In contrast to psychology, which is the study of the mind and the psyche of individuals, sociology is the study of the development and behavior of societies. Multiple industries place value in obtaining and utilizing sociological information — including gender, racial or ethnic relations, social organization, and criminology — which can make earning a degree in this field a rather attractive option.
Whether you like sitting behind a desk or standing in front of it, a degree in sociology can lead to work in a number of different settings. Most people think of sociologists as researchers working at colleges and universities, and while this is the path pursued by many in the field, many others work as private analysts, counselors, economists and even statisticians, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
To help aspiring sociologists find the education that is right for them, we have created this list of the 10 best online colleges for sociology, using data from the National Center for Education Statistics' Integrated Postsecondary Educational Data System (IPEDS). Our multi-point methodology for this ranking analyzed data points relevant to online and nontraditional students such as acceptance rate and prominence of sociology at each school.
Visit our methodologies page to learn more about how we use official data to evaluate schools.
The Associate of Arts (AA) degree in sociology at Foothill College gives students the chance to focus on social science coursework that interests them. The degree plan requires 30 credit hours of sociology and related courses, and students have a long list of four- and five-credit options to choose from. Here are just a few examples:
The program also requires 60 credit hours of general education coursework. Foothill College took the No. 2 spot for graduation rate among the best online colleges for sociology and has an open admissions policy.
Accreditation:
Location:
12345 El Monte Rd.In 2015, this school awarded the third-highest proportion of online sociology degrees of all the schools we looked at, according to NCES data. The sociology program at UNC Pembroke also had the most selective admissions rate among the 10 best online colleges for sociology degrees.
The online bachelor's degree in sociology at UNC Pembroke takes the form of a Bachelor of Arts (BA) program. According to the school website, all sociology or criminal justice courses required for the degree are available online, but certain non-major courses may require a visit to campus. Transfer students whose prior general education credits meet the program's requirements should be able to earn their degree fully online.
Accreditation:
Location:
One University DriveStudents can earn their online bachelor's degree in sociology two different ways at this Odessa, Texas, school:
UTPB has also been recognized nationally for its distance education work. U.S. News and World Report named the Texas institution as having one of the top 100 online bachelor's programs in the country in 2017.
Accreditation:
Location:
4901 E UniversitThe AA degree program at Western Wyoming Community College requires 66 credit hours and typically takes four semesters to complete. Students in the program begin by taking introductory courses in psychology and sociology and build up to more advanced concepts like these:
The graduation rate for sociology students at WWCC ranked No. 3 among the best online colleges for sociology in our study. No direct pathway to an online bachelor's degree in sociology was available at the Rock Springs school as of 2017.
Accreditation:
Location:
2500 College Dr.South Dakota State University had the No. 1 graduation rate of the top online colleges for sociology on this list. It's also the only school on our list that offers two online sociology degrees — a Bachelor of Science (BS) in sociology and a Master of Science (MS) in sociology with a community development focus.
The program page lists a wide range of careers in which sociology training can come in handy. Here are a few examples:
The online bachelor's degree in sociology at SDSU may be a good choice for students who want to take their sociology skills into the human services field. The university reports that graduates find jobs working with youth, the elderly, families and at-risk populations.
Accreditation:
Location:
Administration LaneVirginia University of Lynchburg ranked No. 1 in the prominence of sociology degrees among its graduates (meaning percent of sociology degrees awarded out of all degrees awarded at the school). Nearly 14 percent of all degrees awarded at the Lynchburg school in 2015 were sociology degrees, almost triple the 4.76 percent average calculated for the other nine best online colleges for sociology.
Online sociology degrees earned at VUL have a subconcentration in criminal justice. Here's a short list of subjects of study that VUL students can expect to take on the way to their degree:
Courses in ethics and leadership are also common in sociology degree programs from VUL.
Accreditation:
Location:
2058 Garfield Ave.Students looking to earn online sociology degrees straight out of high school may need to look past this Louisiana school. Admission to the online bachelor's degree program in sociology at McNeese State University is reserved for students over the age of 25, or those who are having a hard time balancing school, work and family.
