Undergraduate Experiential Learning
Students in the Sociology Department are offered hands-on learning opportunities where they can gain real-world experience and apply the knowledge and skills they’ve learned in the classroom. Some of these experiences give students a chance to work with community organizations and participate in social science research projects.
Hear from our faculty and students on why they got involved in research and the types of opportunities available to you!
Courses and projects
Our department’s curriculum is designed to help students gain research experience as a part of their progress toward their degree, including through the courses and opportunities below.
Campus and local directories and services
If you’re looking for an internship or volunteer experience, check out these lists that include local, statewide, and even international opportunities.
Research and service learning
There are also many opportunities beyond our department to participate in undergraduate research and community service. Some of the programs below provide either funding or course credit for these experiences.
SOCY 139I and internships
All Sociology students who are interested in internships, field experience, community-engaged research, and experiential learning, should start with enrolling into SOCY 139I. SOCY 139I will be offered in Fall and Winter quarters. The course satisfies an upper-division elective in the major as well as the PR-GE.
SOCY 139I provides an introduction to critical community-engaged learning and research for social change as practiced within the Sociology Department. Students will build out their own internship and/or research objectives centering on ethical community-engaged practices. Students will be supported in locating internships, learning about various approaches to community-engaged research and learning, and connecting to a range of opportunities.
Once students have taken SOCY 139I and have secured an internship position, they can work with Professor Amy Argenal on a field study independent class. An independent study allows students to get academic credit for an internship or related experiential learning opportunity.
Everett Program
The Everett Program is a highly innovative, student-managed program within the Sociology Department that deploys the tools of information-communication technology (ICT) and social entrepreneurship (SE) in partnership with civil society, community, and non-profit groups to advance social justice, sustainable practices, and progressive institutional change at the global and local levels. The Everett Program is the home of the Digital Justice Studies major concentration and minor, though students from any program of study can participate.
Global Learning
We encourage all sociology students to consider studying abroad. By experiencing other cultures and societies, students can deepen their understanding of sociology. All study abroad programs and study away programs, like the UCDC Washington Program and UC Center Sacramento, are managed by the Office of Global Learning.
In addition, during summer 2024, we launched our first Sociology Global Internship program. The program will continue in Summer 2025 in Santiago, Chile, and is open to students affiliated with the Sociology Department. The Global Internship, as well as hundreds of other abroad program courses, may be applied to the sociology majors and GISES minor. See relevant information about elective course substitutions on our Courses & Class Schedules page.
