Sociology

Sociologists look beyond the issues of the day. Every day, you read about social tension and change, and the Bachelor’s degree programme in Sociology will help you understand and explain these issues. By skilfully asking the right questions, sociology graduates conduct innovative analyses of social issues and devise solutions. Society certainly has plenty of demand for sociology expertise.Does sociology appeal to you?The Bachelor’s in Sociology allows you to develop expertise in subjects such as migration, inequality, healthcare, art & culture, labour markets, education, sexuality and social movements. In the past year, our students have investigated issues such as:Why do women earn less on average than men?How do social media affect the creation and survival of protest movements?In today’s society, to what extent does your appearance affect your job prospects?How does the government deal with sustainability initiatives devised by citizens?Closely examining our complex and multifaceted societyWe will send you out into the city to conduct investigations using a wide variety of research methods. Every research question requires the correct mix of methods, making the conduct of sociological research a true craft: a craft that we will teach you. As a student of sociology, you will immerse yourself in surveys, statistics, in-depth interviews, text analysis, big data and everyday observations.Classic issuesHow does inequality arise? What does the success of capitalism say about Western European morals? Why is suicide a social issue rather than an individual one? Although these may seem like modern-day issues, the very founders of sociology have been poring over these matters since the 19th century. In Amsterdam, we take classical sociologists such as Karl Marx, Max Weber and Emile Durkheim as our point of departure for a journey that will introduce you to many other influential thinkers and fully develop your sociological knowledge.