Sociology Department

Overview

Humans are inherently social creatures, and how we behave individually and collectively—in families, politics, religions—involves a vast web of cause and effect. Our courses explore the inner workings of community life, family patterns, social change, social movements, intergroup relations, race, gender, social class, the environment, technology, and the relationships that unite societies in the world system.

Sociology Major: Provides an excellent foundation for students wishing to pursue professional degrees in social work, education, public health, business administration, and community planning, in addition to law, medicine, and divinity school.
Sociology Major with Education Minor: For students interested in teaching and receiving certification at the secondary level.
Criminal Justice Major: For students interested in studying sociology through the lens of criminology and social justice with opportunities for internships and independent study.
Sociology Minor: A versatile minor that provides a strong complement to a variety of majors.
Urban and Community Studies Minor: Explores the structure and culture of urban communities, both national and global.
Africana Studies Minor: The interdisciplinary study of multiple perspectives, cultures, and experiences of peoples from Africa and its diasporas.

White woman holding a blue book with the title "Body Art" while standing outside.

Assistant Professor Ginger Berndt named managing editor of the Sociological Forum

Ginger Berndt, assistant professor of Sociology, teaches courses like Introduction to Sociology: A Global Perspective and Sociological Theory at McDaniel. These days, when she’s not in the classroom, she’s working as the newly appointed managing editor of the Sociological Forum, the flagship academic journal from the Eastern Sociological Society.

Various responsibilities bring Berndt into contact with scholars from around the country and the world, providing her with a firsthand look at the most cutting-edge research in her field. We asked her a few questions about her role and what it means to be involved in the realm of academic publishing.

Read about Professor Berndt's role with Sociological Forum.

Meet Graduates of the Sociology Department

We're proud to call these recent graduates alumni, and prouder still to share a selection of their stories here – told as only they can tell them, in their own words.

Madge Myers
Class of 2025 / Political Science, Writing and Publishing, Criminal Justice

Alexis Dudley
Class of 2023 / Sociology

Ella Tomkins
Class of 2023 / Psychology, Sociology

Teresa Grace Djapa
Class of 2024 / Criminal Justice, French

Meet McDaniel: Profiles from the Hill

Faculty Spotlight

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT Linda Semu, Ph.D. Professor of Sociology

Professor and Comparative International Sociologist Linda Semu strives to show how her advocacy work as one of the founding members of the Malawi Washington Foundation can prompt students to seek change. Before coming to McDaniel, Semu was a lecturer in Sociology at the University of Malawi where she did research and consultancy work for both local and international organizations, as well as the Malawi government. She has taught courses like Introduction to Sociology: A Global Perspective, Food, Culture and Society, Love and Marriage: A Cross-Cultural Perspective, Global Social Change, Urban Sociology, and Urban and Community Studies.

Read a Q&A with Linda L. Semu, Ph.D.

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Faculty Spotlight Daniel Boches, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Sociology

What part does Sociology play among the liberal arts?: As a sociologist, I teach the highly scientific and analytical, but you need both sides of the coin to be a responsible, democratic citizen. Other disciplines, like in the humanities, can equip students with moral, political, and ethical insights to help make the world a better place. The social sciences offer one piece of the mosaic that I think is essential for all of us — not just McDaniel students, but our larger communities.

Read the full Q&A with Prof. Boches.

Connect With Us

Linda Semu

Department Chair