In 2025, USC Sociology celebrated its 110th anniversary. For more than a century, we have advanced bold ideas and trained generations of students to use sociology to understand and improve the world. Today, our faculty and students carry that legacy forward, tackling urgent social challenges in Los Angeles and across the globe.
Our scholars are at the forefront of research on culture, gender and family, race and immigration, and political sociology. Their work sparks new debates, shapes public policy, and captures wide attention—from leading journals and books to media headlines, court cases, and national initiatives. Faculty lead influential centers on campus such as the Equity Research Institute, the Center on Science, Technology, and Public Life, and the Spatial Sciences Institute, extending USC Sociology’s reach and impact.
We believe strongly in the advancement of sociology as a discipline and its intergenerational transmission. Sociology serves over 700 undergraduate majors (in our Sociology, Health and Human Sciences, and NGOs and Social Change majors), 30 graduate students, and 1,300 general education students annually, preparing them to think critically and act with purpose. Our alumni go on to make a difference in universities, government, nonprofits, and the private sector.
I invite you to explore our website to learn more about our programs and the work of our exceptional students, faculty, and alumni.
– Jennifer Hook, Chair