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Student riding bike on path alongside Walker and Riley Halls.

Beyond the Classroom

Opportunities for sociology and anthropology students

Faculty in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology have a strong commitment to working closely with you. We offer a wide range of opportunities for faculty-student interaction. Experiential learning (learning outside the traditional classroom setting) happens in the form of community service, internships, collaborative and independent research, applied projects, work in the Linfield Anthropology Museum, and a variety of field experiences.

Professor Leslie Walker working with students at AHA, a pre-orientation program

Collaborative research

Participate as a research assistant with faculty in collaborative research over the summer. Hired by the professors, you have the ability to improve your research skills and gain experience in real-life settings. Recent projects have focused on homelessness, living with celiac disease, educational inequality and migrant labor in the wine industry. 

Linfield student speaking with a business professional through her internship work.

Intern in all areas

Internships provide invaluable hands-on experience and further develop your professional skills. Some organizations where SOAN majors at Linfield have found internship placements include Family Building Blocks, Bureau of Land Management, OMSI, Oregon Department of Education, Yamhill County Juvenile Corrections Division, Rainbow Family Services and the Washington County DA Office.

Student presentation her findings at the Student Symposium in May 2022

Senior Theses and Senior Honor Theses

You’ll gain experience in original research through a senior thesis. Honors thesis writers present work at both professional conferences and the annual Linfield University Student Symposium. Recent topics include gender fluidity, the role of gender in sex trafficking, the transformation of Tibetan identity, microbrewery subculture, international surrogacy and more.

More on Student Symposium
student setting up museum exhibit

Work in the museum

Work as an intern, help design and even curate exhibits with faculty for the Linfield Anthropology Museum (LAM). A recent exhibit, The Art and Tradition of the Kimono, was part of an ongoing effort to explore the rich cultural heritage of Oregon and the Northwest. The LAM partnered with Salem’s Willamette Heritage Center and Portland’s Oregon Nikkei Endowment/Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center to present this exhibition.

Visit the museum