Sociology is the study of social interaction, social groups, institutions, and social structures. Sociologists examine the contexts of human action, including systems of beliefs and values, patterns of social relations, and the processes whereby social institutions are created, maintained, and transformed.

Sociology was born as an intellectual response to the democratic and industrial revolutions that ushered in the modern era. It encompasses a search for social order together with a vision of a just, free, and egalitarian society--a vision that may require fundamental change in the existing social order. Developing an understanding of both these aspects of the sociological tradition is one of the teaching goals of sociologists at UC Santa Cruz. A related aim is the development of an appreciation for the craft of social science, disciplined inquiry, observation, and research.

Members of the sociology faculty are engaged in research on a wide range of topics, such as the following: the study of violence; microanalysis of conversations; medicine and technology; social inequality; the intersection of class, race, and gender; revolutions; drugs in society; crime and deviance; environmental sociology; legal institutions; popular culture; mass communication; political economy; and language and communication. Because of the interdisciplinary emphasis among the sociology faculty, undergraduates find the department agreeable to double majors and minors, and nonmajors find many sociology courses of interest. In recent years, students have conducted independent studies and written senior theses on a variety of subjects, including the social construction of gender, emerging professions in health care, utopian communities, mass communication, surveys of health care needs, studies of the social effects of war, gender differences in attitudes and behavior, causes of and beliefs about family violence, and the history of political struggles.

The sociology major at UCSC is a rigorous program of study that retains enough flexibility to accommodate students with diverse career goals and plans. It ensures that all students are trained in the main theoretical and methodological traditions of sociology, yet it permits considerable variation in students' own areas of specialization. The major provides the necessary intellectual foundation for students who are considering graduate studies in sociology and related social sciences. It also can be used as preparation for careers in fields as diverse as law, social work, management, environmental planning, public service, teaching, health services, counseling, and other professional pursuits. Finally, the sociology major can provide a general liberal education for undergraduates interested in the study of contemporary society and social problems.