If you are a high school student interested in studying social behavior and social structures, and exploring why people and communities function and behave the way it does, you should consider enrolling in a sociology program. This can be a worthwhile learning opportunity, making it a productive way to spend your summer break!
Why should you apply to sociology programs as a high school student in 2024-2025?
- As a key social science and humanities field, sociology, or the study of human social behavior, is the basis for understanding how society works.
- A program in the field can give you some insight into all things society—from how individuals act in social settings and within groups to the ways institutions shape society.
- This experience may also come with opportunities to learn from sociologists, which can come in handy while looking for advanced research opportunities later in high school or during your undergraduate program.
- A sociology program may also help you develop skills like critical thinking, analysis, and research through hands-on project work.
To help you get started, here we have listed 15 sociology programs for high school students in 2024–2025:
Subject areas: Multiple fields, including medical sociology, psychology, critical history, and more
Location: Online
Cost: You have to pay a registration fee, details regarding which can be obtained by raising an interest form here.
Eligibility: High school students who have a GPA of at least 3.67 on a 4.0 scale are eligible. A majority of those who are accepted are sophomores or juniors in high school. Only a couple of tracks come with formal prerequisites, further details regarding which can be found here.
Application deadline: The applications for the summer cohort are usually due on May 21 every year.
Program dates: The summer session runs from June 24 to September 2, 2024. Horizon Academic lab dates are usually flexible, but students need to apply at least four weeks in advance.
HARP is an online research program, which lets you choose from wide-ranging fields, like medical sociology, neuroscience, and more! You can opt for the Medical Sociology course and explore topics like sociological imagination and the sociology of psychotherapy in the modern era via research. Here, you can choose between quantitative and qualitative research. For either format, you are assigned a mentor, who would typically be a professor or PhD scholar from a reputed university. The hands-on project work in the program mainly consists of writing a 20-page university-level research paper, which might be sent to journals for publication.
The trimester-long program is a chance to explore a specialized subject like medical sociology under the guidance of a researcher. At the end of the program, you will receive a letter of recommendation and detailed project feedback that you can use for securing future projects as well as college admission. Before applying to HARP, you can find out more about the program here!
Subject areas: Multiple fields, including sociology and anthropology, gender studies, and more
Location: Virtual
Cost: The program fee starts at $2,990.
Eligibility: High school students
Application deadline: Four cohorts are conducted in a year with different application deadlines. Summer cohort applications usually open in January and are due in May.
Program dates:
Individual Research session usually runs for 12 weeks
Premium Research & Publication session lasts 16–20 weeks
Research Fellowship typically lasts anywhere from 6 to 12 months
The Research Scholar Program offered by Lumiere is designed for high schoolers interested in working on their research project. Lumiere was founded by Harvard and Oxford alumni who have a first-hand understanding of the ins and outs of a rigorous academic life. Its programs offer you the chance to engage with cutting-edge research and conduct your research on a topic of your choice, which could be relevant to sociology.
This is a fairly selective research program; More than 4,000 students applied for just 500 spots in the past. If accepted, you will be assigned a Ph.D.-level mentor, who will work with you one-on-one and help you write a university-level research paper. You can learn more about the whole experience on the application form here.
Subject areas: Multiple courses to consider, including sociology and social science
Location: Virtual
Cost: $3,050. Any additional study materials will not exceed $100. Financial aid is available.
Eligibility: Students in grades 8–11 can apply.
Application deadline: March 29, 2025 (tentative)
Duration/dates: Multiple two-week sessions held in June and July
Stanford University’s Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes is a two-week virtual program. Here, you will get to choose 1 out of 60 courses, including business, creative writing, and social sciences, including sociology. For instance, you can choose the Sociology of Inequality course, which covers the complexity of social structures and their impact on society. Here, you will learn about certain social movements, racism, gentrification, redlining, and other real-world phenomenon that shaped societies and behavior. During the program, you will also attend online classes, engage in out-of-class learning assignments, and attend seminars and workshops.
Subject areas: Multiple courses, including sociology, social sciences, psychology, and more
Location: Columbia University Morningside Campus, New York, NY
Cost: $12,449 | No financial aid is available.
