Examine social and cultural diversity, social inequalities, and contemporary, often controversial, social issues such as poverty and homelessness, crime and social deviance, globalization and international conflict, race and ethnic relations, physical and mental health, and the changing roles of women and men. Explore the differences across cultures and within the United States in peoples' experiences of such areas as family life, education, work, and religion.
The SOAN Department focuses on the shared intellectual tradition and methods of sociology and cultural anthropology. As a major, you will follow a carefully designed curriculum that begins at the foundations of social science and branches into topics that are critical to understanding human behavior in society and across cultures in the contemporary era. Beyond foundational coursework in social thought and classes that reflect student interest, you will have many opportunities to apply sociological and anthropological knowledge and skill to prepare you for a vast array of career options. These experiences come in the form of service-based learning, research experiences, and the many opportunities for off-campus learning (domestic and international). Our graduates are well-prepared to use the explanatory power of the disciplines to enter a great diversity of careers upon graduation or continue to graduate school in either field.
Undergraduate research, performed under the mentorship of expert faculty, is a central component of The OWU Connection.
We emphasize intellectual curiosity, creativity, initiative, and synthesis. OWU provides opportunities, including traveling abroad, for you to explore an existing problem or develop a totally new avenue of exploration. You can work with a faculty mentor and apply for grant funding—and present your research at the Spring Student Symposium.
From your first year on campus, you can get off campus—with travel-learning courses. Journey to a distant land and immerse yourself in another culture. Learn how classroom theory truly connects with real-world experience.
Sociology & Anthropology majors have taken Travel-Learning courses and received OWU Connection grants for projects in Europe and South America.
The department gives credit in the major to juniors and seniors who take internship positions in local organizations and agencies. Some ongoing internships are with the Delaware Juvenile Court, Turning Point (a domestic abuse shelter), and HelpLine (crisis intervention and referral).
OWU faculty are outstanding scholars and researchers—and passionate teachers. They will push you, challenge you, inspire you, and work with you on your own research and creative projects.
They can even pack a 3-minute lecture with ideas, insight, and imagination. Check out our unique I³ lectures.
The Butler A. Jones Lectureship on Race and Society brings renowned scholars to Ohio Wesleyan to speak and meet with students. Recent speakers have included Nina Turner (former co-chair of Sen. Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign), Sarah Burns (filmmaker), and Ilhan Omar (Congresswoman).
Every spring break, teams of OWU students spread out across the nation and in Central America doing volunteer work. Spring Break Service Week projects have provided community support in New Orleans, Chicago, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and many more locations. It's spring break with a greater purpose.
Collecting qualitative data is the best way to answer the "why" questions about human behavior and societies. In the SOAN Qualitative Data Lab, students have opportunities to learn qualitative data methodologies and analysis under the close guidance of faculty members; work on faculty members' research projects; and to conduct analyses based on independent student research projects. Some students will have the opportunity to learn project management skills and direct student analysis groups. These skills and experiences will be a great asset to students when they seek jobs or apply to enter graduate programs upon completing their education at OWU. This is a novel approach to teaching qualitative methods at an undergraduate institution.
In the spring, OWU students and faculty attend – and present at – an undergraduate sociology conference.
After graduating, Josh was accepted to Boston College and is pursuing a Master's in Clinical Social Work. While at OWU, Josh participated in volunteer service opportunities with the Delaware County Juvenile Court and with the Columbus Initiative.
OWU Student Completing Internship with National Alliance on Mental Illness
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Ohio Wesleyan Feb. 19-20 Events to Examine Environmental and Racial Justice
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Students attended classes with sociology professors at Queens University Belfast while on a Theory-to-Practice Grant to Northern Ireland.
Farida Rezk '20 examines museum narratives while on a Theory-to-Practice Grant studying French colonialism.
Eli Reed '19, Anna L. Davies '19 and Cara Harris '18 studied the similarities and differences of Northern Irish sectarianism and American racism. Their trip included attending lectures at Ulster University and Queens University Belfast, taking walking tours of the city and listening to personal narratives of locals involved in The Troubles.
Caroline Shaffer '20, Raissa Kanku '19, Allie Eynon '19 and Farida Rezk '20 (L-R) used a Theory-to-Practice Grant to study the lasting social impact of French colonialism.
The Sociology and Anthropology department resides in the building where OWU opened in 1842.
What a 10-year-old taught me about my own privilege
Caroline Shaffer '20 (left) and Raissa Kanku '19 (right) studied colonialism in the French-speaking world and examined the narratives of museums.
