience and can concentrate in Criminology or Cultural Anthropology. Students can also earn certificates in Cannabis Studies, Trauma Studies, and/or pursue minors in Women’s and Gender Studies, Anthropology, or Sociology.
Study Away and Study Abroad opportunities include service and experiential field programs in the American Southwest, Northern Cheyenne reservation in Montana, ethnographic research in Watamu, Kenya, ecotourism in Martinique, and a London Semester. The Center for Social Justice and Trauma Informed Care, a collaborative initiative, connects campus resources with community partners to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.
VTSU’s Bachelor of Arts in Sociology program offers interdisciplinary experiences, drawing on faculty expertise in areas such as research methods, sociological theory, critical analysis of race and ethnicity, anthropology, environmental sustainability, religion, social movements, and globalization. Diverse electives include courses in advocacy, alternative realities, sociology of sport, gender studies, self-care, and ethnocuisine.
Program Outcomes
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Employ the sociological imagination to understand societies and their place within them.
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Apply sociological theories with emphasis on global awareness, critical thinking, and cultural diversity to understand and address social problems and issues.
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Apply sociological research methods and demonstrate their ability to interpret, evaluate and generate sociologically relevant data to draw evidence-based conclusions.
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Demonstrate civic responsibility, accountability, and the skills to create a socially just, diverse, and sustainable world.
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Adopt a holistic, interdisciplinary approach to the study of human social life that integrates oral, written, visual, geographic, computer-based and media literacy skills.
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Demonstrate preparedness to further their education or enter careers that require interpersonal, multicultural knowledge and “people skills.” Sociology prepares students for many diverse careers including human services, education, law, diversity management, human resources, school counselor, government and international careers, research analysis, and criminal justice.
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