Why study Sociology at APSU?
The Sociology classes at Austin Peay are small enough that faculty members are able to give students personal attention to help them succeed. Our graduates have been successful at being admitted to graduate programs at schools such as Vanderbilt University and The University of Tennessee-Knoxville. The department sponsors an active Sociology Club, which helps the majors and minors to become better acquainted and to participate in service and recreational activities
What will I learn?
Sociology majors complete coursework in research methods, sociological theory, applied statistics, service learning, and a senior capstone course. Additionally, sociology students will engage coursework focused in three critical areas: race and ethnicity, gender and sexualites, and social stratification.
The Freshmen Seminar degree requirement completed by most students is APSU 1000. The course is delivered in a small-class setting with like-minded students led by a faculty member and a peer leader. The interdisciplinary course is intended to support first-semester students and provide them with a foundation for university success. Emphasis is placed on student engagement, university learning success strategies, support services, library literacy, financial literacy, and academic and career planning. The first class meeting of APSU 1000 during fall semesters is on Freshmen Convocation Day.
The general education core is designed to develop critical competencies in written communication, oral communication, mathematical analysis, and critical thinking skills. Students at APSU select coursework in the general education core in the areas of Communication, Humanities and Fine Arts, Social and Behavioral Sciences, History, Natural Sciences, and Mathematics. While the general education core requirements for graduation can be met by choosing courses from each of these areas, some programs of study require lower division courses that serve as prerequisites for upper division courses. Students should consult the sample 4-year plans and confer with their academic advisors as they choose their general education core courses.
What engagement opportunities are available to APSU students?
APSU fosters a positive campus environment that encourages active participation in university life. Organizations and honor societies in which students can engage are …………..coming soon
APSU students engage in HIP curricular and co-curricular experiences that advance their learning and knowledge. Opportunities include first-year seminar, first-year learning communities, common reading experience 'The Peay Read', undergraduate research, study abroad, service and community-based learning, internships, e-portfolio development, and capstone courses & projects.
What do Sociology majors do after graduation?
A wide variety of career options are open to sociology majors. They can secure jobs in social work and social services, law enforcement, teaching, the ministry, social research and in management positions in private companies. Students majoring in sociology will be able to apply their sociological perspective to a wide variety of jobs in such sectors as business, the health professions, the criminal justice system, social services, and government. Since the discipline involves investigative skills and working with diverse groups, sociology offers valuable preparation for careers in journalism, education, politics, public relations, business, or public administration. As a strong liberal arts major, sociology provides preparation for future graduate work in the discipline ranging from the M.A. to Ph.D. in order to become a professor, researcher, or applied sociologist.