About Sociology and Sexuality Studies
Sociology
Mission
The Sociology program at San Francisco State is committed to critical analysis of societies, with particular emphasis on inequalities, injustices and processes of social change. Our primary mission is to provide students with the theoretical and methodological skills needed to better understand, critique and contribute to the worlds in which they live. The sociology major prepares students for a broad range of career paths, including employment in community-based organizations, local governments, human service agencies and research settings. The major also provides students with a foundation to successfully pursue graduate work in multiple areas, including sociology, social work, public health, public administration, counseling, law, sexuality studies and other fields.
The approach of the department
The Sociology faculty are engaged teachers, scholars and activists. We offer students the opportunity to study in small class environments, in many areas of sociology, including globalization; the environment; immigration; political economy; popular culture; race, class, gender and sexuality; LGBT studies; health and illness; deviance and social control; social movements; and social change. Faculty use diverse theoretical and methodological approaches to produce scholarship for academic and community audiences. Sociology faculty help students to develop strong writing skills and to become resources for one another. Faculty also support Project Rebound, which assists formerly incarcerated students in their journey through San Francisco State University.
After completing a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, students will develop:
- Knowledge of the social, political, economic, and cultural forces shaping everyday life, and the processes and possibilities of social change.
- Awareness of the intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality and disability in local, national and global contexts,
- Skills in using both innovative and traditional techniques of analysis and empirical investigation.
- Abilities to communicate effectively their sociological knowledge and insights to a broad range of audiences.
- An understanding of the relationships between individual life chances and broader social structures — an ability that sociologist C. Wright Mills famously termed the “sociological imagination.”
Sexuality Studies
Mission
The mission of the Sexuality Studies program is to advance multidisciplinary teaching, research and advocacy in sexuality studies, sexual literacy, well-being and social justice. Faculty and students explore processes and variations in sexual cultures, sexual identity and gender role formation, and the social, cultural, historical and ethical foundations of sexuality, intimate relationships and sexual health. The program has a long commitment to community building and focuses on issues of social justice and sexuality, including the impact of factors of social inequality — such as poverty, racism, marriage equality and homophobia — upon sexual well-being and sexual health across the lifespan. This is emphasized through the program's commitment to:
- Educate the next generation of leaders in research and dissemination of knowledge
- Excel in teaching graduate and undergraduate students advance quality research on sexuality, gender, and social justice
- Integrate analyses of race, racism, heterosexism, homophobia, ableism, poverty, and culture into all aspects of our program
- Advocate for social policy on sexuality, sexual health, sexuality education, and human rights, shaped by social justice and diversity
- Through these efforts, shape the field of sexuality studies in the 21st century