Best Sociology Programs in Washington for 2027

UW's sociology major is 50 credits anchored by three courses: Foundations of Social Inquiry (SOC 300), Social Science Statistics (SOC 221) and Introduction to Sociological Theory (SOC 316). After those, you take 20 credits of advanced 300- or 400-level sociology, and five credits of practicum work can count toward that block. As you move through the major, the department opens up community-based research, internships and individual research projects. If a thesis appeals to you, the departmental Honors Program runs a two-quarter senior seminar and an honors thesis, and the year ends with thesis presentations at two spring events. You'll need a 2.50 sociology GPA to graduate.

Core Courses

SOC 300, SOC 221 and SOC 316

Honors Sequence

SOC 496-497 senior seminar and SOC 498 thesis

Practicum Credit

Up to 5 credits toward advanced coursework

Program Sources: Current Majors | Department of Sociology | University of WashingtonHonors Program | Department of Sociology | University of Washington

Western limits how many students enter the sociology major, so plan ahead: you need 45 college credits and 5 credits of sociology at C- or better, and a cumulative GPA of 2.85 or higher gets you straight in, while a lower GPA goes through application review. The 65 credits break down as one introductory course, Classical Sociological Theory, Statistics for Sociology, Sociological Research Methods, 40 elective credits and a 400-level capstone. Faculty-led study abroad programs are an option. The department also offers a math-heavy BS for students aiming at research and data science. With 111 degrees awarded in 2023–24, it ranks second on its Washington page.

Core Sequence

Classical Sociological Theory, Statistics for Sociology and Sociological Research Methods

Capstone

One 400-level sociology capstone course, 5 credits

Major Admission

Limited entry; 45 college credits and 5 sociology credits required, 2.85 GPA for immediate declaration

Program Sources: Sociology, BA | Western Washington University CatalogSociology, BA | Western Washington University Catalog

The WSU major is 31 hours of sociology with a C average, and it ends in a choice you make yourself: a 3-credit Capstone Internship in the fall or a Research Practicum in the spring. Before that come Development of Social Theory, Research Methods in Sociology and a four-credit Quantitative Techniques course. Twelve credits go to a concentration, such as Work and Family; Crime, Deviance, and Social Control; or Sustainable Societies, and half of those must be 300 to 400 level. Students who double-major in criminal justice or psychology can have the methods or statistics requirement waived and make up the credits in sociology. Forty-nine degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Capstone Choice

Capstone: Internship or Capstone: Research Practicum, 3 credits each

Concentrations

Work and Family; Crime, Deviance, and Social Control; Sustainable Societies; or General Sociology and Related Fields

Methods and Statistics

Research Methods in Sociology and Quantitative Techniques in Sociology I

Program Sources: BA in Sociology | Department of Sociology | Washington State UniversityBA in Sociology | Department of Sociology | Washington State University

Central Washington lets you size the major to your plans. A 45-credit small plan is meant to sit beside another major or minor such as Law and Justice or Psychology, while the 60-credit large plan stands on its own. Both build on a core that runs from Principles of Sociology and Introduction to the Major through Social Theory I, Methods of Social Research and Data Analysis in Sociology to a Senior Seminar. Electives group into areas like Deviance, Law and Social Control and Inequality and Social Change, with courses on punishment and corrections, sociology of immigration and social movements. Fifty-eight degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Two Plans

45-credit small plan or 60-credit large plan

Core Courses

Social Theory I, Methods of Social Research, Data Analysis in Sociology and Senior Seminar

Elective Areas

Deviance, Law and Social Control; Inequality and Social Change

Program Sources: Sociology, BA | Central Washington UniversitySociology, BA | Central Washington University

Gonzaga’s sociology major is 33 credits, designed around social scientific theorizing and research design, with elective credits you can aim at social inequality, social psychology, social institutions or deviance. The extra draw is a year-long undergraduate research group for juniors and seniors. About twenty students take part each year, meet weekly, earn 1 to 3 credits and present projects at conferences such as the Pacific Sociological Association meeting, the National Conference of Undergraduate Research and the Spokane Intercollegiate Research Conference. Fifteen sociology degrees were awarded in 2023–24, so the group is a small one.