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old
Application deadline: Applications are typically due mid-July.
Program dates: Multiple three-week sessions from June 24–August 2 (tentatively, based on the 2024 program)
Columbia University’s Pre-College Summer Program is a three-week opportunity to explore a subject area in detail and learn from university professors. You can choose a course under Social Sciences and Psychology. For instance, you can choose an introductory course like Exploring Sociology: How Human Interaction Shapes Our World. Here, you will explore key concepts in sociology and literature on socialization and learn about cultural phenomena, urbanization, and inequity, among other topics. You will also explore the role of institutions, social inequality, and theories in the field of sociology. You will build on your existing knowledge of the field through participation in discussions, simulations, case studies, sessions with guest speakers, and individual and group projects. Through this experience, you will be able to work on your collaboration, critical thinking, and communication skills.
Subject areas: Multiple subject areas, including sociology, psychology, and media, arts and tech
Location: University of California Santa Barbara campus, Santa Barbra, CA
Cost: $4,975 for the commuter program and $11,874 for the residential program | Scholarships are available
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10 and 11 with a minimum academic weighted GPA of 3.80 can apply. Students in 9th grade with exceptional academic achievements may be considered.
Application deadline: March 17, 2025
Program dates: June 16–August 1, 2025
UC Santa Barbara’s Research Mentorship Program is a six-week research opportunity for high schoolers. You can choose a topic relevant to the field of sociology to conduct your research under the mentorship of a graduate student, postdoc, or university faculty. During the program, you will spend a large chunk of your time on your research, engaging in data collection, fieldwork, literature study, and research paper writing. For your participation, you earn eight university credits by enrolling in two courses under the program—a lecture course called Introduction to Research and an Exploratory Course called Presentation Techniques. So, in this program, you will learn how to conduct research in sociology and write a research paper with a proper abstract, methodology, results, discussion, conclusion, and references sections. The second will then help you learn how to present your research to a wider audience. This experience can help you hone your research skills as well as your communication abilities.
Subject areas: Multiple academic subject areas, from STEM to humanities and social sciences, including sociology
Location: Online, commuter, and residential formats are available if you choose the seven-week session. The four-week session is only conducted in person. All on-campus sessions are conducted at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Cost: $4,050–$14,950 + $75 application fee | Financial aid is available.
Eligibility: High school students who are 16–18 years old (will not be 19 by the end of July 2025) and are going to graduate in 2025, 2026, or 2027
Application deadline:
- Early application deadline: January 8, 2025
- Regular deadline: February 12, 2025
- Late deadline: April 9, 2025
Program dates:
- Four-week session: July 13–August 8, 2025
- Seven-week session: June 21–August 9, 2025
Harvard University’s Secondary School Program is a four- or seven-week opportunity to study at an Ivy League school for the summer. With over 200 college-credit courses to consider, you can find a suitable option under categories like “Culture and Society” and
“Study of Societies, Past and Present”. For instance, the Introduction to Sociology course explores fundamentals of the subject area as well as sociological schools of thought, societal dynamics, and ways to contextualize the individual in society. Another option is the Popular Culture and Social Theory course, which covers contemporary sociological theories and their application to contemporary social issues as well as analysis of popular culture. So, during the program, you will learn about past and current social structures and phenomena. Other key components of the program are social and college prep activities and on-campus events.
The four-week program allows you to choose just one course, whereas the seven-week format lets you choose one or two courses. You can check the course catalogs for both sessions here while applying.
Subject areas: Multiple academic areas, including sociology, psychology, and politics
Location: New York University Brooklyn and Washington Square campuses, New York, NY
Cost: The cost varies according to the number of course credits. You can check the complete cost breakdown here.
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
Application deadline: June 16, 2025
Program dates: July 2–August 13, 2025
New York University’s Precollege Program is a six-week opportunity for high schoolers to attend undergraduate-level courses and prepare for college. You will get to choose from a variety of courses, earn credits, learn from university professors, and use NYU’s resources during the program.
