Majoring in sociology will ignite your sociological imagination and equip you with tools to understand social issues. You will join a department with particularly strong programs in the study of marriage and the family, social deviance, social inequality (including race, gender, and class) and sociology of health and mental health.
Your core courses include an introduction to sociology and sociological research, theory and intensive writing, and community-based research. Beyond that, dive deep into areas that match your interests.
Options
- Crime/deviance
- Family
- Health
- Social inequality
- Social research
Academics + Experience = Opportunities
Complement academic preparation with experiential learning, creating more opportunities after graduation. Talk to an academic advisor and a career coach about making the most of your time at Nebraska.
Four-year success plan
What to do each year
Catalog
Major requirements and courses
Printable summary
With sample four-year schedule
Transferrable Career Skills
- Advocate for marginalized or underrepresented groups
- Examine and address social problems, and implement creative solutions
- Develop and defend evidence based arguments
- Defend and discuss complex issues from multiple angles
- Analyze and explain data
- Compose convincing arguments and present logical information
- Contextualize political, social, and historical events
- Perform analysis of social and cultural issues
- Demonstrate ethical conduct in research activities
- Apply mathematical and scientific skills to solve real-world problems
Experience
Experience is valuable and goes beyond the classroom. We strive to help you connect your academics with research, internships, education abroad, service learning and leadership experiences in sociology, such as:
- Interning with Cedars Youth Services
- Learn more about internships
- Researching peer pressure and conformity
- Learn more about undergraduate research
- Studying abroad in Australia, Greece or Morocco
- Learn more about education abroad
- Serving as the Undergraduate Sociological Association president
- Learn more about getting involved in student organizations
- Volunteering for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Nebraska
- Learn more about service learning
Opportunities
With a major in sociology, you are prepared for leadership positions in government agencies, non-profit organizations, private enterprise or professional fields. You may choose to pursue social work or counseling; marketing, advertising or sales; criminal justice, probation, or corrections; data collection and analysis; program implementation and evaluation; human resources and personnel departments in business or government agencies; graduate work; or professional school in law, health care, counseling or business.
Examples of Alumni Careers
- Assistant Program Coordinator for WH Thompson, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
- Behavioral Youth Counselor, Youth Villages
- Bilingual Case Manager, Friendship Home
- Children's Service Worker, Missouri Department of Social Service
- Community Organizer, Nebraska Appleseed
- Data Analyst, State of Nebraska
- Director of Juvenile Justice Institute, University of Nebraska–Omaha
- Disability Services Specialist, Department of Health and Human Services
- Parent Educator, Lincoln Public Schools
- Youth Specialist, Cedars Youth Services
Examples of Graduate Schools Attended by Alumni
- Juris Doctorate, Harvard Law School
- Master's Degree, Criminology, Law, and Society, University of California- Irvine
- Master's Degree, Social Work, University of Nebraska-Omaha
- Master's Degree, Adult Education, James Madison University
- Master's Degree, Computational Science & Engineering, Harvard University
- Master's Degree, Public Health/Epidemiology, University of Texas School of Public Health
- Master's Degree, Business Administration, Northeastern State University
- Master's Degree, Public Affairs, University of Minnesota
- Doctor of Dental Surgery, University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Master's Degree, Human Development & Family Science, University of Missouri-Columbia
“I selected Sociology because I have always felt the drive to help people, and Sociology really helps me understand how our society functions and how different cultures can be misunderstood.”
Delainie Johnson
Sociology at Nebraska
Sociology is a social science major in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). Our liberal arts degrees provide a broad education across the sciences, social sciences, and humanities, preparing students for a variety of careers.
Let curiosity move you.
Contact Us
Academic and Career Advising Center
107 Oldfather Hall
402-472-4190
casadvising@unl.edu