Is a research university right for me?–

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students. Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you. If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel. Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well. Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Is a liberal arts college right for me?–

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree. Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom). Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships, but also more pleasurable walks across campus. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Is an online college right for me?–

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degress you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no disctinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whehter you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college. Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain. Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands balancing work and life, or becuase the online colleges afford them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are aynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc. The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions. If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find, well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

Best Colleges and Universities for Sociology Degrees

By James Barham

Published: Nov 9, 2021
Updated: Mar 13, 2023

The best sociology degree programs are those with rich histories of influence, proven through the work produced by the program’s faculty and alumni. Beyond demonstrating scholarly impact in the field, the best sociology degree programs maximize your opportunities to interact with outstanding sociology faculty.

Key Takeaways

Sociology is a discipline that covers diverse topics involving the study of the relationship between human beings and their surroundings.
Sociology students are taught to understand how human beings and their activities and consciousness shape and are shaped by surrounding cultural and social systems.
Undergraduate and graduate degrees in sociology cover sociological research methods, such as using statistics, conducting in-depth interviews, analyzing the language used in media articles, and evaluating different settings where interactions exist.

A bachelor’s degree in sociology is an excellent starting point for a career in public service, policy development, activism and a host of other socially conscious fields. The sociology degree centers on how systems like families, groups, and communities intersect. Sociology also concerns the way human beings relate to one another over matters of religion, culture, race, gender, and more. Sociology students will learn how to conduct research, study populations, and understand how these populations are impacted by factors like geography, race, economics, and more. The best schools for sociology are those which are regionally accredited, which offer a full array of sociology concentrations, and which give you the chance to work with the best and most influential professors and classmates.

Featured Programs

Sociology: A Valuable Degree Program

Sociology is a diverse and vast field, and different jobs require different educational requirements. Some positions only require a bachelor’s degree, while some demand applicants to have a graduate degree.

Given the wide variety of sociology programs available, it’s crucial to comprehend the distinctions between degree levels in sociology before applying.

Fortunately, the majority of the best colleges and universities for sociology degrees provide on-campus and online degree programs. Online degree programs have helped working students dedicate the necessary time to a sociology degree without having to leave their current positions.

Degree Levels in Sociology

Associate Degree in Sociology

Students who want to test the waters before committing to a four-year college or university can begin by obtaining an associate degree in sociology. This degree level is a two-year post-secondary option that covers a variety of basic sociological concepts. Graduates of an associate’s degree program in sociology have access to a wide range of employment prospects.

It is an appropriate, less expensive alternative with the possibility for profitable work placements within several fields of sociology, even though it is not as in-depth as a four-year degree in sociology.

Basic Requirements:

Proof of graduation from a high school, such as a high school diploma or GED.
Transcripts from previous levels of education.
Proficiency in the English language

Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology

Bachelor’s degree programs in sociology open up several career opportunities in different industries involving sociology. Undergraduate students are often allowed to customize their degree programs by choosing a concentration.

The most common concentrations in this degree level include:

class, race, and ethnicity
social change
political and social movements
criminal justice
gender and sexuality
social stratification
culture
globalization
economics
medicine
organizations
urban sociology

Bachelor’s degrees in sociology typically require students to complete 120 credits or 40 courses in at least two years. Many factors affect the duration of a bachelor’s degree. Undergraduate students need to consider whether they can attend full- or part-time classes.

There are two types of undergraduate degrees in sociology: bachelor of science (BS) and bachelor of arts (BA). Compared to BA degrees, BS in sociology programs emphasize research theories and methodology, focusing on data gathering and analysis.

BA in sociology programs adopt a more multidisciplinary approach and place a greater emphasis on the liberal arts.

Bachelor’s degrees that are often intertwined with sociology are political science and social science.

Basic requirements:

A minimum GPA of 2.0 to 3.0.
SAT and ACTs
GRE scores

Master’s Degree in Sociology

After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in sociology or its closely-related fields, students planning to enter upper-level positions are encouraged, often required, to obtain a master’s degree in sociology. This degree level equips students with advanced skills and knowledge in quantitative methods, ethnographic research, and global perspectives.

A master’s degree in sociology requires students to complete 30 to 45 credits and can last up to two years of full-time study. A thesis requirement could make it take longer to finish. Enrolling part-time will take you longer to graduate.

Basic Requirements:

Bachelor’s in sociology or any closely-related field
Minimum 3.0 GPA
Two to three letters of recommendation
GRE scores

A few of the best schools to obtain a master’s degree are the University of California Berkeley, Harvard University, Princeton University, Stanford University, Duke University, Northwestern University, and the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill, among others.

