The Department of Sociology of the College of Arts and Sciences serves the university and students from throughout the world as a center for the advanced study of societal change, social institutions, and social processes. Its programs offer in-depth training in sociological theory and emphasize social justice and research methodology, as well as five areas of concentration: Gender and Family; Inequality and Stratification; Macrosociology; Professional/Applied Sociology; and Race, Gender, and Social Justice.
The programs prepare students for a variety of careers in social advocacy, research, teaching, human services, and policy-making institutions in both the public and private sectors in Washington and beyond. Successful placements of the department's graduates in academic and research or policy-making institutions attest to the high standards our graduates meet.
The Department's focus on international and comparative sociology, its courses in Social Policy Analysis, and its MA concentration in Professional Sociology are especially well-suited to Washington DC—an international capital and center for policy-making. American University's location provides unparalleled access to government, research institutions, data and archival sources, advocacy organizations, and leaders involved in social change.
Mission Statement
"Our common purpose is education and research for social justice in an increasingly global social system. We expect to create sociological knowledge and apply professional research skills to inform effective policies and programs for social change. We intend to empower ourselves, faculty and students, with the knowledge, skills, and commitment necessary to participate in building equitable, humane, and sustainable social institutions. We consider one source of our strength to be the multicultural diversity of our department, and we seek every opportunity to expand that strength."
