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

Two students stand at a chalkboard
10 Things to Know About Academics at Holy Cross
If you’re looking for an education that combines academic excellence, critical inquiry and meaningful reflection, then the College of the Holy Cross might just be the perfect fit. From first-year seminars to undergrad research opportunities, here are 10 facts to …
Worcester skyline is seen here from the Holy Cross campus. Photo by Hui Li '21
Holy Cross Professors’ Research to Address Children’s Learning in Museums, Adolescent Summer Reading, Food Equity and Latino History in Worcester
The College of the Holy Cross announced the recipients of the “Scholarship in Action” grants for the 2019-2020 academic year, an initiative advancing Worcester-based faculty research with community partners that makes a lasting impact and provides rich experiential learning opportunities …
Stephanie Yuhl at the opening reception for "LGBTQ+ Worcester -- For the Record," the exhibition she helped bring to life at the Worcester Historical Museum.
Professor Stephanie Yuhl Works With Worcester’s LGBTQ+ Community to Share Their History
On April 25, the Worcester Historical Museum was filled with emotion — sorrow, anger, joy — as hundreds explored the museum’s newest exhibition, “LGBTQ+ Worcester — For the Record,” a chronicling of images, histories, voices and experiences of Worcester’s LGBTQ+ …