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

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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
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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

Sarah Shorter '21
Blog: Shorter ’21 Excited to Immerse Herself in Culture, Community During Year Abroad in Peru
Name: Sarah Shorter ‘21 Hometown: Lexington, Massachusetts Areas of study: Anthropology major with a concentration in Latin America, Latinx, and Caribbean studies Studying abroad at: Pontificia Universidad Catòlica del Perú in Lima, Peru Duration: Full academic year Why Peru? “I knew that …
students work on a farm
Learning Outside the Classroom at Holy Cross
Not all education takes place in an academic building — particularly at College of the Holy Cross, where outside-the-classroom learning opportunities range from local to global. Whether you’re contributing to community engagement or diving into summer research or spending a …
Mercedes Ruiz '21 works with a pipette in the lab
Videos: Holy Cross Students Tap Intellectual Curiosity Through Wide-Ranging Summer Research Projects
This summer, more than 100 College of the Holy Cross students took a deep dive into cutting-edge research through the College’s Weiss Summer Research Program. Under the mentorship of faculty, students engaged in focused projects that push intellectual boundaries and …