The field of Sociology aims to understand human actions - how they influence and shape society and how society collectively influences and shapes human behavior. Sociological theory can touch on almost every topic conceivable because everything involves people: personal relationships, workplace structure, the communities where we live, social movements, the global reach of media and business, and more.

Everyone is part of a society, be it your local community, your ethnic group, your religious organization, your State, a sports team, or many other types of groupings. The Sociology major at UWM offers students a chance to better understand the world at large, and more specifically the people within it. Students explore the causes and consequences of human behavior including topics such as crime, population shifts, housing patterns, racism, gender, the legal system, organized sports, political beliefs, family structure, workplace organization, urban gardening, and more.

UWM students in Sociology can customize their major. Beyond the core courses that all majors take, students have many electives to choose from, and they can take a broad array of courses or become more specialized by choosing electives focused around particular topics of interest. Our graduates are known for their strong knowledge of the field as well as exceptional technical skills that are highly desirable. Sociology is a social science and relies on data, statistics and research to form theories and draw conclusions. Students in UWM's Sociology program learn how to process, analyze and synthesize large volumes of information in a logical and consistent manner using the latest software tools, a skill that has gotten them noticed by employers from all types of businesses who rely on data to make business decisions.

Sociology is also one of our majors available entirely online for students that wish to earn their degree from a distance. All classes required for the major can be taken online, or students can mix-and-match and take a some online and some traditional classes.

Download our fact sheet to the right to learn more about our classes and career opportunities.