Research Methods, Demography & Applied Sociology

The concentration in research methods, demography and applied sociology aims at fulfilling one of the most important goals of a college education:  teaching students to think systematically and to sharpen their reasoning abilities.  The analytic skills developed in these courses will provide students with the intellectual tools which are necessary for advancement in all careers. The concentration in research methods, demography, and applied sociology increases knowledge of sociology while developing pragmatic skills applicable to multiple theories and research questions, as well as more specific courses that address specific theory and research domains. The statistics courses consist of ways to analyze and interpret quantitative data -- to “create order out of numerical chaos.”  The methodology courses incorporate diverse techniques to investigate the social world such as field work, experimental design, and surveys.  Demography courses address population dynamics and immigration. Together, this concentration of courses offers students a set of lenses through which to both view and enhance their understanding of the social world around them.

Courses Offered
Community Organization and Action 235
Introduction to Research Methods 240
Social Statistics 241
Sociology of Migration 307    
Population Dynamics 311  
Consumer Behavior 313
Sociology of Organizations 321   
Mapping Social Science Data 425.19
Research Design 425.18
Intermediate Statistics 425.01
Advanced Statistics 425.02
Qualitative Research Methods 425.15
Quantitative Reserach Methods 425.03
Ethnographic Research (New)
Workshop Information Technology 716
Focus Group Research 425.55
Research Design 425.18

Affiliated Professors
Prof. Margaret Chin
Prof. Erica Chito-Childs
Prof. Jessica Hardie
Prof. Donald Hernandez
Prof. Howard Lune
Prof. Joong-Hwan Oh
Prof. Pamela Stone
Prof. Peter Tuckel
Prof. Michael Wood

Areas of concentration