B.A. in Sociology
Overview
Throughout Scripture, God’s people are called to confront injustice and seek shalom. Biola's sociology major equips you for this task by teaching you to research and critically analyze such varied aspects of social life as family, crime, gender, race, ethnicity, religion and values — and then apply this knowledge to real-life issues in a variety of professional settings.
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Concentrations
- Criminology
The criminology concentration provides students an opportunity to study crime and related issues from a social scientific perspective, infusing themes of social justice and Christian ethics, and recognizing social inequalities present within the criminal justice system.
- Social Work
The social work concentration is organized as a broad preparation for students who desire to enter the helping professions.
Why Choose Sociology at Biola?
In addition to its strong curriculum, expert faculty members and biblical integration, Biola’s sociology program offers several key advantages:
- The program offers an excellent training ground for both the practical and theoretical understanding of society, and places great emphasis on teaching you how to apply what you have learned in the classroom.
- Small classes give you an opportunity to form deep relationships with your professors and fellow students.
- Biola’s location in Southern California — one of the world’s largest and most diverse metropolitan areas — is ideal for internships, research and job opportunities.
What Will I Study?
Throughout the sociology program, there will be a focus on the basic understanding of how society, culture and institutions affect our everyday lives, and the importance of seeking social justice as a Christian. Whether you choose to minor in sociology or choose one of the two concentrations, some interesting topics and course highlights you will learn about include:
- How race, gender and class function in U.S. society
- Causes of juvenile delinquency
- Critical factors in the enforcing criminal justice in the United States
- Social worker roles and responses to at-risk populations
- How to conduct fieldwork and in-depth interviews
- How researchers collect and analyze demographic data
- Popular culture and society
I have some of the best professors who have real world experience. I enjoy combining my faith and major together to impact the world for Jesus Christ.
My program at Biola prepared me for my career by instilling in me a completely new understanding of how the world and society is structured and organized. The sociology program provided me with crucial insight into systems, structures, and social identities as well as giving me an understanding for how these either oppress or liberate different communities.
Sociology, B.A. '18