Our Programs
Understanding Society Transforming the World
Sociology and Sexuality Studies programs at San Francisco State University invite students to explore how identity, power, relationships, and social institutions shape our world — and how they can help shape it in return.
The Bachelor of Arts in Sociology builds strong analytical, research, and communication skills while examining everything from culture and media to inequality and global systems. The Master of Arts in Sexuality Studies offers an interdisciplinary, research-driven approach to understanding human sexuality, policy, and social change, preparing graduates for impactful professional and academic pathways. Complementary minors in Sociology, Queer and Trans Studies, and Sexuality Studies allow students across majors to deepen their understanding of social structures, diversity, and human experience, equipping them with critical perspectives that are highly relevant in today’s complex world.
Undergraduate Programs
Bachelor of Arts in Sociology
The Bachelor of Arts in Sociology examines the social aspects and dimensions of most everything human beings do in the realm of politics, economics, culture, technology, relationships, and identity. Studying sociology provides students critical and reflexive perspectives with which to understand the world. It pushes students to develop the analytical, research, and compositional skills necessary to investigate, understand, analyze, explain and improve the world around them.
Minor in Sociology
The minor in Sociology instills a way of seeing inequalities in the world as products of social structures and forces. The recognition that social structures and forces shape a person’s beliefs, values, norms, and identities lie at the heart of sociology.
Minor in Queer and Trans Studies
The minor in Queer and Trans Studies delineates and analyzes meanings that have been associated with varying sexual and gender orientations in various artistic, biological, cultural, educational, ethical, historical and literary contexts and examine the related issues of mixed-gender and cross-gender roles and practices.
Minor in Sexuality Studies
The minor in Sexuality Studies provides students with knowledge about human sexuality including basic knowledge about sexual behavior, human reproduction, intimate relationships, sexuality and evolution, sexual attraction, arousal and response, sexual dysfunction, sexually-transmitted infections and diseases, contraception and safer sexual practices, sexual and gender orientations, sexual and intimate partner violence, as well as sexuality across the life course.
Graduate Programs
Master of Arts in Sexuality Studies
The Master of Arts program in Sexuality Studies provides an integrative and comprehensive graduate degree for students interested in studying and working with issues related to human sexuality, sexuality education, research and social policy. It offers an interdisciplinary curriculum in the study of sexuality, with particular emphasis on theory, research and application. Sexual and cultural diversity and their relevant historical, social, developmental and biological aspects are considered.