Integrated Sociology Programs: Five Pillars to Guide Blended Curriculum Design

Abstract

The field of sociology is uniquely poised as a discipline that can be combined with specialized training in other fields. Many work sectors are undergoing systemic or cultural changes based on demographic, political, and economic trends. At the same time, many graduates of sociology programs do not find jobs as “sociologists” or academics and must seek additional skill sets to enter the job market. In this paper, we introduce the concept of Integrated Sociology Programs (ISPs), outlining five pillars of such programs: (1) a focus on sociology as a skill set, (2) integration with a non-academic industry, (3) applied experiences, (4) integrated Industry Advisory Boards, and (5) inclusion of career-focused outcomes. We present a case study ISP that integrates Medical Sociology with the emerging field of Population Health Management. While there are many innovative combinations of subfields of sociology and non-academic fields, our case study offers an example that informed the conception of the five pillars of ISPs.