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Blaze a Brighter Future
Blaze a Brighter Future
Department of Sociology College of Arts and Sciences

Why Study Sociology?

Sociology is the scientific study of human behavior and the complexities of human social relationships. If you want to understand social behavior in the real world, sociology is where you find the answers. Regardless of your chosen career path, having a critical understanding of the social world can put you at the forefront of your career field.

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It is a top-notch program. I'd recommend this program to anybody who wants to improve the rigor of the work they do.

– Tracy Sims (2020 MA in Sociology graduate); Senior Director, U.S. Lead of Chronic Disease Environment Shaping at Eli Lilly and Company

Featured Alumni

  • LaToya J. O’Neal

    LaToya J. O’Neal

    LaToya J. O’Neal (PhD 2014) is an Assistant Professor and Health and Wellness Extension Specialist in the Department of Family, Youth, and Community Sciences at the University of Florida.

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  • Leigh Willis

    Leigh Willis

    Leigh Willis (PhD 2004) is a Behavioral Scientist at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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  • Oluwaseun Temitope Emoruwa

    Oluwaseun Temitope (Temi) Emoruwa

    Research Interests: Immigrant Health, Colorism, Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, Social Inequality, and Global Health

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  • Brian P. Hinote

    Brian P. Hinote

    Brian P. Hinote (PhD 2007) holds the faculty rank of Professor, and serves as Associate Vice Provost for Data Analytics and Student Success in the Office of Student Success at Middle Tennessee State University.

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Latest News

  • 3 chosen as UAB VIPs for third-quarter 2026
    3 chosen as UAB VIPs for third-quarter 2026
    Rachel Edwards, Charles Morris and Wendy Peek are the third-quarter 2026 honorees of the UAB Shared Values in Action Program. Nominations for fourth-quarter 2026 honorees are open through Oct.
  • Building a Community Online with Dr. Patricia Drentea
    Building a Community Online with Dr. Patricia Drentea
    For more than 20 years, Patrica Drentea, Ph.D., has built a community around the University of Alabama at Birmingham students in her virtual classroom. Through teaching courses in UAB’s online MA in Sociology program, she’s adapted new ways to make her class a community without a classroom—and has helped her students apply sociological skills in their careers.
  • 2026 winners of the College of Arts and Sciences Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching
    2026 winners of the College of Arts and Sciences Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching
    The Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching recognizes full-time, regular faculty members of the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s College of Arts and Sciences who have demonstrated exceptional accomplishments in teaching.  The Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching recognizes full-time,...
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