Sociology Major
Table of Contents
What is a sociology degree?
A sociology degree helps you see the familiar in unfamiliar ways — to pause over everyday life and ask why it looks the way it does. It reveals how families, schools, economies, media, and governments quietly shape our opportunities and assumptions, linking personal stories to larger social patterns. Along the way, you develop the tools to ask sharper questions, gather and interpret evidence, and understand — with clarity and depth — the world you move through every day.
Why study sociology at Furman?
Ask big questions about how society works — and wrestle with them in small, conversation-rich classes where your voice matters. A sociology major at Furman invites you to examine crime and justice, health and medicine, and the ways race, class, gender, and sexuality shape choices and chances. Blending theory with hands-on research, you’ll investigate the institutions and identities that organize our world – and extend that learning beyond campus through faculty-led study abroad that brings global patterns into focus. Plan a visit to Furman’s beautiful campus or start your application today.
How will you learn?
At Furman, sociology majors don’t just read about research — they learn how to do it. Over three semesters, you’ll build strong skills in both qualitative and quantitative methods, collecting and analyzing your own data and even presenting your work at a professional conference. You might travel with faculty to Denmark to explore the science and culture of happiness, or take part in a three-week May Experience course like “Family Tree Sociology,” where you connect larger social forces to your own family story. Ready to get started? Reach out to admissions or learn more about how to apply and begin your journey.
Careers for sociology majors
Many of our sociology graduates further their education at top-ranked programs across the country. A sociology major provides you with skills – critical thinking, data collection and analysis, presentation and writing – for a wide array of career paths.
Some fields our graduates go into include:
- Medicine and health careers, hospital administration
- Law or criminal justice
- Nonprofit sphere
- Experience management (XM), User experience (UX)
- Economic development
- Research
- Social services
- Counseling
- Human resources
Featured sociology courses
Sociology Major FAQ
Sociology majors are uniquely prepared to navigate and interpret a rapidly changing, data-saturated, and deeply unequal world. Their training in social theory, research methods, and critical analysis equips them to understand how institutions, identities, and power shape everyday life—skills that translate across sectors. Sociology students work in public policy, nonprofit leadership, community organizing, education, healthcare, human resources, user experience research, criminal justice, data analysis, market research, and counseling. They are trained to design surveys and interviews, analyze quantitative and qualitative data, communicate findings clearly, and consider ethical implications—competencies that employers increasingly value. Just as importantly, sociology graduates bring a structural lens to complex problems, enabling them not only to ask better questions but also to design evidence-based solutions.
Studies have found that the average salary for sociology majors is approximately $42,000 per year. Top earners can earn $67,000 or more, according to ziprecruiter.com.
A B.A. in sociology in Furman is a four-year program.
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99%Students who conduct research
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63%Students who choose to double major
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45%Students who participate in study away
What our students say
Our faculty
Your academic advisor will help you explore your passions, define your interests and achieve your goals. You’ll tap into a widespread network of community and alumni mentors to help you on your individual educational path – and to the opportunities at the end of it. Furman’s sociology faculty represent decades of study and real-world expertise.
Geniece Crawford Mondé
Yang Gao
Claire Gilliland
Kristy Maher
Joseph Merry
