Sociology
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“How does social context shape individual stories, and what sociological theories and methods can help describe and explain these stories? Off-campus study offers students a vivid place to ask complex questions about our social world, and to apply what they're learning first-hand to their own stories and to diverse local and global contexts." Michelle Janning, Raymond and Elsie Gipson DeBurgh Chair of Social Sciences and Professor of Sociology
Off-Campus Studies can help Sociology students…
- Gain primary research skills from field studies or work with primary sources
- Develop a global perspective
- Gain awareness of the major discipline from a different scholarly tradition
- Expand cross-cultural communication and problem-solving skills
- Prepare for an increasingly diverse and international workplace
- Improve foreign language skills
How does a semester or year of OCS help students in Sociology prepare for graduate school or various career opportunities?
- Off-Campus studies allows students to become involved in either a major research project of some kind and/or a focused internship. In both of these cases, the student is able to apply the concepts and textbook principles of the discipline to a real-life, applied setting.
- Foreign language skills and intercultural understanding developed during off-campus studies can increase opportunities to work with diverse populations in the work place.
- Off-Campus studies helps students develop a comparative perspective based on immersion and appreciation of another culture and/or a different setting (e.g. U.S. urban environment).