Best Sociology Programs in Wisconsin for 2027

UW-Madison's sociology major asks for at least 30 credits in SOC courses, and it opens with a foundation block the department wants you to finish early: an introductory course, Methods of Sociological Inquiry, Statistics for Sociologists I (or an approved statistics course from another department), and Classical Sociological Theory. From there you take four distribution courses spread across at least two areas, such as demography and ecology, deviant behavior, social psychology, or community and environmental sociology. You can also declare the Concentration in Analysis and Research, and the major pairs with either the BA or BS degree requirements. Honors in the major adds a two-semester senior honors thesis and a 3.3 GPA requirement.

Foundation Courses

Introductory sociology, research methods, statistics, and classical theory

Distribution Areas

Four courses from at least two of seven areas

Honors Thesis

SOC 681 and SOC 682, with a 3.3 GPA

Program Sources: Sociology, BA < University of Wisconsin-Madison

La Crosse majors do research twice over. One course has you develop and conduct a qualitative field project using methods such as participant observation, in-depth interviewing and archival research, in a seminar format with oral and written presentations. Another guides an independent quantitative project, where you write a hypothesis, design the methodology, review the literature and present a formal paper. Quantitative measurement and a theory survey come first, and the department encourages taking the measurement and methods courses together. A supervised field-experience course lets you apply up to six credits to the major. Thirty-five degrees were awarded in 2023–24, and the department also offers a BS.

Qualitative Project

Field research seminar using interviewing, observation and archival methods

Quantitative Project

Independent survey, evaluation or secondary-data study ending in a research paper

Field Experience

Supervised sociology field experience, up to six credits toward the major

Program Sources: Sociology | UW-La CrosseSociology | UW-La Crosse

Every sociology major at UWM completes three required courses: Introduction to Statistical Thinking in Sociology, Research Methods & Data in Sociology, and Social Theory. The other 21 of the 30 credits are yours to shape, whether you lean toward social inequality, law and society, the sociology of gender or urban sociology. At least 15 credits must be upper-division courses taken in residence. The department also stresses data work, saying students learn to analyze large volumes of information with current software. With 38 degrees awarded in 2023–24, it is one of the larger sociology programs on the Wisconsin page.

Required Core

Statistical Thinking, Research Methods & Data, and Social Theory

Electives

21 credits chosen to build a broad course mix or a specialty such as urban sociology or law and society

Upper-Division Rule

At least 15 credits at the 300 level or above, taken in residence

Program Sources: Sociology, BA – Sociology

Stevens Point builds its sociology major around Applied Sociology. Four core courses, Introduction to Sociology, Applied Social Theory, Social Statistics and Research Methods, come first, followed by 15 elective credits in sociology. The 32-credit major ends with the Applied Sociology Practicum, a field or research internship that every sociology student completes, through partnerships with community organizations and agencies across the region and state. If you want your last undergraduate experience to look like a first job, that placement is the point. The department reports 36 degrees awarded in 2023–24, which puts it among the larger sociology programs in Wisconsin.

Core Courses

Introduction to Sociology, Applied Social Theory, Social Statistics and Research Methods

Capstone Practicum

Applied Sociology Practicum, a field or research internship required of all majors

Major Size

32 credits, including 15 elective credits in sociology

Program Sources: Sociology - Academics

Marquette’s sociology major runs ten courses: five required and five electives, with at least three of the electives at the upper-division level. The required list covers Principles of Sociology, Social Statistics, Sociological Theory, Methods of Social Research and a Capstone Seminar in Sociology, usually taken in the final year after 21 sociology credits. You also take two courses from a related social science, such as anthropology, criminology, economics, political science, psychology or social welfare and justice. Up to two of your electives can come from anthropology, criminology and law studies, or social welfare and justice. Ten degrees were awarded in 2023–24, so expect a small cohort.

