Saint Michael's College

What you'll study

This programme blends sociological and anthropological perspectives to examine how societies organise themselves, how culture shapes behaviour, and how social change occurs. Core topics include social theory, cultural anthropology, ethnographic methods, sociological research methods and statistics. Students typically take courses such as Introduction to Sociology, Cultural Anthropology, Social Theory, Research Methods in the Social Sciences, Ethnographic Fieldwork, and Quantitative Analysis.

• Foundations: classical and contemporary social theory, introductions to anthropology and sociology.
• Methods: qualitative methods (participant observation, interviewing, ethnography), quantitative methods (survey design, basic statistics) and research ethics.
• Area and topical studies: courses on race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, political economy, medical anthropology, community and urban studies.
• Capstone and experiential learning: senior seminar, independent research projects, internships, and community-engaged fieldwork opportunities in the region and beyond.

Entry requirements

Admission to the programme follows Saint Michael's College's general undergraduate entry process. Typical requirements include a completed secondary-school record or equivalent, academic transcripts, and any materials required by the college for admission. Applicants are expected to demonstrate preparation in the liberal arts and social sciences; those for whom English is not a first language are required to supply evidence of English proficiency according to the college's published guidelines.

Successful candidates often submit a personal statement outlining their interest in social inquiry, and may provide letters of recommendation or examples of written work. Transfer applicants should provide college transcripts and course descriptions to support transfer-credit evaluation.

Career prospects

Graduates leave the programme with skills in critical thinking, research design, data collection and analysis, writing and cross-cultural communication. These are applicable across a wide range of sectors.

• Social services and community development roles in non-profit organisations and local government.
• Research assistant and analyst positions in policy, public health, market research and programme evaluation.
• Education, youth work and advocacy roles focusing on equity, diversity and inclusion.
• Cultural resource management, museum work and heritage organisations for those with anthropological interests.
• Preparation for graduate study in sociology, anthropology, public policy, social work, law, public health and related fields.

Why study at Saint Michael's College

Saint Michael's College is a small liberal-arts institution that emphasises close faculty mentoring and experiential learning. Students in Sociology and Anthropology benefit from small class sizes that encourage discussion, faculty-led research projects, and opportunities for internships and community engagement in the Burlington–Lake Champlain region.

The college's interdisciplinary curriculum and supportive advising help students tailor the programme to their interests—whether that is hands-on fieldwork, quantitative research, or applied community practice—while building the transferable skills employers and graduate programmes value.