Under Humanities & Social Sciences, you will get to attend an Introduction to Sociology course, which may cover the basics of the field. Another course offered under the program is Politics, Power, and Society, which may cover the intersection of social and political structures. As college prep is a key part of the program, you will get to attend information sessions and workshops on how to be better equipped for applying to colleges and getting a university education.
Subject areas: Multiple academic areas, including sociology, anthropology, and philosophy
Location: Online and in-person sessions held at UCLA campus, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: $2,386 | Financial aid is available.
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 15 years old
Application deadline: No information is available regarding the deadline. Course registrations open on February 15 (tentative)
Program dates: The six-week course runs from June 24 to August 2, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) offers a variety of programs to high schoolers. In summer, you can choose one or two undergraduate courses taught at the university and earn college credits in the process. To explore university-level sociology classes, you can choose the Introductory Sociology course, which covers key characteristics of social life, social interaction processes, and tools of sociological investigation. The course is conducted online as well as in person, so you can choose a format that works best for you. However, the course content, availability, and other details can change each year.
Subject areas: Multiple options, including sociology and anthropology
Location: Fordham University at Lincoln Center (Manhattan), New York, NY
Cost: $3,150 for a three-credit class and $4,200 for a four-credit class
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors
Application deadline: May 31, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Program dates: July 2–August 6, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
This five-week program allows rising high school seniors to enroll in a university course. You can choose the Introduction to Sociology course to learn about key concepts, theories, and methods used in the field. This course will earn you three college credits, which you can transfer to your university after graduating from high school. You can also opt for the Art Worlds: Anthropology and Sociology Perspectives course, which explores art as an institutional, social, and political phenomenon. You will also find other interdisciplinary courses here that use sociological concepts to understand contemporary and historical events. This is a commuter-only program.
Subject areas: Multiple academic areas, including social and behavioral sciences
Location: Virtual and on-campus options are available. The in-person session is conducted at the University of California, Berkeley campus, Berkeley, CA.
Cost:
- $15,800 for the 8-week session and $14,500 for a 6-week session (Residential track)
- $1,213 for Virtual and Commuter tracks
Financial aid is offered for on-campus program participants.
Eligibility: High school students who are 16–17 years old
Application deadline: Applications for residential sessions are typically due on March 11 and those for virtual and commuter tracks are due on June 3/
Program dates: The course length determines the duration. All tracks are typically held between May and August.
University of California, Berkeley offers multiple pre-college summer sessions in various formats. You can choose one out of three tracks (Virtual, Residential, and Commuter) take college-level courses, and earn credits alongside UC Berkeley students. The course topics range from arts and social sciences to STEM. You can check the course catalog here. If you opt for the Sociology of Culture course, you will explore the process in which symbolic worlds (culture) shape society. The course also focuses on the role of cultural symbols, narratives, frames, classifications, and conceptions of selfhood. Alternatively, you can choose the Sociology of the Family course, which focuses on the concept of an American family and the role of power dynamics and social factors in influencing the family system. Regardless of the course you choose, the program can be an opportunity to engage in university-level academics, learn from sociology professors, and study alongside college students. Other key parts of the program are field trips (for on-campus participants), college preparation workshops, and mentorship opportunities.
Subject areas: Sociology and politics
Location: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Cost: The residential program costs $4,695 and the commuter program costs $3,766
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors as well as recent high school graduates
Application deadline: May 1. 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Program dates: July 22–August 2, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
As part of its on-campus pre-college program, Syracuse University offers a three-credit course called Introduction to Sociology to high schoolers. This course focuses on social inequality and covers the social structures of class, race, gender, ethnicity, disabilities, and other categories that produce certain differences. Additionally, it explores the processes, institutions, and individual behaviors, roles, and interactions that play a role in enhancing this social inequality based on differences. Here, over two weeks, you will explore sociological concepts and theories and use them to analyze society. Analyses of sociological research and academic writing practice are also key parts of the program. By the end of the program, you may have a better understanding of the role of sociologists and the part sociological knowledge plays in solving social issues.
You can also choose from other social science/sociology courses here.