Required Courses

Principles of Sociology, Social Statistics, Sociological Theory, Methods of Social Research and a Capstone Seminar

Related Social Science

Two courses from anthropology, criminology and law studies, economics, political science, psychology or social welfare and justice

Capstone Timing

Capstone Seminar in Sociology, ordinarily taken in the final year after 21 sociology credits

Program Sources: Sociology, BA | Marquette University

Whitewater spreads its 36-unit sociology emphasis across five course groups that cover topics such as social movements, race and gender, family and health, crime and law, and global societies. You take at least three units from each group, and at least nine of those units must be numbered 300 or above. Underneath sits Principles of Sociology, Basic Social Statistics and Methods of Social Research. You finish with either Applied Sociology or a Seminar in Sociology, and you pick one theory course. An approved minor is required, and an exit interview is a milestone in your final semester. Nine degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Topic Groups

At least 3 units from each of five groups, with 9 units at the 300 level or above

Final Experience

Applied Sociology or Seminar in Sociology, plus an exit interview in the final semester

Minor Requirement

An approved minor is required for this major

Program Sources: Sociology - Sociology Emphasis Requirements (BA/BS) - University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Academic CatalogSociology - Sociology Emphasis Requirements (BA/BS) - University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Academic Catalog

River Falls splits its sociology BS into cores. The content core covers Introduction to Sociology, Theories of Sociology, Social Problems and a Seminar in Sociology. The research core has five courses: Foundations for Success, Doing Sociology, Criminology, and Anthropology, Introduction to Social Statistics, Research Methods and a Research Capstone. A stratification core asks for at least two courses on race, power and inequality, or gender, and you add three electives that range from Sociology Through Film to Sociology of Sport, with an internship among the choices. Nine degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Research Core

Social Statistics, Research Methods and a Research Capstone, plus two foundation courses

Stratification Core

At least two courses from race relations, power and inequality, or gender

Electives

At least three, including Environmental Sociology, Sociology of Health and Illness and an internship in sociology

Program Sources: SOCI.AS - Sociology, UndergraduateSOCI.AS - Sociology, Undergraduate

At St. Norbert, the sociology major is a Bachelor of Arts built from a short, fixed list and a lot of choice. Four courses are required: Introduction to Sociology, Social Research Methods, Foundations of Social Theory and Basic Statistics. Then you pick six electives, three at the 200 level or above and three at the 300 level or above. The department’s topics include inequality, social class, race and social identity, immigration, privilege, gender and education. You can also add a secondary teaching certification through a sociology teaching major or minor. The college awarded 14 sociology degrees in 2023–24.

Required Courses

Introduction to Sociology, Social Research Methods, Foundations of Social Theory and Basic Statistics

Electives

Three at the 200 level or above and three at the 300 level or above

Teaching Option

Secondary teaching certification through a sociology teaching major or minor

Program Sources: Sociology Major, Minor & Course Offerings | St. Norbert College

UW–Madison's Sociology PhD is run jointly by Sociology and Community and Environmental Sociology, a structure that brings environmental and rural questions into the same graduate program as other sociological fields. Students earn an MS on the way unless prior thesis work qualifies for a waiver. The university lists direct connections to the Center for Demography and Ecology, the Institute for Research on Poverty, and the Survey Center. Those settings give doctoral work several empirical homes, from population data to policy research, beyond a single department seminar sequence.

Program Structure

Joint Sociology and Community and Environmental Sociology

Degree Milestone

MS en route or qualifying waiver

Program Sources: UW–Madison Sociology PhD Guide

UWM’s sociology PhD starts with a core of The Sociology of Inequality, The Sociology of Institutions and Advanced Quantitative Analysis, plus one more social science methodology elective. You then specialize with three courses in either Social Inequalities or Social Institutions. After 27 post-master’s credits you sit preliminary examinations in two specialty areas, and an empirical paper can replace one of them. The dissertation begins with an oral defense of your proposal before your committee. If you hold a teaching assistantship, you also take a proseminar on teaching undergraduates, and every PhD requirement has to be finished within 10 years of matriculation.

Focal Areas

Social Inequalities or Social Institutions

Preliminary Exams

Two specialty areas after 27 post-master’s credits, with an empirical paper allowed in place of one

Teaching Training

Proseminar on teaching undergraduates for students with teaching assistantships

Program Sources: Sociology, PhD – SociologySociology, PhD – Sociology