In-Depth

Some of the topics our majors study include:

 - The distribution of power and wealth (e.g., social classes, from the homeless to the super rich)

 - Gender and social relations (e.g., social construction of masculinity and femininity, gender specialization, inequalities)

 - The basis of social cohesion (e.g., social integration, shared values, agreements)

 - The dynamics of population change (e.g., fertility, mortality, population growth)

 - Cultures of the world (e.g., Nepal, Africa, India, Australia, Europe, Japan)

 - Cross-cultural thinking (e.g., conceptions of the self, mind, body, emotions and what is considered "normal.")

 - Cross-cultural conceptions (e.g., of religion, God, the divine, spirituality)

 - The role of symbols in our social lives (e.g., the use of symbols in non-verbal communication)

 - The formation and dynamics of the family (e.g., differences across history and in different cultures)

 - The sub-cultures of marginalized groups (e.g., why do some groups get labeled as deviant? Why are some emulated and others scorned?)

 - Forces of social and cultural change (e.g., the role of industrialization, democracy, human rights)

 - Global forces (e.g., what is the nature of the emerging world order?)

 - The emergence of social problems (e.g., how are some things made into major public issues while others are ignored?)

 - Through a senior seminar, all majors have an opportunity to do an in-depth research project on an idea of their choosing. A recent project was based on a student’s work in a nursing home, where she observed the treatment of patients and issues of death and dying.

Special opportunities

Each of the three members of the faculty are highly involved in their disciplines, and work closely with interested students to guide their special interests. There are many examples of this just in the past year:

  • Dr. Garrett led a class study trip to South Korea over the summer.

  • Dr. Kusserow supervised a student summer project on American youth and their interest in Buddhism.

  • Dr. Bolduc traveled with 10 students to Kentucky on a volunteer housing project in Appalachia and witnessed the influence of changing coal prices at the strip mine and rates of poverty.

  • Individualized internships sponsored by Department have included placements with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Vermont Population Alliance.

  • Many of our students benefit form individualized counseling on study abroad opportunities.

  • Many of the class-based research projects address a need or a problem in the community.

  • Last year, the class surveyed donors to the Visiting Nurse Association, and the finding have been use to modify their fund raising efforts.

Where are they now?

With a strong background in sociology and anthropology, some of our students choose to pursue related studies in graduate school. Our alumni include college professors who hold Ph.D.’s from esteemed institutions such as Yale and the University of Virginia. But most of our graduates enter the work force after graduation and are found in a variety of positions from social workers to marketing professionals. A survey of graduates revealed that about half are now in occupations that are "directly or indirectly" related to the major.

Examples of Student Work

Religious Values Survey Final Report
Mission Survey Final Report
Gender Gap Data