The Department of Sociology is home to the BA and MA programs “Sociology,” which can be studied as a major or a minor, as well as “Social and Communication Sciences,” called SoCom. In addition, the Department of Sociology contributes to the interdisciplinary MA programs “Lucerne Master of Computational Social Sciences,” called LuMACSS, “Global Studies,” and “Cultural Studies.” Main topics of teaching and research activities are digitalization, automation and so-called artificial intelligence and their social effects in the areas of work, private relationships, health, organizations, and society; economy and governance as well as globalization and climate change.

In teaching and research, the department’s work explicitly interlinks theoretical contributions and empirical social research and uses qualitative and quantitative methods when working with traditional survey or interview data, as well as digital or digitized texts or images. The Department of Sociology values theoretical and methodological diversity, with constructivist programs playing a special role.

The core modules “Media” and “Organizations” serve as the department's substantive and organizational anchors—we believe that anyone interested in public relations, a job in a company’s communications department, a foundation, an association, marketing, or journalism should not only understand how the media works. Understanding how society and its organizations work is also essential. With these core modules, the degree programs offered by the Lucerne Department of Sociology are unique in the German-speaking world.

Members of the Department of Sociology supervise BA and MA theses, as well as dissertations. Our students’ theses and dissertations are frequently honored.

Interested in our academic programs or research projects? Please get in touch!