Sociology & Anthropology

The sociology and anthropology department challenges students to examine the social and cultural dimensions of the contemporary world. Each discipline combines a humanistic concern for the quality and diversity of human life with a commitment to the empirical analysis of culture and society.

The sociology curriculum features the analysis of social inequality, social institutions, social problems, and social change; courses draw attention to history, culture, and social structure and their effects on peoples' lives.

The anthropology curriculum focuses on a comparative, social scientific, and holistic study of human cultural experiences around the world, with courses often highlighting the cultures in which faculty work (Latin America, Indonesia, West Africa and Vietnam) as well as hands-on fieldwork in Worcester.

Faculty advisors work closely with individual students to discuss academic and career goals. The department encourages students to pursue and to integrate into their study the Colleges local academic and Washington internships, study abroad options, and interdisciplinary concentrations.