Best Sociology Programs in Colorado for 2027

Boulder’s sociology major starts with four required courses: introduction to sociology, introduction to social statistics, classical theory and sociological research methods. You take the methods course before senior year, and it has you design and run your own research project. The rest is electives, 24 to 33 credits, and at least 15 of your upper-division credits have to be earned at Boulder. Internships with social service agencies, the criminal justice system and nonprofits are available, and you can write an honors thesis from original research or work with a faculty member through UROP. At 144 degrees awarded in 2023–24, it is one of the larger options on its state page.

Required Core

Introduction to Sociology, Introduction to Social Statistics, Classical Theory and Sociological Research Methods

Research Methods Timing

Taken before senior year, with a self-designed research project

Honors Thesis

Original research thesis, with UROP faculty collaboration also available

Program Sources: Degree Program and Major Requirements | Sociology | University of Colorado Boulder

Colorado State’s General Sociology concentration begins with statistics: you take either The Power of Numbers, a statistics course written for sociology, or a general statistics course at the 200 level or above. Then you fill 21 credits of social and behavioral sciences electives, at least 9 of them upper division, drawn from fields such as anthropology, psychology, geography, human development and journalism. Every sociology course and every elective in the concentration needs a C or better. Senior year closes with a capstone, or with a two-course sociology internship if you choose that route. At 125 degrees awarded in 2023–24, it is one of the larger options on its state page.

Statistics Requirement

The Power of Numbers: Statistics in Sociology, or a 200-level statistics course

Electives

21 credits of social and behavioral sciences electives, at least 9 upper division

Senior Capstone

A capstone course, or a two-course sociology internship

Program Sources: Major in Sociology, General Sociology Concentration | Colorado State University Catalog

The sociology major at Colorado College requires courses in the field’s key theoretical approaches and in several methods for gathering and evaluating evidence. You can add one of two optional concentrations, and either one is noted on your transcript. Research Methods and Data Analysis covers qualitative and quantitative methods, community-based research, and a SO450 thesis built on those methods. Health and Society pairs a health-focused SO450 thesis with an approved community project or internship and at least three courses such as Sociology of Health and Medicine or Global Health. With 26 degrees awarded in 2023–24, this is a small department.

Senior Thesis

SO450, tied to the concentration you choose

Concentration Options

Research Methods and Data Analysis, or Health and Society

Health and Society Extras

Community engagement project or internship, plus three health-related courses

Program Sources: Sociology Department Overview | Colorado College CatalogConcentrations - Colorado College

Northern Colorado’s Sociology BA is 120 credits with a 40-credit required core: Principles of Sociology, Social Theory, Social Research Methods and a Senior Seminar, plus one foundational course such as Social Problems or Sociology of Gender. You then choose a 12-credit track, either Social Psychology, Family and Life Course, Deviance and Social Control, or Inequality and Institutions, and add 9 credits of sociology electives. Internships and community work with hospitals, schools, nonprofits and government agencies are part of the degree, and a 12-credit Equity and Inclusion Certificate can sit alongside it. Many students pair the major with a second major or a minor.

Required Core

Principles of Sociology, Social Theory, Social Research Methods and Senior Seminar

Tracks

Social Psychology, Family and Life Course; Deviance and Social Control; Inequality and Institutions

Hands-On Work

Internships, research projects and community work with local organizations

Program Sources: Sociology BA | University of Northern Colorado

CU Denver’s Sociology MA makes methodology the common language of the degree. Its required sequence includes Research Methods, Quantitative Data Analysis, and Qualitative Data Analysis, alongside theory and a professional seminar. Students then complete graduate electives and a final research paper, choosing a thesis or applied paper under the current requirements sheet. The department identifies health and society, crime and law, family services, and community and urban sociology as strengths. Those areas give applicants a practical way to test whether their proposed research fits the faculty and Denver setting.

Methods Sequence

Research Methods plus quantitative and qualitative data analysis

Final Paper

Thesis or applied research paper

Program Sources: CU Denver Sociology: MA Requirements SheetCU Denver Sociology: Programs and Certificates

Boulder’s sociology PhD asks for 45 hours of coursework, and the first year is mostly required seminars: Logics of Inquiry, classical and contemporary theory, two statistics courses and a professional seminar. An advanced methods course follows in year two or three. In year three you sit an exam in two specialty areas, and in year four you write a journal-article-length paper from independent research. After that comes an oral defense of your dissertation proposal and then the dissertation itself. Most students are funded as teaching assistants, and incoming students are guaranteed five years of funding while in good standing. Boulder conferred 4 sociology doctorates in 2023–24.

