Message from the Chair

Welcome!

I’m glad you are interested in our department. Let me tell you a little about us. Culture & Society is an interdisciplinary department seeking to better understand the construction of society and its effects on everyday lives. We have an exciting range of courses in anthropology, sociology, geography, rhetoric, communication, and media studies. Yes, that’s a lot going on! Take some time to see how we can work together to further your educational and life goals.

We offer majors in Sociology (SOC), Anthropology/Sociology (ANSO), and Rhetoric, Media & Social Change (RMSC). We also have minors in Anthropology, Sociology, Geography, and Rhetoric, Media & Social Change.  

Our majors seek lives and careers that aim to make the world a better place. They graduate with the ability to work across different social groups, communicate effectively, advocate for social change, and build fulfilling, meaningful careers.

Our alumni work as professors, teachers, journalists, doctors, mediators, police officers, social workers, public relations executives, activists, attorneys, business people, and bankers.

Students explore a variety of research questions in dynamic courses. A few of those courses include Global Political Violence, Digital Cultures & New Media, Restorative Justice, Deviance, Science & Society, Global Citizenship, Representing Race, Environmental Sociology, Madness, Culture & Power, Homelessness in America, Grief & Loss, Human Geography, Global Youth Studies, Televisual Rhetorics, Sociology of the Sixties, and Media, Culture & Communication. And those are just a few of our classes!

In our programs, we aim to go beyond the walls of the classroom. Internships take learning into the community to quality placements throughout Des Moines. Many of our classes include community engagement experiences as part of the course. Our students present research at conferences and publish in journals. They receive one-on-one attention in their learning as critical and creative thinkers. Some students work as teaching or research assistants with faculty.

With these tools, you graduate prepared to make a living but also to pursue a meaningful life. Many of our students have more than one major and/or minor. Some students have two majors in our department. Others combine majors from departments and colleges across the rich landscape of Drake’s programs. Talk with us further about the right choice for you.  We will listen to your life goals and help you plan an educational experience to fulfill those dreams.

Thanks for taking time to explore what we can learn together.

Nancy Berns
Professor of Sociology
nancy.berns@drake.edu