Sociologists try to explain social processes and the consequences of people’s actions and relationships. They investigate power and gender relationships, the welfare state, social problems, education, working life, mass media, ethnic conflicts, youth cultures and lots more. Different methods are used for study these, such as questionnaires, interviews and participatory observations. Sociology is a critical and reflective science that often provides new insights into phenomena that were previously taken for granted.

The subject has a vibrant and creative research environment with both leading researchers and doctoral students. Central subjects include questions about trust, social capital, urbanity, work, risk, social movements, civil society, health and welfare.

Doctoral education

Doctoral education covers four years of full-time study and concludes with a doctoral degree. It includes courses worth 75 credits and a thesis worth 165 credits, where the doctoral student conducts an individual research project.

Doctoral education in Sociology at the university is offered in collaboration with the Baltic and East European Graduate School (BEEGS) and as part of the research area of Politics, Economy and the Organisation of Society (PESO). The research area of Politics, Economy and the Organisation of Society is a cooperation between the subjects of Sociology, Political Science and Business Studies, and four courses are jointly studied by doctoral students in these disciplines.