Doctoral Degree in Sociology

A doctorate in sociology is the highest level of education available. This terminal education equips graduates with research, teaching, and leadership careers. Students often concentrate their study on a specific topic, such as social deviance, criminal justice, or gender, racial, or ethnic disparities.

A doctorate in sociology typically takes 4-8 years to complete. You spend roughly a year preparing a qualifying paper and taking tests to move to doctoral candidacy after two to three years of in-class study. As a doctoral candidate, you spend one to two years conducting original research and writing your dissertation before presenting it in front of a faculty panel in a public setting.

Basic Requirements:

Master’s degree in a social science discipline
At least three years of professional experience in sociology

Frequently Asked Questions About Sociology Bachelor’s Degrees

Your knowledge as a sociology major can qualify you to work in a wide array of settings, from research foundations and think tanks to educational groups and government agencies. But you’ll also learn excellent communication skills, the scientific research process, and problem-solving skills. These traits are in high-demand in any workplace setting, and can qualify you to work in a wide range of professional contexts.

Sociology concerns broad and overlapping systems. Researchers, educators, community leaders and outreach groups impact the lives of countless people, families and communities through meaningful findings and actions. Today, top influencers in sociology are bringing illumination to subjects like the intersection of humans and technology, feminist and gender theory, social networking, urban sociology, and much more.

Sociology is one of the more versatile and respected social sciences degrees. That’s because this major is inherently interdisciplinary in nature, bringing together subject areas like economics, political science, and statistical analysis. Each of these disciplines informs the way we understand complex and interwoven social systems like religious organizations, national governments, and varying ethnic groups.

The bachelor’s degree in sociology may be earned in four years, and provides a comprehensive education in demographic studies, research methodology, urban studies and more. Your undergraduate degree in sociology will qualify you for a wide range of opportunities in the field, including human resources specialist, guidance counselor, market research analyst, and more.

Once you’ve declared your major in sociology, you will likely be required to complete a set of core courses in a number of related subject areas. While your concentration will give you a chance to choose from a wide range of highly-specialized sociology electives, there are several courses that most sociology majors will be required to take, including:

Sociolinguistics
Criminal Behavior and Social Control
Sociology of Race and Ethnicity
The Practice of Social Research
Ethnographic Research
Comparative and Historical Methods
Epidemiological Methods
Analysis of Sociological Data
Language, Culture, and Education
Sociology of Gender

Majoring in sociology can qualify you for a wide range of professional opportunities. Your communication, research, and problem-solving skills will be of value in an array of educational, administrative, and business settings. If you plan to channel your education into a sociology-specific career, consider these top jobs:

Frequently Asked Questions About Research Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges, Online Colleges

In pursuing a bachelor’s degree, you will need to choose between three kinds of schools: research universities, liberal arts colleges, and online colleges.

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students.

Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you. If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel.

Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well.
Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Learn more about research universities by reading about the best research universities in the US.

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree.

Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom).
Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships, but also more pleasurable walks across campus. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Learn more about liberal arts colleges by reading about the best liberal arts colleges in the US.

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degress you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no disctinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whehter you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college.

Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain.
Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands balancing work and life, or becuase the online colleges afford them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are aynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc.
The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions.

If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

The Best Colleges and Universities for Sociology Degrees

Harvard University
Columbia University
University of Chicago
University of California, Berkeley
Yale University

Go to The Best Sociology Major Research Universities

Wesleyan University
Swarthmore College
Wellesley College
Pomona College
Amherst College

Go to The Best Sociology Major Liberal Arts Colleges

University of Missouri
University of South Carolina
Florida International University
University of Louisville
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Go to The Best Sociology Major Online Colleges

The Best Sociology Schools in Your State

Learn More About Sociology

If you want to know more about sociology, then check out our related content:

Learn how to major in sociology
Think about your next step and what you can do with a master’s degree in sociology
Learn more about sociology from our interviews with influential sociologists
Find out who are the most influential sociologists today

Best Colleges and Universities for Sociology Degrees

Key Takeaways

Featured Programs

Sociology: A Valuable Degree Program

Degree Levels in Sociology

Associate Degree in Sociology

Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology

Master’s Degree in Sociology

Doctoral Degree in Sociology

Frequently Asked Questions About Sociology Bachelor’s Degrees

What can I do with a sociology major?

Is sociology a good major?

What courses will I take as a sociology major?

What jobs can I do with a sociology major?

The Best Colleges and Universities for Sociology Degrees

Best Sociology Major Research Universities

Best Sociology Major Liberal Arts Colleges

Best Sociology Major Online Colleges

The Best Sociology Schools in Your State

Learn More About Sociology