Sociology is the scientific study of people in groups, their patterns and the results of their social interaction. Are you interested in how society works or want to learn how to change it?
We will teach you how to study the social lives of people and their behavior, including survey, observation and experimentation techniques. You will learn about the elements that form society and their influence on how people think, feel and act.
Whether your goal is to pursue an advanced degree or to work in law, social work, social services, public health, journalism, education, or criminal justice, sociology will help you make sense of the complex social relationships between individuals and society.
Why Merrimack?
Develop your sociological imagination to understand how society functions and how it can influence human behavior and choices.
Gain valuable field experience before you graduate with community internships and directed studies.
Develop your skills while building relationships with faculty in our supportive environment.
Learn valuable managerial skills as you develop your own sociological research project.
Study abroad in Germany to learn about the sociology of immigration.
Acquire valuable statistical and data analysis skills.
Benefit from our interdisciplinary curriculum and explore related electives in political science, psychology, women’s and gender studies, criminology and more.
What do our majors do with their sociology degree?
Child Welfare Social Worker, Youth Villages, Boston
Connect with Us
<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,630/ignore_cropper/1/22356_studentswalking.rev.1615482935.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="/live/news/5015-obrien-foundation-invests-12m-to-provide-full"><h3>O’Brien Foundation Invests $1.2M to Provide Full Scholarships to Lynn Students</h3></a> <p>A gift from the James W. O’Brien Foundation will fund full tuition, room and board at Merrimack for Lynn scholars. </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture>
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<img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,630/ignore_cropper/1/22356_studentswalking.rev.1615482935.jpg" alt=" The scholarship program will begin this fall and support a select number of students over a 5-year period. " loading="lazy"/>
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<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22693_Leena_Twitter_Web.rev.1621968068.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="/live/news/5082-merrimack-health-sciences-professor-receives-nih"><h3>Merrimack Health Sciences Professor Receives NIH Grant</h3></a> <p>Assistant Professor <a href="/live/profiles/1885-leena-bharath">Leena Bharath</a>, who teaches in the School of Health Sciences, has received $434,000 in grant funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The awarded R15 grant will stretch over three years and is intended to support the training of undergraduate students. </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture>
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<img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22693_Leena_Twitter_Web.rev.1621968068.jpg" alt="Assistant Professor Leena Bharath receives $434,000 in a grant from the National Institutes of Health." loading="lazy"/>
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<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,630/ignore_cropper/1/22912_attathumbnail.rev.1631543145.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="/live/news/5137-elie-ata-12-addresses-merrimack-community-at-fall"><h3>Elie Ata ’12 Addresses Merrimack Community at Fall 2021 Academic Convocation</h3></a> <p>Merrimack hosted its first in-person convocation ceremony since fall 2019 on Thursday, Sept. 2, at Duane Stadium. Students and faculty gathered to welcome the Class of 2025, address the rising Class of 2022 and officially commence the beginning of a new academic year. </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture>
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<img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,630/ignore_cropper/1/22912_attathumbnail.rev.1631543145.jpg" alt="Dr. Elie Ata ’12 spoke at convocation and encouraged students to welcome change and embrace change in their own lives and communities. " loading="lazy"/>
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<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22567_Be_the_CAUSE_Web_Twitter.rev.1619615967.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="/live/news/5045-new-partnership-brings-dei-to-high-school-students"><h3>New Partnership Brings DEI to High School Students</h3></a> <p>Be the CAUSE (Catalyst for Advocacy and Unified Student Empowerment) is a new community partnership between Merrimack and Central Catholic High School in Lawrence, Massachusetts which aims to bring diversity awareness training to high school students. </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture>
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<img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22567_Be_the_CAUSE_Web_Twitter.rev.1619615967.jpg" alt="The first workshop of Be the CAUSE shared resources, interactive exercises and focused on broadening student awareness by stressing intersectionality." loading="lazy"/>
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<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22925_pha1.rev.1632328663.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="/live/news/5140-merrimack-mens-lacrosse-lends-helping-hand-to"><h3>Merrimack Men’s Lacrosse Lends Helping Hand to Project Home Again</h3></a> <p>On Saturday, Sept. 11, the <a href="https://merrimackathletics.com/sports/mens-lacrosse" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Merrimack College men’s lacrosse team</a> spent the day helping <a href="https://www.phama.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Project Home Again</a> (PHA), a non-profit organization that provides low-income families in need with new and gently used household goods. </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture>
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<img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22925_pha1.rev.1632328663.jpg" alt="The Merrimack men’s lacrosse team helped Project Home Again move their warehouse from Lawrence to Andover." loading="lazy"/>
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<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22254_band1.rev.1612985404.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="/live/news/5009-bring-on-the-merrimack-college-marching-band"><h3>Bring on the Merrimack College Marching Band</h3></a> <p>Merrimack has launched its inaugural marching band to accompany the College’s Division I athletic program. </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture>
