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Why SFU?
The Department of Sociology and Anthropology has long provided students with a hub for the study of contemporary social issues, engaging the world in our classrooms. Our devoted faculty educators believe that fostering a social imagination empowers students to meet future challenges in their lives, workplaces, and communities. Classroom activities encourage students to notice the social world, to explore and debate alternative interpretations of what is happening, to see situations from multiple points-of-view and, most of all, to ask probing questions. Our students learn to discern social structures, to pay attention to context and positionality, and to care for global social justice.
Wondering what people learn about in sociology or anthropology? Curious about what you can do with a sociology or anthropology degree, or what current and former students are doing in class, at work and in the world? Start here!
What can you do with a degree in Sociology or Anthropology?
Our courses emphasize both a research mindset and communication skills to ensure graduates are especially well-prepared for jobs that:
involve communicating with people who have different backgrounds and needs;
focus on interactions among people, or working with people, in a variety of settings and situations;
help teams and organizations collaborate;
use creative and technical skills to bring people together;
conduct social science or policy research; or
improve social and environmental justice and promote social change.
In anthropology, you’ll specialize in gaining in-depth understanding of cultures and groups near and far, and learn to identify the obvious and the subtle forces of power within them.
In sociology, you’ll look behind the surface of groups and societies to understand how they work, and learn about how individuals’ experiences and choices are related to the societies they live in.
Our graduates go on to find rewarding careers in fields such as advocacy, policy and planning, media arts, interactive technology, health care, law, education, academics, business, and community organizing. More than that, graduates report that their education has been intrinsically rewarding: they value the insight it provides them in their everyday lives. Our curriculum exposes students to a range of learning experiences, with an emphasis on open inquiry, writing, and global thinking.
Careers in Sociology
