Department of Sociology
An Engaging Academic Environment
Sociology literally means the study of society, or of social things. It is a scientific approach to understanding human groups and human interaction. From families to neighborhoods to nation-states, human life is spent in the company of others. The theories and methods of sociology provide a means to analyze the social nature of human existence. Training in sociology is useful preparation for careers in business, law, government, ministry, medicine, and many more.
Why Baylor Sociology
Dating back to 1919, Baylor’s sociology program offers a legacy of distinguished service, high caliber scholarship, exemplary teaching, and unique opportunities to its students. At Baylor, you will take classes taught by top scholars and have opportunities for independent research.
Undergraduate Programs
An attractive aspect of our program is its flexibility. You customize your sociological studies in keeping with your interests and ambitions.
Graduate Programs
The Department of Sociology at Baylor University has a productive faculty committed to the mentorship and collaborative research with students.
Research Areas
Research is an important aspect of graduate study at Baylor and, by the end of their second year, Sociology doctoral students will begin engaging in an in-depth research project. Our graduate students have been published in Social Forces, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion and Social Science Quarterly. Their work also has been selected by notable new outlets such as The Huffington Post, USA Today and The Washington Post. There has never been a better time to study sociology at Baylor.
Careers in
Sociology
The knowledge and analytical skills of sociology make our graduates broadly marketable. More than half of our alumni build a career upon their undergraduate degree. About a third eventually pursues some type of graduate education, such as sociology, social work, seminary, business administration, law, or medical. Private laboratories, foundations, and research centers offer opportunities for those who study sociology and health.
Maggie G.
Ph.D. student
Maggie is in the Sociology PhD program at the University of Texas at Austin.
Jeremy A.
Benefits Advisor
Serves patients at bedside by explaining their benefits, accounts, and payment options with the access services team at Baylor Scott and White - Hillcrest.
Cole D.
Law School Student
Attending law school at Southern Methodist University.
Sociology
In the News
KWBU-FM (Waco/NPR): Baylor Connections – Kevin Dougherty, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Sociology
May 10, 2019
May 10, 2019
AUDIO: On the latest episode of Baylor Connections, host Derek Smith interviews Kevin Dougherty, Ph.D., associate professor of sociology in Baylor’s College of Arts & Sciences, about his religion research that has shaped national understanding on topics like religious affiliation, diversity, church attendance, the impact of religion on other aspects of social life and more. Dr. Dougherty examines the rise of multiracial churches and dives deep into the trends, highlights and meaning behind the numbers of diversity in congregational life. Baylor Connections is a weekly radio program/podcast that introduces the people behind Baylor’s teaching, research and distinct role in higher education.
Patheos: Weekly Meanderings
Feb. 26, 2019
Feb. 23, 2019
(Third news item) A new Baylor study has found that while women are more likely than men to take the Bible literally, that is because literalism is tied more to a person’s attachment to God, and women generally are socialized differently. “People who take the Bible literally tend to perceive of God more as a person who can be interacted with,” said Blake Kent, Ph.D., a former Baylor sociologist. The study, published in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, was conducted by Kent and Christopher Pieper, Ph.D., senior lecturer of sociology in Baylor’s College of Arts & Sciences.
Baptist Standard: Research links intimacy with God and belief in biblical literalism
Feb. 22, 2019
Feb. 21, 2019
Women are more likely than men to believe the Bible is literally true, but a Baylor University study finds this may have more to do with how people relate to God than it does gender. Both men and women who report high levels of closeness to God take the Bible more literally – and this confidence grows stronger as they seek intimacy with God through prayer and Bible study. The research, published in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, was conducted by Christopher Pieper, Ph.D., senior lecturer of sociology in Baylor’s College of Arts & Sciences, and former Baylor sociologist Blake Victor Kent, Ph.D., now a research fellow at Harvard Medical School.
Our Faculty
Spotlight
Jerry Park
Professor of Sociology and Faculty Affiliate, Institute for Studies of Religion
Mackenzie Brewer
Assistant Professor of Sociology
Chris Pieper
Senior Lecturer of Sociology and Undergraduate Program Director
Lindsay Wilkinson
Assistant Professor of Sociology
Kevin Dougherty
Associate Professor of SociologyGraduate Program Director
Faculty Affiliate, Institute for Studies of Religion