Undergraduate Programs

Our programs

Anthropology

Study the various aspects of humans within past and present societies.

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Criminology

Explore the scientific study of crime from a social and individual perspective.

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Sociology

Investigate social change and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. 

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What We Offer

Our department offers four undergraduate degrees: B.A. in Anthropology, B.A. in Criminology, B.A. in Sociology and B.S. in Sociology. Despite differences in approach and scope, each field examines components of human society — our systems, structures, cultures and practices — with the goal of elevating our understanding of human nature.

We are passionate about our students’ education. Our faculty will encourage you to be a curious and critical thinker and to ask the difficult, probing questions about the world in which you live.

What Can I Do With My Degree?

From archaeologists to law enforcement officers, our alumni are able to pursue their passions. Lieutenant Brett Walsh (Criminology ’07) leads the Fuquay-Varina Police Department’s special operations division.

Explore career paths

Student Ambassador Program

The Department of Sociology and Anthropology’s Student Ambassador program is a team of undergraduate student volunteers who help with student activities, new student recruitment, department communications (newsletter), student involvement and student mentorship through the Student Connections program. Each student in the department is paired with a student ambassador from the time they enroll at NC State until graduation.

Student Ambassadors lead and organize an Alumni Program in the Fall semester of the academic year where alumni in all of the Department’s academic majors are invited to attend an in person networking event with current students.  At the event, students have the opportunity to learn from an alumni panel discussion and networking event about topics including networking, resume building, interviewing skills, academic success, careers and graduate school.   In the Spring semester of the academic year Student Ambassadors lead and organize an event to give back to the NC State Community.  For example, in Spring of 2024 the Student Ambassador Team partnered with the Target Corporation for a food drive for the NC State Feed the Pack Organization.

Student ambassadors receive special recognition during graduation — an honor cord to thank them for their hard work and dedication to the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. 

In March of the Spring semester of the Academic Year all students will receive an email from the Director of Academic Advising and the Director of the Student Ambassador Program, Stephanie Jares with information on how to apply for the Student Ambassador Program for the Fall semester.. Students may apply to be a student ambassador if they have completed at least one semester at NC State and at least one semester in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, have an overall and major GPA of 2.5 and have a letter of recommendation from their academic advisor or a current instructor in the department.

The Student Ambassador Team has a Leadership Team of two Assistant Directors, a Finance Manager, a Student Connections Coordinator, A Newsletter Coordinator and a Student Activities Coordinator.  The Leadership Team provides Student Ambassadors with additional opportunities to network with Leadership at NC State and also manage committees of their fellow Ambassadors under the direction of Stephanie Jares. You can find a list of current student ambassadors here. For questions, please contact Stephanie Jares, Director of Undergraduate Advising and the Student Ambassador program.

Student Organizations

Pursue your interests. Meet like-minded friends and those whose views challenge your own. We encourage our students to get involved during their time on campus. NC State offers more than 700 registered student organizations — and some of those have deep ties to our department.

• Anthropology Club: The Anthropology Club welcomes all majors to join in its exploration of human origins, material remains and culture. The club hosts speakers, outings and discussions of interest to its members. *Follow this link for a recorded Zoom event featuring faculty and instructors in celebration of Anthropology Day 2021. You will need to log in to Zoom to access the video. NC State students can do so here.

• Criminal Justice Club: The Criminal Justice Club aims to provide students interested in the criminal justice field an environment in which they can foster their interests, meet like-minded peers, and network within the field.
• Taylor Sociology Club: The Taylor Sociology Club provides students the opportunity to pursue their sociological interests and promotes an understanding of the discipline of sociology.

Connect With Us

Undergraduate Program Contacts

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