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

Mia Yee stands on Fenwick Porch
Bubble Tea and Constructing Asian American Identity: A Conversation with Fenwick Scholar Mia Yee ’19
Every year, Holy Cross names a Fenwick Scholar — a student who spends the entirety of their senior year conducting independent research. But it’s not every year that student embarks on a study of ramen and other modern Asian American …
A photo of Dinand Library flanked by budding spring trees
Eight Holy Cross Students, Recent Alumni Receive Distinguished Scholarships
College of the Holy Cross students and alumni have earned an impressive array of scholarships this year from prestigious organizations, including the Knight-Hennessy Scholar Program and the Fulbright Program. These honors are testimony to the astonishing intellectual curiosity of Holy …
A student stands in a dark lab with a professor
At Holy Cross, Professors Become Mentors
With small class sizes and faculty members committed to their success, Holy Cross students develop close bonds with professors, both in and out of the classroom — a cornerstone of the Holy Cross experience. From guiding students in independent lab work to fueling their passion for a new field, Holy Cross professors inspire students to reach far and support them along their journey.