Courses in the online sociology program at McNeese are organized into abbreviated sessions. Students attend class for seven-week periods during regular semesters and three- or six- week periods during summer. This schedule allows busy students to focus on just one or two courses at a stretch, leaving more time for work and family.
Accreditation:
Location:
4205 Ryan St.Students at Colorado State University - Pueblo can earn two different online sociology degrees. As well as the standard Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree plan, CSU - Pueblo offers a second BA program that studies sociology and criminology side by side. Here are a few courses from the joint program that don't appear in the standard sociology study plan:
Both programs include training in cultural theory and research methods. Elective courses dominate the latter semesters of the degree plan in both programs. Students seeking sociology/criminology degrees are expected to replace some standard sociology electives with those that include criminal justice concepts.
Accreditation:
Location:
2200 Bonforte Blvd.The online degree completion program at Fayetteville State University seeks to prepare students for a variety of post-graduation outcomes:
Students must have completed at least 38 credit hours of general education courses before they are eligible to enroll in the online sociology program at FSU. The transferred credits must meet the requirements of the school's core curriculum and contain least one course in the principles of sociology. Credits earned at accredited institutions typically make for more successful transfers.
Accreditation:
Location:
1200 Murcheson Rd.This Milledgeville, Georgia, institution offers an online Associate of Science (AS) program as well as an AA in sociology. The differences between the two study plans lie mainly in the general education requirements of each, rather than in the sociology subjects studied.
GMC sociology students learn how to apply the scientific method in sociology and discuss current and historical trends in the field. The AA degree plan requires that students complete at least 95 credit hours of coursework. The AS plan takes slightly fewer credit hours to complete — 90 to 94 depending on the courses chosen. Each plan includes 25 credit hours of sociology courses.
Accreditation:
Location:
201 E Greene St.Sociologists make it their goal to make sense of societies, even when they appear to be in turmoil. This requires many skills that can be obtained from the courses of an online degree program for sociology. This section provides information about the curriculums that may be found in sociology departments and the skills students can learn from them.
The coursework that is required to complete online sociology degree programs can differ depending on the school students attend. With that in mind, the following list is a sample of the types of classes that may be available to sociology majors.
Sociology is a specialized field that requires workers to have high-level skills. Students who pursue online education for sociology may acquire the following marketable skills through their coursework.
People in the sociology field can earn a credential or a certification to demonstrate their expertise and dedication to their careers. Those who are interested in getting a credential can be certified through the Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology, which offers the Certified Clinical Sociologist and the Certified Sociological Practitioner designations. In order to earn a credential, applicants must first submit proof of their professional experience, as well as academic transcripts and reference letters. If the association's review committee determines the applicant is qualified to continue the process, they are then required to present a portfolio that is reviewed by industry peers.
Sociology students who want to better position themselves to compete in the job market can also earn a certification. Available through the American Sociological Association, the Professional Development Certificate is earned by students who participate in six workshops or meetings sponsored by the organization.
Sociology is a highly competitive field. You'll want to put your best foot forward when trying to break into this field so you can rise above the competition. Earning a degree in the subject, putting the extra work into getting a minor, or working an internship can all give you that extra polish you need when looking for one of these careers.
Professionals in sociology typically study groups of people in order to gain an understanding of human behavior within a society. The findings of a sociologist influence the flow of society itself, providing information to politicians, academics, social workers and more. Sociologists may work for government agencies, research facilities, private businesses and colleges and universities.
The daily work of a sociologist includes developing hypotheses and creating research studies to test them; conducting research and interpreting the results; preparing reports and journal articles that explain study findings; and working with lawmakers, social workers, government agencies and other social scientists to create policies that address specific community problems.
Anthropology and archaeology are studies that focus on how people function and develop within a cultural context. Anthropologists study the history of human beings, from biology to cultural development; they investigate how generations of people have navigated religious institutions, political systems, social structures, health care systems, language conventions and more. Archaeologists study human remains and cultural artifacts; they uncover the structure of past civilizations and compare them to the present day in order to draw conclusions about the human condition and the possible direction of the future.
Although those with bachelor's degrees can work in an assisting capacity, people who want to get full-time careers in either of these fields must at least have a master's degree in archaeology or anthropology.