Preparation for Research Careers
Students interested in careers in research-related fields such as policy analysis and evaluation, marketing research, advertising, consumer behavior, and public opinion polling, as well as students who are contemplating graduate study in sociology, are encouraged to gain research experience through selected coursework and independent research carried out under faculty supervision. In addition to SOC 241 and SOC 341, which are required for the major, students interested in research should consider selecting electives from the following:
- SOC 259 Mass Communication and Public Opinions
- SOC 311 Demography
- SOC 313 Consumer Behavior
- SOC 363 Social Change and Social Planning
- SOC 441 Advanced Research Methods
The department also participates in a number of programs that place qualified minority students in summer research internships at leading universities. See the department's Student Development Officer or the departmental advisors for more information.