Careers in Faith Communities

Sociology is a science viewing ethical and moral issues through secular lenses. For students who are comfortable with this approach, sociology can provide a strong background for a faith-oriented career and leadership positions.

Sociologists have been interested in religion and moral culture since the beginnings of the discipline. Early sociologists sought to understand the origins and consequences of moral cultures. Courses such as Development of Social Theory (SOC 310), Social Deviance (SOC 360), and Criminology (SOC 361) provide students with a sociological view of how groups enforce moral values and the reasons that people follow group norms or disobey them.

The WSU Department of Sociology also offers a range of courses that may be useful preparation for a counseling role. For example, course such as The Family (SOC 351), Social Inequality (SOC 340), and Sociology of Aging and the Life Course (SOC 356) provide understanding of diverse life situations.