Best Sociology Programs in Utah for 2027

BYU’s Sociology BS makes research training a sequence: methods, data analysis and presentation, social inquiry, and introductory statistical data analysis sit in the core. Students then choose qualitative research methods or regression analysis, a decision that changes the evidence they practice handling. The catalog also offers either a two-part Senior Experience or Persuasive Writing for advanced communication. A diversity course and upper-division electives let students pursue topics such as immigration, family change, organizations, or medical sociology without replacing the shared methods foundation.

Advanced Methods Choice

Qualitative Research Methods or Regression Analysis

Communication Requirement

Two-part Senior Experience or Persuasive Writing

Program Sources: BYU Catalog: Sociology (BS)

Twelve credits of the major come from four program areas: Diversity and Inequality, Population and Health, Deviance, Crime and Law, and Globalization, Politics and Society. You need a C- or better in major courses, a 2.0 GPA, and 18 major credits completed at Utah. If you want a project of your own, the Senior Thesis Program runs one or two semesters with a faculty mentor after you finish Research Methods and Social Statistics, and it can bring Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program funding and the Undergraduate Research Scholars Designation. With 93 degrees awarded in 2023–24, it is one of the larger options on its state page.

Program Areas

Diversity and Inequality, Population and Health, Deviance, Crime and Law, Globalization, Politics and Society

Senior Thesis

Faculty-mentored research paper over one or two semesters

Prerequisites for Thesis

Research Methods and Social Statistics

Program Sources: Sociology Major - Department of Sociology - The University of UtahSenior Thesis Program - Department of Sociology - The University of Utah

Fifteen required credits come first: Introductory Sociology, Social Inequality, Sociological Theory, Methods of Social Research and Social Statistics I. Then 18 elective credits are spread across at least three of four specialty areas: Crime & Deviance, Social Inequality, People, Place, and Change, and Social Health and Well-Being. You earn a BS by finishing the major courses, and a BA by also showing proficiency in a foreign language. A C is needed in Introductory Sociology and a C- or better in other major courses, and at least half of your sociology coursework must come from Utah State’s own sociology program. Fifty-two degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Required Courses

Introductory Sociology, Social Inequality, Theory, Research Methods and Statistics

Specialty Areas

Crime & Deviance; Social Inequality; People, Place, and Change; Social Health and Well-Being

BA Versus BS

BA adds foreign language proficiency

Program Sources: SOCI_BA_BS Program | Utah State University Catalog

A discipline core of Intro to Sociology, Modern Social Problems, Statistics for Social Sciences, Social Research Methods, Classical Social Theory and Contemporary Social Theory leads into 23 credits of sociology you choose yourself, at least 12 of them upper division. The menu includes Sociology of Religion, Environmental Sociology, Animals and Society, Land Food and Society, Social Movements and Collective Action, and a sociology internship. Graduation also requires one Global/Intercultural course, two Writing Enriched courses and a 2.5 program GPA. The catalog describes graduates heading into research, public service, social advocacy, education and organizational leadership. Twenty-eight degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Discipline Core

Statistics for Social Sciences, Social Research Methods, and Classical and Contemporary Social Theory

Sociology Electives

23 credits, at least 12 upper division, including an internship option

Graduation Requirements

One Global/Intercultural course and two Writing Enriched courses

Program Sources: Sociology, B.S. | Utah Valley University Academic Catalog

A minimum of 36 sociology credit hours are required, and a minor is required too. Required program courses include Introduction to Sociology, Sociological Theories, Social Statistics and Sociological Research, with a Senior Capstone Course and a Community Engaged Capstone both in the required list. Another 21 hours are electives, nine of which can be lower division, ranging from Deviance and Social Control and Criminology to Medicine and Healthcare in Society, Cities and Urban Life, and Law and Society. A grade of C or better is needed in every major course. Ten degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Required Courses

Introduction, Sociological Theories, Social Statistics, Sociological Research and capstone

Electives

21 hours, from criminology and healthcare to cities, work and globalization

Minor

Required with the sociology major

Program Sources: Program: Sociology (BS) - Weber State UniversitySociology Degrees

BYU admits a small fall cohort to its Sociology MS and expects full-time students making good progress to finish in about two years. The graduate program pairs broad sociological theory and methods with specialization; faculty research areas identified by the university include family, stratification, ethnicity, community, and delinquency. Research involvement is a central opportunity, and teaching experience may be available in the second year when the department needs undergraduate course support. Applicants can use those faculty interests to judge whether a prospective research topic has a suitable adviser.