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<img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22254_band1.rev.1612985404.jpg" alt="The Merrimack College Marching Band launched with 40 members and plans to grow to around 100 members who will provide entertainment at Merrimack’s Division I sports events." loading="lazy"/>
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<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/21758_rickey-caldwell.rev.1599077275.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="/live/news/4947-merrimack-college-awarded-nsf-grant-for-machs"><h3>Merrimack College Awarded NSF Grant for MACHS Scholars Program</h3></a> <p>Merrimack secures NSF grant for new STEM program to support high-achieving, low-income students. </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture>
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<img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/21758_rickey-caldwell.rev.1599077275.jpg" alt="Principal Investigator Dr. Rickey Caldwell, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering" loading="lazy"/>
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<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/21759_MC-logo-only.rev.1599138227.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="https://www.merrimack.edu/about/offices_services/communications/notable-quotable/"><h3>See What Our Talented Faculty Have Been Up To</h3></a> <p>Merrimack professors across all disciplines have been winning awards, publishing papers, participating in academic panels and workshops, and featured in the media. </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture>
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<img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/21759_MC-logo-only.rev.1599138227.jpg" alt="Merrimack College logo with shield" loading="lazy"/>
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<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22916_Rankings_Web.rev.1631547229.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="/live/news/5138-merrimacks-rank-increases-in-us-news-world"><h3>Merrimack’s Rank Increases in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges List</h3></a> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Merrimack College continued its steady climb in the <a href="https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/merrimack-college-2120" target="_blank" rel="noopener">U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges rankings this year,</a> leaping to 34th from 45th on the 2022 list released Monday, Sept. 13.</span> </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture>
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<img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/22916_Rankings_Web.rev.1631547229.jpg" alt="Merrimack College is #34 in U.S. News & World Reports regional rankings." loading="lazy"/>
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<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2071/ignore_cropper/1/21746_DSC_6585.rev.1598540033.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="/live/news/4948-merrimack-offers-new-global-pandemics-course-about"><h3>Merrimack Offers New Global Pandemics Course About COVID-19</h3></a> <p>Merrimack’s new course Global Pandemics: Challenges and Opportunities in the Context of COVID-19 offers students the opportunity to examine COVID-19 through the lens of multiple fields of study and practice. </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture>
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<img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2071/ignore_cropper/1/21746_DSC_6585.rev.1598540033.jpg" alt="Students in Global Pandemics: Challenges and Opportunities in the Context of COVID-19 will learn about the economics of pandemics, post-pandemic recoveries and more. " loading="lazy"/>
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<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,630/ignore_cropper/1/22752_gallo1.rev.1623789210.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="/live/news/5100-mens-basketball-coach-joe-gallo-receives-number-of"><h3>Men’s Basketball Coach Joe Gallo Receives Number of Awards</h3></a> <p>Merrimack College men’s basketball coach Joe Gallo is recognized with many honors after an incredible 2019-2020 season. </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture>
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<img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,630/ignore_cropper/1/22752_gallo1.rev.1623789210.jpg" alt="Coach Joe Gallo has been recognized for a stunning 2019-2020 basketball season." loading="lazy"/>
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<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/21380_F5_Janet_Ierardi_Twitter.rev.1588791908.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="/live/news/4921-faculty-fast-five-with-janet-ierardi"><h3>Faculty Fast Five with Janet Ierardi</h3></a> <p>In this week’s edition of “Fast Five: Quick Q&As with Members of the Merrimack Community,” we talk to obstetrics nurse and associate clinical professor of nursing Janet Ierardi who teaches in the <a href="/nursing">nursing program at Merrimack</a>. </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture>
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<img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/21380_F5_Janet_Ierardi_Twitter.rev.1588791908.jpg" alt="The first in her family to attend college, Janet Ierardi has been teaching nursing for more than 15 years and tells her students to "squeeze every drop out of learning."" loading="lazy"/>
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<section class="content-fluid-slider-container content-fluid dark section" style="background:url('/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/21675_LM-FF.rev.1594916487.jpg'); background-size:cover;"><div class="container"><div class="row no-gutters"><div class="col-lg-9"><span class="label">Office of Communications and Marketing</span><a class="hover-yellow" href="/live/news/4940-alumni-fast-five-with-nurse-lauren-maher-16"><h3>Alumni Fast Five with Nurse Lauren Maher ’16</h3></a> <p>In this week’s edition of “Fast Five: Quick Q&As with Members of the Merrimack Community,” we talk to alumnus Lauren Maher ’16. Lauren shares her path to becoming a nurse, how Merrimack influenced her career choice and how she’d like to come back and share her knowledge with current nursing students. </p></div><div class="col-lg-3"><div class="d-table h-100 "><div class="d-table-cell align-middle"><picture>
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<img src="/live/image/gid/67/width/1000/height/500/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,670/ignore_cropper/1/21675_LM-FF.rev.1594916487.jpg" alt="Merrimack alumnus and nurse Lauren Maher '16 advises students to know they don't have to have it all figured out while they are in college." loading="lazy"/>
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