Best Sociology Programs in Texas for 2027

UT Austin's sociology BA requires social statistics, research methods, and theory, with the methods and theory courses completed in residence. Upper-division work makes up at least 18 hours of the major. If you want to develop an independent project, departmental honors offers a two-semester thesis supervised by sociology faculty and a second reader who may come from another department. Honors has its own application and academic requirements, so discuss the sequence with an adviser before your senior year.

Methods Preparation

Social statistics, research methods, and sociological theory form the core.

Honors Research

An optional two-semester thesis pairs a sociology supervisor with a second reader.

Program Sources: Sociology BA RequirementsUT Austin Sociology Honors

Texas A&M's sociology BS takes you through introductory and advanced research methods as well as separate classical and contemporary theory courses. Some courses connect community service or research with classroom work. An internship program offers practical experience in nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and businesses; students admitted to honors can work individually with faculty on sociological research. A minor is optional, leaving you a choice between adding another subject formally and using electives to broaden the degree.

Research Sequence

Methods of Social Research progresses to Advanced Methods of Social Research.

Applied and Honors Work

Internship opportunities and optional honors research with a faculty member.

Program Sources: Sociology BS Requirements

Thirty-three hours in sociology or criminology count toward this major, and 24 of them must be upper-division. The required core is Introduction to Sociology, Introduction to Social Statistics and Introduction to Social Research Methods, followed by either Classical or Contemporary Sociological Theories. Anyone aiming at graduate work in sociology should take both theory courses. Twenty-one more hours are electives in sociology or criminology, and the sample plan has you add a minor and two semesters of foreign language. Because the core courses carry the communication literacy requirement, you write papers, analyze numerical data and give presentations inside the major. Sixty degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Core Courses

SOC 1301, SOC 2391 and SOC 3392, plus classical or contemporary theory

Electives

21 hours of sociology and criminology courses

Communication Literacy

Written papers, numerical data analysis and presentations in the core

Program Sources: Program: Sociology, B.A. - Texas Tech University

Texas Tech's sociology MA offers a thesis route recommended for students planning doctoral study and a non-thesis route intended for applied work or career advancement. The non-thesis option includes a faculty-directed field-research paper. Courses cover classical and contemporary theory, research methods, and statistics, with topical electives such as demography and medical sociology. An approved minor outside the department can form part of the coursework. A comprehensive examination normally comes near the end, with an exemption for students who present their work at two professional conferences.

Final Research

A defended thesis or a faculty-directed non-thesis field-research paper.

Exam Alternative

Presenting work at two professional conferences can replace the comprehensive examination.

Program Sources: Texas Tech: Sociology Graduate Program

Houston’s Sociology MA leads to either an original thesis or an applied internship at an agency or organization. Both tracks share five graduate seminars covering theory, qualitative and quantitative methods, social statistics, and research writing. On the internship track, students apply those tools to work such as program evaluation or organizational development, then defend a written report. The department schedules most seminars in the evening, which may help students balancing study with work. The thesis route instead culminates in a defended research project.

Track Choice

Defended thesis or applied internship report

Core Methods

Qualitative, quantitative, and social statistics seminars

Program Sources: University of Houston Sociology: Prospective Graduate Students

Prairie View A&M’s Sociology MA separates a non-thesis capstone from a thesis concentration. The non-thesis route pairs classical theory, research methods, and a graduate capstone with related-field electives that may draw from community development, education, or juvenile justice. The thesis route instead adds a research-tools choice, such as social statistics or demography and GIS, and two thesis courses. Both plans include sociology topics such as race relations, urban field research, and social movements. The choice changes the final evidence a student produces, not just the course label.

Non-Thesis Route

Graduate capstone with related-field electives

Thesis Route

Research-tools course and two thesis courses

Program Sources: Prairie View A&M 2026–27 Catalog: Sociology MA

UT Austin's Sociology PhD separates a general route from a Demography specialization. Both require substantial statistics and methods work, theory, comprehensive exams, a defended proposal, and a dissertation. The demography route adds a certificate and demography electives in place of some general electives. The Population Research Center and Urban Ethnography Lab provide two distinct research settings for population and field-based work. Teaching assistants also take supervised teaching.

Distinct Route

Demography specialization with certificate

Research Settings

Population Research Center and Urban Ethnography Lab

Program Sources: UT Austin Sociology PhD RequirementsUT Austin Sociology Graduate Program

Texas A&M's sociology doctorate lets you plan a major and a minor specialty with your adviser using the American Sociological Association's sections. Departmental strengths include demography; crime, law, and deviance; organizational, political, and economic sociology; and race, class, and gender. Research training includes preparing conference presentations, journal articles, and grant proposals. Working with faculty, you develop both collaborative and individually authored research. The dissertation follows a preliminary examination and an approved research proposal, with an advisory committee that includes a member from outside the department.

Specialty Design

Choose a major and minor area with an adviser from sociology association sections.

Research Practice

Prepare journal articles, conference presentations, and proposals for research funding.

Program Sources: Sociology PhD Requirements

Odessa's sociology AA combines introductory sociology, social problems, and criminology with two courses examining social work and social welfare policy. The published plan also includes elementary statistics, psychology, and human sexuality. Its science sequence specifies two general chemistry courses with laboratories, so review those requirements against your intended bachelor's program before enrolling. This is a curriculum with a noticeable welfare and crime emphasis: you'll encounter services, legislation, and social problems before moving into upper-division sociology.

Welfare and Crime

Criminology accompanies Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare: Legislation, Programs, and Services.

Quantitative and Science Work

Elementary Statistical Methods plus two general chemistry courses with laboratories.

Program Sources: Sociology AA Requirements

This is a 60-credit Field of Study, built to hand off to a Texas bachelor’s program as a block. The designated core course is Introduction to Sociology, backed by foundation courses in Social Problems, Marriage & the Family and Minority Studies. Directed electives include General Psychology and Cultural Anthropology. Finishing the degree satisfies the Texas Core Curriculum at Lone Star, and the college says credits transfer to any public college or university in Texas. Seven campuses offer the full program. Thirty-three degrees were awarded in 2023–24, so it is a busy route into sociology.

Foundation Courses

Social Problems, Marriage & the Family and Minority Studies

Directed Electives

General Psychology and Cultural Anthropology

Transfer Pathway

Texas Field of Study that moves as a block to public universities in Texas

Program Sources: Sociology Field of Study ProgramAssociate of Arts Field of Study: Sociology