Leadership Opportunities

The Department of Sociology has a number of leadership positions, both paid and unpaid, for interested undergraduates. Participation in any one of these opportunities is a great way for you to polish your career skills and participate in the sociology department. Opportunities include becoming a teaching assistant, a department committee student representative, a peer advisor, or a front desk student worker in the main sociology office. More information about these positions can be found below.  All student workers need to have work study funding to allocate to the department and must be registered for at least 6 credits a semester.  Contact the department to learn more about these positions and inquire about current openings.

Teaching Assistantships

Each fall and spring, we select a pool of undergraduates from among highly qualified applicants for paid Undergraduate Teaching Assistantships (UGTA) in sociology. A teaching assistantship is a valuable professional development opportunity that you can add to your resume or highlight on your application to graduate school. Learn more about becoming a teaching assistant for the Department of Sociology.

Department Committee Student Representatives

You can contribute to the policy-making of the Department of Sociology by participating in one of four departmental committees. Membership on a departmental committee can be a valuable addition to a resume, but it is also personally enriching. Get involved with faculty in decision-making, share your opinion about what undergraduates need and want from their education, and learn how the department ticks. Pick up an application at the main office in 909 Social Science Building.

Openings available for undergraduates include:

Undergraduate Affairs Committee (1-2 students)

The Undergraduate Affairs Committee serves as the policy and advisory body to the Director for Undergraduate Studies. The committee considers and gives advice on matters relating to the undergraduate curriculum, special undergraduate programs of study including honors, advising to undergraduates, and other undergraduate matters referred to it by the Director of Undergraduate Affairs. The members of the Ethics and Grievance Committee are the same as the Undergraduate Affairs Committee.

This committee is responsible for recommending policy and procedures to the department. These policies and procedures attend general departmental expectations of its faculty in instructional, research, and service matters as well as the integration of these expectations. In its role as grievance committee, the Undergraduate Affairs Committee serves as the formal hearing committee of the department as specified by the University Senate Report on Academic Freedom and Responsibility. The committee also handles ethics and grievance problems arising among students and staff of the department. If a member of the committee is personally involved in a grievance, a substitute will be appointed.

Executive Committee (1 student)

The Executive Committee serves as an advisory board to the chair on general departmental matters (including budget), serves as a sub-committee on long range planning, and helps coordinate the resources and work of the department.

Personnel Committee (1 student)

The Personnel Committee recruits, screens, and presents candidates for faculty positions within the department. It recommends policy to the department regarding hiring of new personnel within university and college guidelines. Often meets over the summer.

Sociology Research Institute (1-4 students)

The Sociology Research Institute (SRI) is co-chaired by a faculty member and one or more graduate students. The committee is responsible for planning all aspects of the department's spring research institute. These duties include selecting a date for the event, speaker(s), student presenters, and assigning subcommittees for awards and food.

Peer Advisor

Help fellow sociology students navigate the department! As a peer advisor, you will work with the undergraduate advising coordinator to assist undergraduate majors and minors through a variety of platforms, including in-person appointments, online, and via the undergraduate newsletter. Peer advisors work part-time during both the fall and spring semesters. This position is a great way to get involved with the sociology department and demonstrate your commitment to improving the student experience.

Front Desk Student Workers

Interested in a long-term job? The Department of Sociology hires undergraduate student workers as front desk staffers for up to four years (you could start with us as a freshman and continue your appointment until degree completion). As a front desk student worker, you can learn the inner workings of the sociology department while building a resume strong in organizational and administrative skills.