The Major:

The sociology curriculum broadens and deepens the understanding of social organization and social change, and provides a background in the perspectives and methods useful in examining the factual basis of assertions about the social world. Sociology courses provide knowledge useful in making more encompassing and better-integrated sense out of the social world around us and out of immediately experienced social relations. Such knowledge is applicable as background understanding in social action or in professions such as law, politics, social planning and social service-professions that must take into account social structure and social relations.

The curriculum emphasizes two broad areas: the development of world social relations and the development of United States social relations. Both stress broad social change processes. Sociology combines readily with racial, ethnic, area and women?s studies as well as other interdisciplinary social sciences.

The Sociology curriculum provides a rigorous introduction to sociological concepts, theories and methods, and prepares students for graduate study, for professional work requiring a social science background and for the careers in, for example, education, law, medicine, politics, public administration, social work, business or management.

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Sociology at Binghamton is characterized by its distinctive emphasis on world-historical studies that transgress orthodox departmental boundaries. Our faculty and students come from all world regions, and we provide research supervision for all geographic regions.

We offer promising scholars the opportunity to pursue the critical study of political economy, culture, power, knowledge, and hierarchies of class, race, and gender. Inquiry is guided by multiple theoretical approaches and research methodologies, and addresses the relational interplay of the local and the global, as well as of the past and the present. Substantive research interests currently include, but are not limited to: labor, work, and world-scale capital accumulation; imperialism, colonialism, and diasporic formations; state formation and hegemony; social movements; racial, ethnic, and gendered forms of domination; processes and institutions of knowledge production and distribution; world-systems; alternative paths of technological and economic change and their divergent social and environmental consequences.

Our multiple theoretical perspectives, research strategies, and our faculty's expertise all on world regions allow students to pursue their independent scholarly development rather than standardized training in established specializations. Students are encouraged to develop their own intellectual pursuits and, in consultation with faculty, design their programs of study and select their own areas of scholarly competence. Individual programs of study generally include: introductory and advanced seminars, colloquia, and doctoral research seminars in the Department; relevant course work in other departments, programs, or schools; and considerable independent study. Students may also have occasion to collaborate with faculty on projects of mutual interest. Additional opportunities for advanced research may be available as well at the Fernand Braudel Center for the Study of Economies, Historical Systems, and Civilizations.

Admission:
The program relies on close working relations between faculty and students and is, therefore, kept relatively small. Applicants are expected to have a superior academic record and an informed interest in pursuing advanced studies in the Department of Sociology at Binghamton University. The program is as demanding intellectually as it is flexible structurally, and adequate preparation is indispensable. Nonetheless, prior work in a department of sociology is not essential. Preparation, for instance, in history, geography, economics, anthropology, philosophy, or political science may be just as appropriate. A working knowledge of modern languages can be especially useful. Also, exposure to mathematics, logic, or statistics may be helpful. Admissions are based on a variety of criteria, and we only admit students into our Ph.D. program. Students must submit appropriate samples of their writing that they consider indicative of their scholarly promise. Students are also asked to submit a carefully framed statement that addresses why they specifically want to come to the Program at Binghamton and spell out the directions that they anticipate developing in their work while here. In addition, letters of recommendation, transcripts, and appropriate standardized test scores (GRE, TOEFL) are required. Experience suggests, however, that while test scores are helpful, the writing samples along with the statement and letters of recommendation are better indicators of success in the program.

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Undergraduate

• Declare Major
• Major Checklist
• Minor Checklist
• Transfer Checklist

Graduate

• Area Paper Description
• Committee Form
• Course Completion Checklist

Labels: programs