Sociology

Why choose sociology at North Central College?

You’ll use your knowledge and experience to promote social justice while exploring careers in public service like social work, criminal justice and community activism. Working closely with our outstanding professors, you can conduct research here and abroad and have the chance to witness urban issues firsthand during Chicago Term. You'll be ready to make a difference in the world around you after you study topics like family, poverty, urban life, juvenile delinquency and race/ethnicity.

You can also:

Choose a concentration in criminal justice, community studies or general sociology.
Learn more about the community through service-learning projects and volunteer opportunities.
Join Uncommon Life, a campus group that helps settle refugee families.
Apply for a Richter Independent Study Fellowship grant to fund your research anywhere in the world.
Pair your interest in sociology with anthropology and complete a single combined major in sociology and anthropology.
Join the Alpha Kappa Delta sociology honor society.

Elisabeth Volkamer ’13 and Jessica Martin ’13

North Central seniors accepted to Nashville internship

North Central College seniors Elisabeth Volkamer and Jessica Martin are chosen for internship in Nashville that empowers women to promote social justice.

Students learn how to advocate issues with legislators

North Central College students attend ecumenical advocacy conference, speak with congressional staff in nation’s capital about issues important to them.

North Central's Leadership, Ethics & Values program focuses on moral courage

North Central College’s Leadership, Ethics and Values will host author Eyal Press May 1 as part of yearlong focus on moral courage.

more news

Internships

Mental health services intern, Wheaton, IL
Intern, Illinois State Police, Downers Grove, IL
At-risk youth mentor, Metropolitan Family Services, Wheaton, IL
Intern, HHS Planning and Consulting, Chicago
Refugee resettlement intern, World Relief, Aurora, IL
TLC youth advocate, Hesed House, Aurora, IL
Adult probation services intern, 19th Judicial Circuit, Waukegan, IL
Exploring diversity intern, Bardwell School, Aurora, IL
Not-for-profit management, Appalachia Service Project, Johnson City, TN

Graduate Schools

Recent graduates in sociology have been accepted at:

University of San Diego
Northwestern University, Evanston

Careers

Recent graduates in sociology include:

Project coordinator, Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical Trials at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago

Justein Henry

Sociology

Justein found her interest and life’s work while taking a research methods class. The class led to an independent study about a nonprofit organization, Hope For The Warriors, that works with wounded military members and their families. She landed a summer internship with the organization.

“I wanted a major that could be a lifestyle. I found that in sociology where you can explore your interests.”

Other experiences—an internship with refugee resettlement at World Relief and service with the Blue Key Honor Society—opened opportunities to address tough societal issues and witness positive changes. She added a minor in social change/public advocacy to expand her knowledge as well. “When you leave here...

Sam Schooley

Sociology

When she arrived at North Central, Sam expected to major in Spanish—but her first sociology course hooked her on a new field. While completing her concentration in community studies, she worked on a team research project that combined her interests in gender and women's studies. "We needed to construct a survey and get approval from the ethics committee," she says. "It was a very valuable experience, especially since I plan to go to graduate school." She also conducted research in the Chicago neighborhood of Andersonville as part of Chicago Term.

Sam hopes to become a professor of sociology. To help her achieve that goal, she volunteered for a campus search committee that interviewed candidates for a...

Mike O'Connor

Sociology

Mike wants to work in law enforcement. As preparation, he majored in sociology with a criminal justice emphasis and took advantage of many experiences outside the classroom.

“From exploring various city neighborhoods during my Chicago term classes to my internship with the Illinois State Police Department to volunteering with an ex-con reentry program to challenging course work and projects, I feel I’m ready,” says Mike.

His course-work included research projects and presentations at North Central’s Rall Symposium for Undergradute Research and a Midwestern psychology conference. Mike even focused his College Scholars Honors thesis on a criminal justice issue.

“I feel I’ve had outlets to...

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