Research Areas

Family, stratification, ethnicity, community, and delinquency

Teaching Opportunity

Possible undergraduate teaching experience in year two

Program Sources: BYU Graduate Studies: Sociology MS

Core training in theory, methods, statistics, teaching and research ethics comes first, then work in one or more of eight program areas, from Environmental Sociology and Political Sociology to Sociology of Health, Population Studies and Criminology. Required courses include a Proseminar, Classical Sociological Theory, Methods of Social Research, Statistics I and II, Teaching in Higher Education and Research Ethics. Later come Comprehensive Area Exams, a Third Year Research Paper, a two-part qualifying exam made of a literature review and a dissertation proposal, and 14 credits of dissertation research. A five-person supervisory committee oversees the qualifying exam and also serves as your dissertation committee. Five degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Program Areas

Eight, including Environmental Sociology, Population Studies and Criminology

Milestones

Comprehensive Area Exams, Third Year Research Paper and a qualifying exam

Teaching Training

Teaching in Higher Education course and Professional Development Forum

Program Sources: Ph.D. in Sociology - Department of Sociology - The University of Utah

Foundational theory and methods coursework is paired with focused training in three specialty areas: Demography, Environment & Community, and Social Inequality. You concentrate in one and pass a written comprehensive examination in it. Demography covers population change, migration and health outcomes. Environment & Community involves cooperative research with colleagues in natural resource sciences and water engineering. Social Inequality looks at gender, racial and class inequality, including cross-national comparison. Students also take apprenticeship roles on basic and applied research projects. The program admits in fall only, with a December 20 application deadline, and prefers applicants with a master’s degree. Four degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Specialty Areas

Demography, Environment & Community, or Social Inequality

Comprehensive Exam

Written exam in one major specialty area

Research Apprenticeships

Roles on basic and applied research projects

Program Sources: SOCI_PHD Program | Utah State University CatalogGraduate Program Overview | School of Social Sciences - College of Arts & Sciences | USU

Snow steers sociology students toward an Associate of Science of 60 credits, and an Associate of Arts is available by adding a foreign language. The major requirements are short: Introduction to Sociology, Modern Social Problems, and one of Social Work as a Profession or Introduction to Social Psychology. That leaves most of your credits for general education and the prerequisites your bachelor’s program will want, which the plan of study maps semester by semester. The catalog lists cultural diversity, social theory, group dynamics, deviance, research methods, power, family and religion among the topics you can expect. Five degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Major Courses

Introduction to Sociology, Modern Social Problems, and Social Work as a Profession or Social Psychology

Degree Options

Associate of Science recommended; Associate of Arts adds a foreign language

Transfer Planning

Suggested plan of study covers prerequisites for a bachelor’s degree

Program Sources: Sociology (AS) | Snow College Academic Catalog

At Salt Lake Community College, sociology sits inside the Social & Behavioral Sciences AS as one of five emphasis options. Everyone takes Doing Sociology: Intro to Social Research, then the sociology emphasis adds Intro to Sociology and any two more SOC courses. Those nine emphasis credits leave 21 credits of general electives, so much of the 60-credit degree stays open for the major you plan to declare at a university. Full-time students can finish in four semesters. The program ranks second on its Utah page, with 30 degrees awarded in 2023–24.

Research Foundation

Doing Sociology: Intro to Social Research, required for every emphasis

Sociology Emphasis

Intro to Sociology plus any two SOC courses

Time to Completion

Four semesters full-time, 60 credits

Program Sources: Social & Behavioral Sciences: AS | SLCC General CatalogSocial & Behavioral Sciences: AS | SLCC General Catalog