»Welcome to the Sociology Department!

Sociology studies the interaction and relationships among human groups and institutions and how behavior is shaped by these relationships. It examines how society maintains stability and how it changes, investigating both consensus and conflict among social groups. Sociology's subject matter consists of social institutions including family, work, religion, and social processes such as identity development, deviance and socialization. Sociology majors explore foundational ideas about the nature of society, are introduced to key subfields of the discipline, and acquire fundamental research and analysis skills to carry out their own inquiries. The department's faculty members emphasize empirical work in a number of subfields including applied and community sociology, the family, health and medicine, law and society, international and global sociology, gender, the sociology of religion, qualitative and quantitative research methods and cultural anthropology.

In Memory of Professor Emerita Pat See

For over 50 years, Dr. Patricia See provided exemplary service to the university in many capacities. She was selected as one of the “150 Faces” of Chapman University during our 150-anniversary celebrations, reflecting her monumental influence on the educational experience of multiple generations of students. Professor See passed peacefully on October 28, 2023. Throughout her career, Dr. See was a pillar of the Sociology Department. Her teaching earned her a range of outstanding teaching awards on both the school and university levels and recognition from her peers that she was one of the best within a faculty of dedicated and effective instructors. As director of the Honors Program, when it was housed in Wilkinson College, she engaged faculty from across the campus to offer uniquely designed and intriguing. Dr. See worked tirelessly to create a campus culture where female, minority and economically disadvantaged students could thrive. Dr. See was one of our most celebrated and influential faculty, and she will forever be cherished by those lucky enough to have known her. Her commitment to Chapman ran deep, and she leaves a legacy of distinguished contributions that substantially shaped the university.

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Students pursuing the B.A. in Sociology are required to:

Maintain at least a 2.000 grade point average in the major.
Earn a grade of “C-“or higher in core courses in the major.
Complete all core courses in the major for a letter grade.
Complete 21 credits from upper-division courses in the major.
Complete the senior thesis requirement SOC497

Curriculum for Sociology Major:

Sociology Core Requirements (18 credits)

SOC 101 Intro to Sociology
SOC 201 Intro to Research Methods
SOC 305 Social Theory
SOC 318 Quantitative Data Analysis
SOC 397 Capstone I: Field Research
SOC 497 Capstone II:Senior Thesis Project

Social and Anthropology Electives (18 Credits)

Total credits: 36

The Sociology Department encourages and supports undergraduate research.

Sociology courses vary widely in their subject matter, theoretical orientation and the research methods used, but an overarching goal of this program is to instill in you the following broad skills:

Disciplinary Knowledge:
Students will develop the ability to explain and discuss sociological history, theory and terminology. Students will be able to find and properly cite primary sources in the sociological literature.
Disciplinary Application:
Students will develop the ability to apply sociological theory and insights to a broad range of social problems and to the operation of social institutions in both a US and global context
Oral Communication:
Students will develop the ability to communicate effectively in oral form which includes the ability to present and summarize information and research results effectively and respond to critical feedback.
Written Communication:
Students will develop the ability to communicate effectively in written form which includes the effective development of an argument, accurate discussion of sociological theory, and the application of sociological theory and knowledge.
Research Skills:
Students will apply theoretical, methodological, and research skills to carry out empirical research. Students will develop an understanding of both qualitative and quantitative methods for conducting research and how both methodologies complement one another.

Contact Us!

Sociology Department
Roosevelt Hall 210
1 University Drive
Orange, CA 92866

Department Chair
Christopher Bader, Ph.D.
bader@chapman.edu

Administrative Assistant
Danielle Espiritu
despiritu@chapman.edu

Sociology Peer advisor
socpeeradvisor@chapman.edu

»Welcome to the Sociology Department!

In Memory of Professor Emerita Pat See

Degree Requirements

Undergraduate Research

Sociology Learning Objectives

Contact Us!

Advising Corner

A Day in the Life!

Making an Impact