Subject areas: Social sciences, including cultural studies, sociology, and history
Location: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, and University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Cost: None
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors who are between 15 and 18 years old
Application deadline: December 3, 2024
Program dates: June 22–July 26, 2025
The Telluride Association is a nonprofit that offers free educational programs to students. Its Summer Seminar or TASS is a five-week free program that offers educational experiences as well as opportunities to engage in community service. Here, you will attend a three-hour college-level class regularly, write essays, and engage in discussions and group activities. Additionally, you will learn about the principles and practices involved in community living, democracy, and transformative justice by engaging in hands-on community service projects.
While applying, you can choose from two study areas:
- Critical black studies, which will cover topics in history, literature, politics, art, and other contributions from those of African descent
- Anti-oppressive studies, which will focus on systems like patriarchy, white supremacy, and classism and approaches to transform society for the better
In the past, TASS has focussed on several relevant sociological topics like “How the White Gaze Changes Social Movements” and “Comparative Black and Native American Literature and Popular Culture”. You can check the complete list of past topics and faculty here.
13. Summer@Brown
Subject areas: Multidisciplinary, including social sciences like sociology, anthropology, gender studies, political science, and more.
Location: Online, commuter, and residential formats are available. On-campus sessions are conducted at Brown University campus, Providence, RI.
Cost: $2,816–$9,870 depending on the length and type of program. Check the detailed cost breakdown here. Financial aid is offered.
Eligibility: All high school students can apply.
Application deadline: May 10, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Duration/dates: Dates vary as per the course
Summer@Brown is a one- to five-week pre-college program, which allows you to choose from 300 available courses across subject areas, from STEM to social sciences. You can look at the course catalog here before applying. Each course is designed to offer college-level academics to high schoolers. For instance, the course Questioning & Crafting Citizenship: Critical and Holistic Political Engagement explores the relationship between society and the state with a focus on the concept of citizenship. Here, you will learn about the central topics in sociology, political science, and international development. During the two-week program, you will also work on your critical analysis and writing skills. For each course, you will attend classes for three hours five days a week. You will also participate in class discussions, group work, and individual study. At the end of the program, you will get a Certificate of Completion and a Course Performance Report that you can add to your profile.
Subject areas: Multiple disciplines, including psychology, sociology, creative writing, and more
Location: University of Chicago Campus, Chicago, IL
Cost: $8,600 for the residential program (includes housing and meals) and $5,850 for the commuter program, which is open to only high schoolers who live in Chicago | Financial aid is available.
Eligibility: High school students over 14 years old
Application deadline: January 18, 2025 (tentatively, based on the 2024 program)
Program dates: The three-week program is typically held in the June–July period.
University of Chicago’s Immersion program is a three-week opportunity to take undergraduate-level courses and learn from faculty, researchers, and other professionals. During the program, you will engage in workshop discussions, research projects, and other hands-on activities. You can choose from a variety of courses, including those under social sciences. For instance, if you opt for the Religion and Unbelief course, you will explore sociological concepts like atheism, secularism, religion, and spirituality and they shape and affect society and politics. You will learn about these concepts by examining classical and contemporary approaches and studying three monographs in detail.
Subject areas: Various courses are offered including those under sociology, anthropology, and art history.
Location: Online and in-person formats are available. The in-person session is conducted at Northwestern University Evanston and Chicago campuses, IL.
Cost: Starts at $1,795
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors can apply. The exact requirements can vary for each format.
Application deadline: April 1, 2025 | Applications will open on December 2, 2024. The course list will be updated in January 2025.
Program dates: The 2–10-week program (based on the format you choose) typically runs in June and August.
Northwestern University’s College Preparation Program allows high school students to take credit or non-credit university-level courses. To explore the field of sociology, you can opt for the Law and Society course, which is an interdisciplinary class covering legal and societal frameworks. It focuses on the sociology of law and the role of law in the American context. Here, you will also explore concepts like law and social control, the connection between law and social change, and the impact of law on normative institutions and organizational structures. You can check out the complete course catalog here. All courses are taught by Northwestern faculty or university-affiliated instructors. This experience can prepare you for college academics and help build a foundation in sociology before you commit to a degree.
David Wilkinson is a freelance writer for Horizon and currently resides in the United States.