Sociology, BA

At MNU, studying sociology is rooted in a faith perspective-a desire to apply knowledge and understanding to care for the poor, comfort those in need, and to improve society. We study the behavioral sciences area through the lens of our Christian faith. Although sociology and faith are sometimes seen as contrasting, we see them as inseparable-a pursuit of truth without both of these perspectives is a limited one. The sociology major prepares students to pursue careers in areas such as casework (children, teens, adults), social work, non-profit organizations, community assessment and programming, urban planning, policy analyst, law enforcement, and youth service work.

Sociology Program Outcomes

1. The application of the sociological imagination, sociological concepts and theories to understanding their own life and the society around them.

2. An ability to work from evidence gathered by both qualitative and quantitative methods, design a research study of his or her own, and critically assess the research presented by others.

3. Technical skills in retrieving and analyzing information and data from internet and research databases. Graduates will also show the ability to present their findings in a format usable by others that reflects best practices for social scientists.

4. An awareness of the various kinds of diversity in the world (e.g. race, class, gender, age, cultural background) and an ability to dialogue with those whose perspective is different than their own. This includes empathy for how individuals have been shaped by their circumstances, yet insight into how individuals can make changes in their lives to move toward their goals and impact the broader society.

5. The development of personal and professional responsibility as educated persons of faith.

These goals are a shortened and modified version of those given in the American Sociological Association’s 2004 publication Liberal Learning and the Sociology Major Updated: Meeting the Challenge of Teaching Sociology in the Twenty-First Century by K. McKinney, C. Howery, K. Strand, E. Kain, and C. Berheide; A Report of the ASA Task Force on the Undergraduate Major, 2004, American Sociological Association

Senior Comprehensive Exam 

A comprehensive examination is required to be passed by all sociology majors before graduation. The comprehensive examination is meant to assess the student’s mastery of basic content areas of the curriculum.

The examination is administered by the department each fall for sociology. Further details regarding the senior comprehensive are available from the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department Chair. There is a $32.50 fee for this exam.