Our Department:

The department currently has ten full-time and several part-time faculty members. We are dedicated to excellence in teaching and research in such specialized areas as social inequality, health and aging, medical sociology, U.S.–Mexico border area studies, deviance, race/ethnicity, Mexican American peoples, women’s studies, survey research, social statistics, and population/demography. The Department offers a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Sociology, a Master of Science (MS) in Sociology, and a minor in Sociology.For more information about the degree plans, you may contact Dr. Dejun Su (Graduate Student Advisor), Dr. Kelly Himmel (Undergraduate Advisor) or Jesse Medina (Secretary).

Mission Statement (Bachelor of Arts)

The mission of the undergraduate program at the Department of Sociology is to provide students with the educational experience to intellectually and critically analyze human behaviors and the society using sociological perspectives. To add to this base of knowledge and skills, the Department is committed to high-quality research and teaching and to the utilization of the knowledge and skills to serve the local and professional communities of South Texas and the nation as a whole. Our mission is consistent with the mission of the University.

Intended Student Learning Outcomes:
Students who have completed the bachelor’s degree in sociology are expected to

Goal 1: Demonstrate knowledge of basic sociological concepts and sociological perspectives.
Goal 2: Understand basic procedures of sociological research and be able to analyze sociological data.
Goal 3: Apply sociological perspectives and methodology to community service and research projects.

Mission Statement (Master of Science)

The mission of the graduate program of the Department of Sociology is to prepare students with the knowledge and the technical expertise to be effective specialists, analysts, and administrators in a variety of social settings, such as federal, state and local government agencies, school districts, community health and aging organizations, marketing firms and evaluation programs. The Department offers a curriculum that has a strong emphasis on research methods, statistics, and theory.

In order to accomplish our mission, the Department pursues excellence in teaching, research, and professional service and provides graduate students with high-quality research and teaching experience. Our mission is consistent with the mission of the University.

Intended Student Learning Outcomes:
Students who have completed the Master’s degree in sociology are expected to

Goal 1: Demonstrate the advanced knowledge of sociological concepts and sociological perspectives.
Goal 2: Understand the procedures of sociological research and be able to analyze sociological data.
Goal 3: Apply sociological perspectives and methodology to community service and research using state of the art methodological and theoretical techniques.