Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work
Building relationships with our students and our community.
Sociology, cultural anthropology and social work study human behavior, focusing in particular on culture, institutions and inequality. Our department is committed to excellence in teaching and research and to building relationships with and between our students and community.
Academics
Our undergraduate programs include a B.A. in sociology as well as minors in sociology, anthropology, social work and family development. All programs are designed with flexibility in mind to encourage students to build paths of study that suit their interests and future goals.
Academics
Our undergraduate programs include a B.A. in sociology as well as minors in sociology, anthropology, social work and family development. All programs are designed with flexibility in mind to encourage students to build paths of study that suit their interests and future goals.
Sociology is the scientific study of how social forces influence human behavior and social outcomes, and how human interaction shapes institutions, organizations and society more broadly. We offer two paths of study in Sociology: a bachelor of arts and a minor.
Anthropology is the holistic and comparative study of people around the world, including the role of culture in human adaptations to economic, social, political and environmental conditions. We offer a 15 semester hour minor in anthropology.
The study of social work provides the knowledge, values and skills needed to support people who are vulnerable because of need, crisis, health status, structural violence or other factors. We offer a 15 semester hour minor in social work.
The minor in family development increases understanding of the meaning and dynamics of marriage and parenthood in contemporary society and examines contemporary issues across various stages of family life.
The Law, Culture and Justice minor is designed for students of all majors who are interested in learning about how law impacts society, how society shapes legal systems and how to expand access to just outcomes for all people.
Experiential learning is at the core of all of our programs. Opportunities to engage with the Dayton community are available in many of our classes and we offer a variety of unique course offerings that expand student knowledge beyond the classroom.
Research
The Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work is committed to the creation, transmission and application of knowledge concerning the relationship of individuals and groups with their social and cultural environments. Our faculty are active scholars in their fields, and our students conduct their own research through coursework, capstone projects and supervised research with faculty.
Students in the GIVE internship program learn and teach about violent extremism in Ohio through a gendered lens.
The Inside-Out experiential learning program creates a sense of equality and allows participants to encounter each other as peers.
Art Jipson's show focuses on local musicians and artists, particularly those from the Dayton area and the University campus.
Recent Faculty Research
Simanti Dasgupta's recent article titled, "Of Raids and Returns: Sex work movement, police oppression, and the politics of the ordinary in Sonagachi, India" has been published in the current issue of Anti-Trafficking Review. This is a publication of the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW). Watch the GAATW video below: