Sociology engages students in the systematic examination of social life, from everyday encounters to the movements of civilizations throughout history. Theory and methods provide the tools that we use to analyze social patterns, social action, and social change. These tools also help prepare sociology majors for a variety of careers including education, research, social work, law, non-profit work, social activism, and business, politics, or graduate studies. Faculty expertise ranges from American folklore, to legal issues, race, culture, gender, globalization, health, social movements, and the intellectual roots of Western social thought. The sociology program is also the base for the Rural Life Center, through which students undertake wide-ranging field studies and create public projects such as documentary exhibits about rural life.