Sociology Emphases

The Sociology program at Carroll allows you to emphasize in one of three areas: Criminology, Medial and Human Services, and Broadfield.

1. Criminology 

“Criminology is the scientific study of crime and criminals. Through the Sociology-Criminology major, you will develop the knowledge and skills to pursue a wide range of careers from law enforcement and criminal justice to law, public policy, and corporate security.”

ALUMNI STORIES

Stephen Szambelan (‘19) discovered his passion for working with juveniles during an internship his junior year with the Youth Court Office in the 1st Judicial District. After graduation, he was hired as the youngest Deputy Juvenile Probation Officer in the state of Montana, only to move up to the second most senior probation officer in just two years. Having thoroughly enjoyed this experience and learning a lot about the system, Stephen is now pursuing his law degree with plans to continue working in the area of juvenile justice. 

Madisen (Lindquist) Cook (‘15) was the second in what has now become a long line of Sociology interns with the Helena Pre-Release Center. Through her internship and course work, Madisen honed her interests in working with adult offenders. After college, she continued her relationship with Boyd Andrew Community Services as a case manager and worked to earn her LAC. She is now an Addictions Counselor with Boyd Andrew. 

Specialty courses (for example):

  • Juvenile Delinquency
  • Alcohol and Drug Addiction
  • Policing and Violence
  • Crime and the Media
  • Sociology of Law

Curriculum-specific experiences/benefits:

  • Internships with law enforcement agencies, law offices, the court system, corrections, legal services, and more

Careers and grad school options:

  • Graduate school in Sociology/Criminology, Criminal Justice, Law (JD), Counseling, Social Work
  • Careers in law enforcement, corrections, law, social services, and more!

2. Medical and Human Services

“Through the Sociology-Medical and Human Services major, you will study the various areas of Sociology that will prepare you to pursue graduate school or work in medicine, social services, or social work.”

ALUMNI STORIES

Nathan Downey (‘21) double majored in Sociology-Medical and Human Services and Biology. He did two internships in Sociology: one as an assistant to the APRN/FNP at the Big Sky Health Clinic and the other at Elkhorn Treatment Center. Nathan took classes in a variety of areas that will best prepare him for a career in medicine. He is currently applying to medical school.

Specialty courses (for example):

  • Sociology of the Family
  • Ethnic and Racial Relations
  • Sociology of Gender
  • Intro to Native American Studies
  • Cultural Anthropology

Curriculum-specific experiences/benefits:

  • Excellent preparation for a Master’s in Social Work or medical school
  • Internships with social services agencies (such as Child and Family Services), non-profits (such as AWARE or Intermountain)

Careers and grad school options:

  • Graduate school Medical Sociology, Medical Anthropology, Social Work, Counseling
  • Careers in health care, social services, and non-profit agencies

3. Broadfield

“Through the Sociology-Broadfield major, you and your advisor will work to tailor your studies to your specific interests and career goals. This is the most flexible major emphasis and will enable you pursue graduate school or work in all of the various areas applicable to Sociology including education, administration, government services, non-profits, business, and many more.”

ALUMNI STORIES

Ever since she was very young, Kaia (Roberge) Rosen (‘19) knew she wanted to be a librarian. She chose to study Sociology at Carroll College in order to gain the specific research skill set as well as develop an understanding of a wide variety of topics so as best to help her future patrons. Kaia interned with the Montana Department of Transportation library during her college years, and is currently finishing up her Master’s in Library Science. She hopes to be back with the Department of Transportation very soon. 

During college, Jessica Ackeret (‘16) took a leadership position in leading the Sociology Club and served as an officer who organized and hosted key events and handled marketing and outreach. She interned with the innovative program Youth Aware of Mental Health addressing youth suicide in Montana high schools. Jessica is currently a Health Promotions Specialist with the State of Montana and is earning her Certificate in Public Health. 

Specialty courses (for example):

  • The beauty of the Broadfield emphasis is that you work with your advisor to tailor the speciality courses to your particular interests and career goals. For example, if you want to work with children, we may select courses in Sociology of the Family, Juvenile Delinquency, and XX, along with an internship at Intermountain, to get you the experience, knowledge, and networking that will help you take the next step in your career path.

Curriculum-specific experiences/benefits:

  • The big advantage of the Broadfield emphasis is its flexibility. Along with your advisor, you will select a curriculum that provides you with the experiences you need, in the time frame you need them. This flexibility also means that students who discover Sociology a bit later in their college career can still major in Sociology-Broadfield and graduate in 4 years.

Careers and grad school options:

  • The sky is the limit for students with Sociology degrees. Broadfield allows students to tailor their curriculum to their own specific interests and needs, but a degree in Sociology-Broadfield means you can take those marketable and transferable skills and apply them to a wide variety of graduate programs and career fields.
  • Grad school programs that our alums have pursued include: JD, MD, Sociology, Environmental Studies, Criminal Justice, Library Science, Social Work, Anthropology, Counseling, and more!
  • Similarly, the career paths are practically endless. They include work in business, non-profits, and government careers.