Sociology

About this opportunity

The T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics at Arizona State University offers unique majors and minors that provide students with an excellent liberal arts education, as well as pre-professional training for those interested in social sciences graduate study or other professional programs, including medicine and family law.

The undergraduate degree programs in the T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics at Arizona State University provides unique majors that provide students with an excellent liberal arts education, as well as pre-professional training for those interested in social sciences graduate study or other professional programs, including medicine and family law. Students not only study the historical, theoretical and academic frameworks used to explain social and family behavior, but also acquire practical knowledge and skills that can be applied in their daily lives and occupations.

Sociology is the study of social life, social change and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. The Bachelor of Science in sociology trains students in written communication, computer skills, statistics and research methods, and offers a wide variety of substantive courses on contemporary social issues ranging from crime to population trends, and courses on social institutions, such as the family, education and religion.

Come visit the T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics Department in the Social Sciences Building Room 144, or for more information on the majors visit our website. 

Thesis

Theses may include quantitative research, qualitative research, or creative projects. The unit has the same requirements as Barrett for the thesis committee: 

Barrett Thesis Committee Standards

An honors thesis committee is comprised of a Thesis Director and a Second Committee Member who collaborate with their student(s) to help them set project expectations, guidance throughout the thesis process, and evaluation of their final work. 

Thesis Director: Any member of the ASU faculty with professional expertise in the project area. This excludes graduate students.

Second Committee Member: A member of the ASU faculty or staff, including graduate students, or a qualified local professional who the student and Thesis Director decide is appropriate to serve based on their professional expertise in the project area. 

Third Committee Member (Optional): Any individual with sufficient expertise or experience relevant to the project area as determined by the student and Thesis Director.

In addition to the standards listed above, an honors thesis committee member may not be an undergraduate peer or direct relative of the student. 

Academic Preparation

Students must have good knowledge of theories in either Sociology or Family and Human Development and Research Methods as they start thesis work. We encourage student to get involved in research and internship experiences which can also lead to thesis topic ideas. 

Recommended Timeline

Students should be prepared to develop their topic and committee by Spring of their Junior Year and to work on the thesis in the Summer, Fall, and Spring of their Senior year. 

Other Honors Opportunities

Honors sections (seminars) are available for FAS 498, CDE 232, CDE 430

We have an exciting certificate program to pursue careers working with military personnel and their families. 

Through the generosity of special contributors, the T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics is able to provide our students with funding. Undergraduate students majoring in family/human development or sociology for the next academic year (Fall and Spring) are encouraged to apply for these scholarships.