Major Size

33 credits for the B.A., with electives in a content area of your choice

Undergraduate Research

Year-long group for juniors and seniors, 1 to 3 credits, about twenty students a year

Conferences

Pacific Sociological Association, National Conference of Undergraduate Research and Spokane Intercollegiate Research Conference

Program Sources: Sociology | Gonzaga UniversityUndergraduate Research | Gonzaga University

Whitworth splits its sociology degree into a Social Analysis track and a Social Work and Community Human Services track, and it frames the discipline through Christian perspectives. Expect to work next to professors on research and co-authored articles, then travel to conferences such as the Pacific Sociological Association meeting. Skills courses cover geographic information systems mapping and statistical programs. You can add practicums, internships or independent study, and courses on race and ethnicity, civil rights, intergroup dialogue and globalization sharpen intercultural skills. Eighteen degrees were awarded in 2023–24, and faculty travel with students to conferences and on study abroad programs.

Tracks

Social Analysis, or Social Work and Community Human Services

Research Tools

GIS mapping and statistical software

Applied Options

Practicums, internships and independent study

Program Sources: Sociology, B.A. | Whitworth UniversitySociology | Whitworth University

After an introduction, social statistics, a methods course and contemporary sociological theory, Eastern Washington has you choose from named subject areas: deviance and social control, race, gender and class, collective behavior and social movements, social institutions, and social interaction and identity. The curriculum is flexible, so you work with an advisor to match courses to your interests. Applied options sit under an Experiential Learning requirement, where you can take Doing Sociology to explore careers, complete an internship, do directed study with a professor or carry out research that ends in a senior thesis. A world language is required. Thirteen degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Core Courses

Introduction to Sociology, Introduction to Social Statistics, a methods course and Contemporary Sociological Theory

Experiential Learning

Doing Sociology, internship, directed study or research ending in a senior thesis

World Language

Two years of high school or one year of college study in a single language

Program Sources: Sociology Major, Bachelor of Arts (BA) | Eastern Washington UniversitySociology Major, Bachelor of Arts (BA) | Eastern Washington University

Every sociology student at Whitman writes a senior thesis based on original research, working one-on-one with faculty. Topics range from the political and environmental views of rural farmers to conflict resolution on college campuses. Before that you take courses in sociological theory, social research design, environmental sociology and the sociology of face-to-face interaction, and the senior seminar is where you make significant progress on the thesis. You can also choose the combined Sociology-Environmental Studies major, and pair either with a concentration such as Global Studies, Public Health or Social Justice. Eleven degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Senior Thesis

Original research with faculty, finished in a senior seminar

Combined Major

Sociology-Environmental Studies

Concentrations

Global Studies, Human-Centered Design, Public Health or Social Justice

Program Sources: Sociology | Whitman CollegeSociology | Whitman College

You apply straight to the Ph.D. at UW, because the department doesn’t offer a terminal master’s. The first two years are structured, with substantive and methodological coursework plus a master’s thesis of independent empirical research under a committee. Then training loosens toward the dissertation. Along the way you complete four graded sociology electives, a Ph.D. Training Plan approved by your supervisory committee, a Comprehensive Exam and a General Exam with dissertation prospectus, and finally the dissertation defense. The department emphasizes theory, theoretically guided research and scholarly writing and teaching. Four doctorates were awarded in 2023–24.

Master’s Stage

Substantive and methods coursework plus an empirical master’s thesis, not a terminal degree

Doctoral Milestones

Training Plan, Comprehensive Exam, General Exam with prospectus, and dissertation defense

Admission Route

Admitted directly to the Ph.D. program

Program Sources: Graduate Program Overview | Department of Sociology | University of WashingtonGraduate Program Overview | Department of Sociology | University of Washington

Methods training is the thing WSU puts first. Graduate seminars cover survey research, qualitative and experimental methods, advanced regression, spatial analysis, network analysis and longitudinal techniques, so you can pick tools that fit your own research questions. The department says it typically supports all of its graduate students for their careers as long as they make good progress, and it offers grants for research, teaching and travel each year. After the master’s, you may teach your own courses once you’ve had teacher training. Co-authoring with faculty is common, and graduate students organize an annual conference. Six doctorates were awarded in 2023–24.

Methods Seminars

Survey, qualitative, experimental, regression, spatial, network and longitudinal methods

Teaching

Post-master’s students may teach their own courses after teacher training

Student Conference

Graduate students organize an annual conference and colloquia

Program Sources: Sociology at WSU | Department of Sociology | Washington State UniversitySociology at WSU | Department of Sociology | Washington State University