Sociology is an incredibly versatile undergraduate major that investigates the interrelationships between social order and social change in our personal lives, the communities we live in, and the world as a whole.

At the level of social relationships, sociologists study the causes and consequences of realities such as racial, ethnic, gender, and sexual identity; romantic love; deviant behavior; and family dynamics. At the community level, sociologists examine such things as poverty and inequality through the lenses of social class theories, prejudice and discrimination, educational strategies, corporate and business behavior, urban-rural differentials, social ecology, the criminal justice system, housing and homelessness, the health care system, and social movements. Finally, at the global level, sociology may study human population dynamics, conflict between societies, stratification and mobility, cultural diversity, socially-induced environmental change, and the processes of globalization and modernization.

The sources of information or data used by sociologists are extremely varied and include some of the following: observations of dyadic interactions, historical and contemporary census statistics, large-scale survey results, laboratory experiments, and the transfers of products, funds, people, and technology between societies. The Department's courses in social statistics and research methods, in combination with its substantive courses, are designed to prepare students for a variety of careers in law, the health sciences, business management, education, government, and social service, including advanced study in sociology and related fields at the graduate level.

Undergraduate sociology training at the University of Utah goes beyond the collection of factual information and encourages students to develop critical, analytical abilities. Majors are encouraged to put sociological ideas and theories into practice in research. The curriculum provides opportunities to do so through the Senior Honors Thesis Program, the Criminology Certificate Program, Service Learning, Alternative Spring Break, and the Department's course titled Independent Research.