STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Tarleton State’s bachelor of science in applied sociology has a new name and an additional location — the university’s Fort Worth campus. “Applied” has been added to more accurately reflect its relevance, said Dr. Derek Lehman, Division of Sociology Director.

“It better maps onto what our program offers and the kind of careers that students are going into,” he said. “We’re really focused on students getting real world skills that they can use in the careers that they’re looking for, so the ‘applied’ distinction fits better with that.”

He said the degree emphasizes abilities suitable for a variety of occupations. Graduates often enter fields like advocacy, environmentalism and ministry, with such careers as policy analyst, human services manager or community organizer.

“The state of Texas has identified a number of growth occupations that our degree fits well for, things like data science, any sort of managerial role — sociology students are really well suited for that — personal service managers, compliance officers and human resources specialists. A lot of our students also end up being alternatively certified and teaching in elementary, middle and high school.”

Offering the degree at the Fort Worth campus taps into a new student population, many of whom are continuing learners, Dr. Lehman said. The degree is flexible about electives — students can take the classes they’re interested in and apply them to the degree curriculum — and transfer students with hours in another discipline can include those hours where appropriate. 

“Our program is going to set students up with marketable skills for careers that not only pay well but enable them to make a difference in their communities and in people’s lives. They’re going to have those skills that employers want — the critical thinking skills, the teamwork skills, written and verbal communications, data analysis, and the ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds.” 

All students complete an internship before graduating, which gives them hands-on experience that they can bring to the table when applying for jobs. Interns have worked in a variety of organizations like public schools, food pantries, foster care and elder care services.

“We help students find an internship that matches what they want to do as directly as possible,” Dr. Lehman said. “They can draw experience from that and translate it to their applications when they’re out in the job market.”

The Division of Sociology lies within the School of Behavioral Sciences, which is part of the College of Education. For more information, visit https://www.tarleton.edu/psychology/sociology-overview/.

A founding member of The Texas A&M System, Tarleton State University is breaking records — in enrollment, research, scholarship, athletics, philanthropy and engagement — while transforming the lives of approximately 18,000 students in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Bryan and online. For 125 years, Tarleton State has been committed to accessible higher education opportunities for all while helping students grow academically, socially and professionally through programs that emphasize real world learning and address regional, state and national needs.