The Associate of Science with an emphasis in Sociology is designed to prepare students for a transfer to a four-year institution. Sociology is the systematic study of social relationships at many different levels. For example, sociologists analyze small groups, complex organizations such as bureaucracies or factories, race/ethnic relations, gender relations, communities, nations, and even global social formations. The processes and behaviors sociologists examine include social interaction among individuals, institutional change, social policy formation, criminal and deviant behavior (and responses to such behavior), population growth and distribution, and social change and development.
The sociology program offers courses in general sociology as well as international socio-political relations. General sociology provides a desirable background, as either a sole or combined major, for further professional training in law, city planning, public administration, hospital administration, and medicine, as well as for advanced graduate work in sociology or other social sciences. It also prepares students for a wide variety of careers that involve problem-solving and gathering, organizing and analyzing information (i.e., data). Such careers may involve jobs ranging from sales and management to community services and government work.