Why would one pick the Sociology/Anthropology (SOAN) Major? Well for starters Sociology and Anthropology deal with people. These two fields work hand and hand with each other. Anthropology digs deep into cultures and how the environment has affected groups of people and how their culture has evolved as a whole. Sociology focuses more on how individuals, or groups of people, act based on the society that they live in.
What can you do with a Sociology/Anthropology Degree? Good question, almost anything. The jobs you can get with this degree are endless. There are Social Workers, Corrections Officers, Teachers, Lawyers, Guidance Counselors, Public Relations, Professors, and so much more.
My name is Emma and I am a senior at Gustavus Adolphus. Looking back before I got to Gustavus I knew exactly what I wanted to do but I did not let that keep me from branching out and taking classes in different fields. Yes, I did take a bunch of Sociology and Anthropology classes, but I also took anatomy, math, religion, psych, and art classes. In each of those classes, I was able to find little bits and pieces that connected with my SOAN Major. With anatomy, I was able to understand the components of the human body, which helped when it came to the evolution of animals and humans in my Anthropology classes. Statistics helped me understand the data presented to me within my field. Psychology really helped me understand why humans act the way they do because of their brain, how outside factors can affect them and ultimately lead to why they act the way they do to other people. Sociology goes hand and hand with psychology. Being able to understand the brain and how it works can help sociologists understand why society is the way it is through an individual’s contribution. I found something interesting and something that connected to my major in all of those classes, I attended those classes as an opportunity to observe the different types of people I was around. I also found myself comparing and contrasting the different environments in Nobel, Beck, and the Schaefer Fine Arts Center to better understand how we can all come together as Gusties that make up the community on the hill.
I chose SOAN because I wanted to better understand the very obvious issues that we have in our world today. Why do certain areas within the world, or country, act the way they do? I love helping people and I love the thought of progressing with society in the right direction. The only way to do that is to understand exactly what it is that makes society act the way it does.
Gustavus offers a wide variety of majors to look into. If sociology is not the route you want to take I encourage you to at least take an intro to sociology course within the department. The professors are wonderful and teach with such passion. The courses within the department are enjoyable and fun. The relationships built within this major, AND at Gustavus, are for a lifetime.