Sociology and Anthropology

Sociology: Major 
Anthropology: Major, Minor

The sociology and anthropology department will challenge you to critically examine continuing and urgent issues of inequality and social marginalization, focusing on complex human interactions in diverse cultures within a globalized world. 

You will learn to analyze structures of power and hierarchy, draw connections between your personal experiences and larger social and historical processes, as well as question preconceived ideas about the nature of society and representation of cultures around the world. Our graduates enter a wide variety of occupations well prepared with sharp analytical skills and as knowledgeable and engaged citizens.

The department 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 will give you qualitative and quantitative research skills to tackle pressing 21st century issues. Courses draw attention to history, culture, and social structure and their effects on people’s lives. The anthropology curriculum focuses on human cultural experiences around the world, with an emphasis on the contemporary challenges wrought by globalization. Courses often highlight the geographical areas in which faculty work (Latin America, Asia, and Africa) and focus on a diverse range of topics.

Sociology and Anthropology Department Statement on Black Lives Matter: Racial Justice and Action

Read the full statement »

Program Highlights

Classes in sociology and anthropology give students the analytical tools to apply to complex issues that face us in the 21st century, including:

  • Global structures of inequality
  • Race and ethnicity
  • Gender and sexuality
  • Power and class
  • Religion
  • Environment
  • Media and popular culture
  • Health, medicine, and the body
  • Social movements
  • Family and kinship
  • Work and employment
Image
Opportunities

From internships to study abroad to independent research, opportunities abound for sociology and anthropology students.

Students in a garden
In the Community

Many department courses engage students in community-based learning, where academic learning and civic engagement meet.

Alumni in Rehm Library
Careers

Graduates apply their skills in many careers, including business, health, education, marketing, and non-profits.

Sociology and Anthropology News

Quetzali Gomez '23
HC Student Summer: Quetzali Gomez ’23
Quetzali Gomez ’23 Summer Plans: Intern, Beacon Place Hometown: Highwood, IL Major: Sociology and Spanish Summer Plans My summer internship was at a non-profit organization in Waukegan, Illinois, named Beacon Place. The organization offers support to students and families in …
Jennie Germann Molz. Photo by Avanell Brock
Holy Cross Sociology Professor Reimagines Tourism Post-COVID via CNN Travel
The pandemic has drastically changed global travel, leading to the largest decrease in global emissions in history. How can we return to travelling the world one day, but make more sustainable choices while doing so, in order to continue the …
Photo by Dan Vaillancourt
Holy Cross Students Lead the Way in Volunteering, According To Linkedin
Roughly 45% of current Holy Cross students on LinkedIn are involved in volunteer projects according to their profiles on the social media platform–the highest percentage for any higher education institution in the United States. That wasn’t news to Marty Kelly, …