First-Year Seminars

Logics of Inquiry, classical and contemporary theory, Statistics 1 and 2, Graduate Professional Seminar

Milestones

Specialty area exam, publishable paper, dissertation proposal and defense

Funding

Teaching assistantships, with five years guaranteed to incoming students in good standing

Program Sources: PhD Program Overview | Sociology | University of Colorado Boulder

Colorado State’s sociology PhD is a 42-credit degree built on a 19-credit core: a professional seminar, foundations of theory, contemporary theory, two research methods courses, qualitative analysis, and a seminar in multiple regression and path analysis. Beyond that you take at least 9 credits of sociology electives at the 500 level or above, plus 14 more credits that can come from outside the department and include up to 5 dissertation credits. Faculty work mostly in four areas: environment and natural resources; food, agriculture and development; crime, law and deviance; and social inequality, justice and governance. It conferred 1 doctorate in 2023–24, which makes it a very small program.

Required Core

19 credits, including qualitative analysis and multiple regression and path analysis

Dissertation Credits

Up to 5 credits of SOC 799 count toward the 42-credit total

Faculty Strengths

Environment, food and agriculture, crime and law, and social inequality

Program Sources: Academics - Sociology | Colorado State University

Trinidad State’s sociology associate degree is 60 credits and runs through four semesters of mostly guaranteed-transfer courses. You start with Introduction to Sociology I and Introduction to Statistics, then take Introduction to Sociology II the next term. The upper courses are Sociology of Family Dynamics, Sociology of Gender and The Sociology of Deviant Behavior, and the family and gender courses are offered in summer only. Spring is the only term for the deviance course. The rest of the plan is general education, including a 38-credit requirement, communication, history and humanities electives. You can take it at the Trinidad campus or the Valley campus in Alamosa. Trinidad State awarded 1 in 2023–24.

Sociology Courses

Introduction to Sociology I and II, Family Dynamics, Gender and Deviant Behavior

Statistics

Introduction to Statistics in the first semester

Campuses

Trinidad and Valley (Alamosa)

Program Sources: Sociology Transfer Major - Associate of Arts | Trinidad State College

Front Range’s AA in Sociology is a 60-credit, four-semester degree designed to put you into a university sociology major as a junior. Courses include Introduction to Sociology, Environmental Sociology, Sociology of Death and Dying, Contemporary Social Problems, Sociology of Diversity and Sociology of Gender. The college lists eleven Colorado schools where the degree lets you start the major at junior standing, among them Colorado State-Fort Collins, the University of Colorado Boulder, the University of Northern Colorado and Metropolitan State University of Denver. You can attend at the Westminster, Larimer or Boulder County campus. The college awarded 3 sociology associate degrees in 2023–24.

Sociology Courses

Environmental Sociology, Death and Dying, Social Problems, Diversity and Gender

Transfer Partners

Eleven Colorado four-year schools accept it for junior standing in the major

Length

60 credits over 4 semesters

Program Sources: FRCC | Earn a two-year AA degree in Sociology

Red Rocks structures its sociology associate degree as a statewide transfer articulation agreement, so the 60 credits are laid out to carry over to a Colorado four-year school. Thirty-one credits are general education, where the catalog prefers Introduction to Statistics for the math requirement. Another 18 credits are sociology-heavy: Introduction to Sociology I and II, three more guaranteed-transfer sociology courses, and either public speaking or interpersonal communication. Eleven credits are electives. The catalog warns that sociology courses beyond those five may not count toward the major at the receiving school, which is useful to know before you pick electives. Red Rocks awarded 2 in 2023–24.

Sociology Core

Intro to Sociology I and II plus three guaranteed-transfer sociology courses

Math Preference

MAT 1260 Introduction to Statistics for the GT math requirement

Credit Structure

31 general education, 18 additional requirements and 11 electives

Program Sources: Sociology AA Designated Degree Requirements | Red Rocks Community College Catalog