Sociology Department Sees Spike in Shopping

After a publicity blitz, the Sociology Department is reporting a record number of students shopping its classes this week.

“Some informal research by our graduate students has suggested that the department’s advertising has worked, although it’s really impossible to tell for sure,” said Lecturer on Sociology Jay Gabler, who teaches Sociology 172, “Children, Culture, and Media,” and Sociology 10, the concentration’s introductory course.

Gabler said that graduate students in the department sent e-mails to House lists and put posters advertising courses across campus.

Sociology Chair Robert J. Sampson, who is the Ford professor of the social sciences, said that the department had spent about $250 on publicity for this semester.

“Enrollments were up over 50 percent last fall compared to the year before, which I attribute mainly to the increased offerings and intellectually rich menu,” Samson added. There was a similar publicity campaign last fall.

The department also took out an advertisement with The Crimson’s business section, which has no connection with news coverage.

Diker-Tishman Professor of Sociology Christopher Winship, who teaches Sociology 19, “Reinventing Boston: The Changing American City,” said that the real indicator of success may not come until next week.

“We’ve seen the biggest numbers in this department in recent history. But we’ll see how many we can keep after Study Card Day.”

Sampson said he thought the increase was the result of many factors, including a number of new classes, a revamped Web site, and the option of pursuing Sociology as a secondary field. Maura A. Graul ’07, who studies Sociology, said she thought the new site was “wonderful” and that it helped to make information about the department clearer to non-concentrators.

Sampson added that the larger number of students may have been attracted by eight new courses that the department is teaching.

And the advertisements in turn made students more aware of the new offerings, he said.