Mission and Learning Goals

Mission Statement

Together, Sociology and Anthropology strive to illuminate the ways people think, feel, and behave as agents of historically, culturally, and socially specific communities. SOAN students develop skills in writing, critical thinking, and quantitative and qualitative methods to address social and cultural research problems and learn to apply disciplinary skills and perspectives in diverse career settings. SOAN graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills to work professionally in a variety of fields including: public policy, public health, social work, nonprofit organizations, businesses and corporations, law, community organizing, education, healthcare, counseling, human resources, criminal justice and corrections.

Learning Goals

Goal 1: Engage with sociological and anthropological perspectives, including the ways people think, feel, and behave in their socially specific communities.

a) Analyze the complexity of different social and cultural contexts, with an emphasis on cultural diversity and global relationships.

b) Analyze social and cultural phenomenon using sociological and anthropological theories and approaches

Goal 2: Address social and cultural research problems using quantitative and qualitative methods.

a) Evaluate how sociological and anthropological research methods can be used to understand social and cultural phenomena.

b) Implement quantitative and qualitative research methods to carry out a research project.

Goal 3: Apply sociological and anthropological skills to real-world settings and problems.

a) Produce artifacts designed for a general audience sharing value of sociological and anthropological approaches.

b) Translate value of sociological and anthropological skills in career related materials.

College of Saint Benedict
Saint John’s University

Ellen Block
Chair, Sociology Department
SJU Simons 114
[email protected]

Elizabeth Harvieux
Department Coordinator
SJU Simons 122
[email protected]