As a sociology major at Wilkes, you’ll gain an understanding of human behavior and prepare to become thoughtful and engaged citizens in our ever-changing world. Career opportunities include social services, counseling, business and industry, education and research.

Program Snapshot

Program Type Format Credit Hours
Major, Minor On Campus 120 (18 for minor)

Why Study Sociology at Wilkes?

As a sociology major at Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±Ö±²¥, you’ll learn about social problems facing our world in a small-class setting. Conduct your own research as part of your senior capstone project and develop a portfolio of projects to show employers. You’ll also have opportunities to interact with local and state elected officials to voice your concerns about social problems and offer real, practical solutions.

Human beings are incredibly complicated and difficult to study, and Wilkes will give you the tools to understand the world around you. Besides preparing you for a career, the program can also prepare you for graduate study in sociology, law, social work, business or psychology, among others.

What Will You Learn as a Sociology Student?

  • You’ll learn how to study human behavior scientifically – how to collect data, how to analyze it, and how to understand your results.
  • Develop skills in presenting complicated material in easily accessible ways.
  • You’ll have the opportunity to develop solutions to social problems and present them to government officials.
  • Cultivate communication and presentation skills you’ll put to work interacting with local organizations.
  • Learn how to work toward making real change in your community.
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Program Highlights

Internships

Gain valuable resume-building experience by interning at places like Luzerne County Children and Youth, Children's Service Center, Office of the Aging, Wyoming Valley Drug and Alcohol Services, Domestic Violence Service Center, and the Victims Resource Center.

Research Opportunities

A three-semester capstone sequence allows you to acquire the research, writing and statistical skills necessary to succeed in today's competitive work environment.

Mentoring

You’ll work one-on-one with faculty to learn the main theoretical and methodological traditions of sociology. Faculty get to know you personally to help you achieve your career goals and plans.

The sociology department is full of professors who have your best interests in mind. My advisor and professor, Dr. Wilczak, has helped me gain experiences that have helped me learn what I can and want to do with my sociology degree.

Ashley Baker - Sociology

Meet our Faculty

Our program's faculty are experts in their specialties, providing hands-on mentoring to help you achieve your future academic and career successes.

Dr. Andy Wilczak

Professor

Dr. Andy Wilczak is a specialist in adolescent violence and victimization and has recently branched out into historical criminology and the sociology of revolutions. He completed his PhD in sociology at Bowling Green State University in 2011. His first book, Gender, Crime, and Justice: Exploring the Dynamics is an accessible text that aims to make criminological theory more student-friendly. In addition to this, Dr. Wilczak has also worked extensively in public scholarship, organizing multiple online conferences and running a public scholarship podcast, Untenured Tracks, highlighting the scholarship of junior faculty and graduate students from around the world.

Dr. Robert Tuttle

Professor

Dr. Robert Tuttle received his PhD from the University of Notre Dame. He teaches a variety of courses in the sociology and criminology programs including: The Family, Social Stratification, Family Violence, the Sociology of Sport, and Research Methods.

He has made numerous conference presentations and had several articles published that examine the interface between paid labor and the family. His current research focuses on the sociology of teaching and learning and looks at ways to better deliver a capstone experience to students.

Careers & Outcomes

Popular Careers

  • Community Health Worker
  • Research Assistant
  • Market Research Analyst
  • Policy Analyst
  • Management Consultant
  • Human Resources Representative
  • Social Worker
  • Survey Researcher

Recent Employers

  • Commonwealth Health First Hospital
  • Glen Mills Schools
  • Laurel Creek Counseling
  • Resources for Human Development
  • SHINE
  • Women's Resource Center

Graduate Schools

  • Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
  • Marywood University
  • Penn State
  • Temple University