Department of Sociology

Department of Sociology

Location: Maes Building, Room 55

Phone: (409) 880-8538

Chair: Dr. Chiung-Fang Chang

Program Coordinators:

The Department of Sociology houses the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Sociology—offered in both on-campus and fully online formats—and the Minor in Sociology and Anthropology. The department delivers a rigorous social-science education grounded in theory, research design, and data literacy, with an emphasis on applied learning and professional preparation. Students develop marketable skills through project-based coursework, community-partner collaborations, internships or practical where available, and clear training in ethical inquiry and professional communication. Graduates are prepared for early-career roles in public, nonprofit, and private organizations and for advanced study in relevant fields. For additional information about the Department of Sociology visit our website. 

Departmental Academic Policies

Minimum Grade in Major/GPA Standards

Students must earn a grade of C or higher in every SOCI course counted toward the Sociology major, including approved transfer courses. Only courses with a C or higher may apply to the major requirements.

To declare the Sociology major, a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 is required; to remain in good standing, students must maintain both a 2.00 cumulative GPA and a 2.00 GPA in SOCI coursework applied to the major; the Anthropology minor follows university standards, and all courses applied to the minor must be completed with a grade of C or higher.

Probation and Suspension

Departmental probation and suspension procedures follow the policies of the College of Arts and Sciences. Policy details are available from the dean’s office or the department chair.

Students on academic probation or returning from academic suspension may enroll in no more than 12 semester hours in a fall or spring term. Up to 15 hours is permitted only if the schedule includes a laboratory course and/or a physical activity (P.E.) course.

Writing Proficiency

All departmental majors (full-time and part-time) must have satisfied both the university’s and the College of Arts and Sciences’ requirements for English composition and mathematics before registering for 3000-and 4000-level courses offered by the department.

Clear, professional use of English is required for graduation. If any faculty member identifies a Sociology major with significant writing deficiencies, the faculty member will notify the student and the department chair in writing. The chair will review writing samples and consult with the Director of Writing (Department of English). Based on those recommendations, the student may be required to complete diagnostics, tutoring, and/or additional coursework before being recommended for graduation

Degrees Offered

  • Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Sociology -120 hrs.
  • Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Sociology -120 hrs.
  •  Minors:
    • Anthropology -18 credit hours
    • Sociology -18 credit hours

Sociology

Program Director: Dr. Chiung-Fang Chang
Location: Maes Building, Room 55
Phone: (409) 880-8538
Email:  cchang2@lamar.edu

The mission of the Sociology Program is to prepare students to analyze social systems and produce evidence-based solutions that improve community and organizational outcomes. Within a strong liberal-arts and social-science foundation, students learn to collect and interpret data, evaluate programs and policies, and communicate findings to diverse audiences. The curriculum integrates sociological theory, research methods, and data analysis with applied coursework in areas such as community development, population and health, organizations, family, education, and social change.
 

Program features include:

  • A progressive methods and analytics sequence (research design; qualitative and quantitative analysis; visualization and reporting);
  • Applied projects with regional partners and agencies that build a professional portfolio; and
  • Career-readiness support focused on transferable competencies (problem solving, data literacy, teamwork, and professional writing).
The B.S. pathway emphasizes quantitative analysis and research applications; the B.A. pathway provides a broad liberal-arts orientation with additional depth in social theory and communication. Both pathways cultivate skills relevant to roles in community services, population-health and program coordination, evaluation and analytics, nonprofit and public administration, human resources, and related fields, as well as preparation for graduate study.
 

Anthropology

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Stefan Krause
Location: Maes Building, Room 54
Phone: (409) 880-8551
Email: skrause1@lamar.edu

The Anthropology Program develops students’ ability to understand human diversity across time and place through the four-field approach: cultural anthropology, archaeology, biological anthropology, and linguistic anthropology. Courses emphasize comparative perspectives, ethical inquiry, qualitative and mixed-method research, and clear communication of cultural analysis. As a complement to any major, the Anthropology minor strengthens students’ readiness for work in community-facing organizations, museums and cultural resources, education, health-adjacent settings, and global or multicultural workplaces. Anthropology also supports the University Core Curriculum through foundational courses (e.g., ANTH 2346 Introduction to Anthropology and ANTH 2351 Cultural Anthropology) that build critical analysis and social-science reasoning

Interested students are encouraged to call or visit with the faculty advisor for more information.

Programs