Interpreting, Understanding, and Improving the Human Condition

Welcome to the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work. Our programs prepare students to be responsible citizens and effective communicators in a global society, armed with the knowledge and skills to interpret, understand, and improve the human condition. Sociology includes all aspects of people's social behavior in many different types of settings. Its goal is to advance our understanding of the interrelations of culture, community, organizational and socioeconomic structures, personal relations, and individual identities in our rapidly changing and increasingly globalized social world. Anthropology studies all aspects of culture across time and space, taking an integrated view of humanity from its deep past to diverse modernity. It is committed to investigating and explaining the diversity of ancient and modern human cultures and societies. Social Work is dedicated to partnering with people to create change. It trains its students to use self-awareness and sensitivity to the plight of humankind to promote social justice within our interdependent global community.

Undergraduate Programs

Our department offers a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees in Anthropology, Criminology, Sociology, and Social Work. Sociology BA students also have the option of a concentration in Criminology. Anthropology BA students may choose a concentration in Forensic Anthropology. We also have minors in Anthropology, Sociology, Criminology, and Social Work.

Graduate Programs

Master of Arts (MA) degrees in are offered in Anthropology, Sociology, as well as a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree.

We invite you to explore our website and learn more about our degree programs, our faculty, our research, and the opportunities we offer students at home and abroad.

How You Can Help

Did you know that you can support SASW's programs and mission with a tax-deductible contribution to one of our scholarship funds? 

Location

Our main office is in Holden Hall 158.

Our USPS mailing address is:

SASW Department
Texas Tech University
Box 41012
Lubbock, TX 79409-1012

Our UPS or Fedex address is:

SASW Department
Texas Tech University
Holden Hall 158
1011 Boston Ave.
Lubbock, TX 79409 

Other Information

Download the SASW Tenure and Promotion Guidelines.

 

SASW News

Giacomo Fontana, SASW anthropologist, was interviewed by the French newspaper Le Monde about the use of Lidar and Artificial Intelligence in archaeology.

Anthropology major Madeline Leeah is a winner of the 2025 Distinguished Undergraduate Student Award. Congratulations Madeline!

SASW Anthropologist Giacomo Fontana has secured funding for the newly launched Texas Tech DARE Lab through the NEOM megaproject. The funding will support the development of AI-driven predictive models to identify and preserve rock art and epigraphical remains spanning several millennia in Saudi Arabia.

SASW Sociologist/Criminologist Martha Smithey was the keynote speaker at the Bexar County San Antonio Trial Lawyers and Bexar County Associations of Civil and District Judges conference “Fatal Ties: Understanding and Addressing Familicide in Family Law".

SASW is co-hosting a Native American Handgame Exhibition. Teams from the Kiowa Tribe, Comanche Nation, and Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes will be on campus to demonstrate this exciting and entertaining Native American game.

SASW Sociologist Patricia Maloney secures NSF funding for an interdisciplinary project on additive manufacturing in health care education.

Congratulations to Giacomo Fontana, who has been awarded the 2024 Reproducibility Prize. The paper has been published in the Journal of Archaeological Science.

Out of this World! Work by SASW Anthropologist Brett Houk featured at Space.com and the Daily Toreador.

Michael Paul Jordan, SASW Anthropologist, has been invited to speak at an event commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Lyman’s Wagon Train.

Patricia Maloney, SASW Sociologist, to participate in a panel discussion on public education in September.

SASW Anthropologist Michael Paul Jordan has collaborated with the Kiowa Tribe, Comanche Nation, Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to organize an event commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Palo Duro Canyon.

SASW Anthropologist Anna Novotny received a grant from the Summerlee Foundation to support DNA sample analysis and community outreach for the Old Canaan Cemetery Bioarchaeology Project.

SASW Anthropologist Lauren Miller was awarded the President's Excellence in Teaching Award.

SASW Sociologist Ori Swed and recent MA graduate Muhammad Ridwan published an article on collaboration in terrorist organizations.

SASW Sociologist Brandon Wagner quoted in recent NY Times editorial on demographic divides between "red" and "blue" America.

Undergraduate Kaitlin Murphy and SASW Anthropologist awarded research funding from the College of Arts and Sciences' Undergraduate Research Experience Program.

Recent work by SASW sociologist Brandon Wagner featured on CNN, US News, and Newsweek.

Bison Death Plunge! Field school run by SASW anthropologists Brett Houk and Tamra Walter featured in Texas Parks and Wildlife.

Anthropology students recognized for their work at Fort Stockton. Check it out here!

Listen to Ori Swed, SASW Sociologist discuss his recent work on terrorism and military security companies. 

Jeff Patterson will discuss conspiracy theories with call-in listeners next Tuesday (5/16) at 6pm.

Administration

Chair
Arthur Durband

Associate Chair
Jerome Koch

Business Manager
Athena Baumann

Advisors for Sociology & Criminology

Last Name A-L
Stephen Phillips

Last Name M-Z
Alexandra Haney

Senior Advisor for Anthropology and Social Work
Adrienne Scales

Administrative Assistant for Social Work
Jasmin Lopez