Prospective Students
Welcome to GVSU Sociology!
The Reverend Martin Luther King was a sociology major. So was former First Lady, philanthropist, and lawyer, Michelle Obama. Sociology welcomes critical thinkers of all varieties and we are proud to say that our student body is one of the most diverse on campus. If you want to change the world, and you don’t think it is cliché to say so, sociology may very well be the major for you. By developing a “sociological imagination” you will be better able to actively engage the world around you and to do something constructive and useful in it. Sociology students learn about the dynamics of race, class, and gender and about the powerful institutions that we live in and work in everyday. Our graduates have found success in government and non-profit agencies, in large and small private business, and as university professors and researchers. Students choose the sociology major because they are genuinely interested in the concepts and ideas that we teach and because sociology helps them to understand their lives. The world is constantly changing. Why not learn to affect that change?
Other notable Sociology Majors include:
- Political Activist, Minister, and Politician, Reverend Jesse Jackson
- Politician, Activist, and Educator, Shirly Chisolm
- Politician Maxine Waters
- Politician Cory Booker
- Actress Nina Dobrev
- Actress Gabrielle Union
- Actor Kal Penn
- Author Mitch Albom
- Actor Dan Ackroyd
- Former Head of NAACP Roy Wilkins
- Workers' Rights Activist Francis Perkins
- The Sex Doctor, aka Dr. Ruth Westheimer,
- Father of Community Organizing, Saul Alinsky
- Athlete Alonzo Morning
- Actress Yara Shahidi (in school now for Sociology)
- NFL Coach Mike Tomlin
Events
Women's Ice Hockey Club vs. Eastern
January 18, 2026 3:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Grand Valley State's Women's Ice Hockey Club hosts Eastern Michigan at 3:30pm. Click here for additional information
Dr. Martin Luther King Commemoration Event (INT 100/201 approved)
January 20, 2026 10:00 AM
Please join us in welcoming our 2026 keynote speaker, Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, will kick off GVSU's week of events commemorating the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr....
Craftivism: Human Trafficking Awareness - INT 100/201 APPROVED
January 20, 2026 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Human trafficking is the use of force, fraud, or coercion to compel a person into commercial sex acts or labor against their will. Join us in learning...
PlannerPalooza!
January 20, 2026 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Join the Tutoring and Reading Center, Student Academic Success Center, and CLAS Advising for PlannerPalooza! A place to learn, create, and connect about all things planners, time management, and goal...
Wellness Wednesday - Stalking Awareness - Digital Boundaries & Online Safety
January 21, 2026 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Join the Center for Health and Well-being and the Violence Prevention Taskforce for another Wednesday Wellness as we explore Digital Boundaries and Online Safety for Stalking Awareness Month. Students...