Introduction to the Sociology Program

The Sociology program at The American College of Greece is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of institutions, groups, and social roles, and how these connect to individual lives. The program combines scientific rigor, theoretical sophistication, openness to dialogue with other disciplines, and relevance to the evaluation of opportunities and constraints in the societies in which we live.

Method of Program Delivery

The program is delivered face-to-face at the Aghia Paraskevi campus.

Admission Process and Procedures

The admission process and procedures for the Sociology program are as follows:

• Validated by The Open University, UK
• Programme Specification
• Regulations for validated awards

Tuition and Fees

The tuition and fees for the Sociology program vary depending on the student's country of origin:

• Greek Students
• European Union Students
• North American Students

Curriculum

The Sociology program offers a solid curriculum with a diversity of courses in the following areas:

• Classical and Contemporary Sociological Theory
• Quantitative and Qualitative Methods
• Globalization and Migration
• Family, Gender and Health
• Social Movements
• Media and Film
• Deviance and Crime
• Science and Technology
• Urban Sociology and the Environment
• Modern Greek Society and Culture

The program is creatively complemented by a cluster of Anthropology courses.

Duration of Studies

The duration of studies for the Sociology program is 4 academic years. The maximum period of registration for an Open University validated award is ten years.

Definition of Full-Time Study

The definition of full-time study is 60 UK credits per semester. 40 UK credits per semester or less is considered part-time.

Career Opportunities

The subject-specific skills acquired in Sociology enable graduates to build a robust degree, flexible enough to enable them to pursue challenging career paths. As successful holders of advanced degrees, sociology graduates can pursue career paths in academia internationally, with emphasis on teaching and research. Outside academia, sociological knowledge of working with diverse groups is essential. With this knowledge, Sociology graduates:

• can enter corporate, non-profit, and government organizations (i.e., business, human resources, policy consultants) across local, regional, national, and international environments
• can practice sociology as counselors and program directors in social service agencies (social policy, social work, healthcare, law, and criminology, psychology, education)
• can experience the applicability of sociology in journalism and in other aspects of media (e.g., ethnographic filmmaking)

Generally, sociology degrees provide students with a rich reserve of knowledge and critical skills, valued across the professional spectrum. In many occupational sectors, sociology's relevance to the understanding and analysis of action in complex social environments and organizations proves the 'advantage' Sociology graduates can demonstrate.

Additional Information

• Undergraduate Programs
• Academic Enrichment Programs
• Deree PreCollege Program
• English Testing
• Lecture Series
• Faculty
• Academic Calendars
• Library
• Textbooks
• Academic Societies

The American College of Greece (ACG) is an independent, non-profit, non-sectarian, co-educational institution founded in 1875 in Smyrna (Izmir), Asia Minor, by missionaries from Boston, Massachusetts. Following the Asia Minor Catastrophe, the college relocated to Athens in 1923 and has operated there ever since. It is the oldest and largest U.S.-accredited, comprehensive educational institution in Europe, with over 150 years of transformative education and a long-standing role in fostering intellectual and cultural ties between Greece and the United States.

ACG is chartered as a U.S. 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity by the State of Colorado, and is governed by an independent board of trustees. Its motto — Non Ministrari, Sed Ministrare ("Not to be Served, but to Serve") — reflects its foundational commitment to education in service of society.

Three divisions:

ACG operates across three distinct academic divisions, each serving a different stage of education:

• Pierce: a pre-kindergarten through secondary school offering a Gymnasium, Lyceum and an International Baccalaureate Programme, with campuses in Aghia Paraskevi and a Pierce East Campus in Spata
• Deree: the undergraduate and graduate college, with all instruction delivered entirely in English, located on the main 64-acre campus in Aghia Paraskevi.
• Alba Graduate Business School: a specialized postgraduate business school located in downtown Athens, built on ACG's long-standing legacy of academic excellence.

Accreditation

ACG was first accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) in 1981, becoming the first U.S. institution abroad to achieve this distinction. In 2023, The American University of Greece (AUG) — ACG's newly incorporated U.S. affiliate — received full institutional NECHE accreditation, which includes ACG's operations in Greece through a validating agreement. This means Deree graduates hold degrees with the same credentials as graduates of other NECHE institutions, including MIT, Harvard, Brown, Boston College and Amherst.

Deree is also validated by The Open University (UK), providing graduates with an additional internationally recognized award pathway. In 2024, AUG launched a Global Campus offering fully online degree programs rooted in ACG's academic tradition.

Campus

The main campus in Aghia Paraskevi sits on the western slopes of Mount Hymettus, about ten kilometers from central Athens, and was originally designed by the renowned Greek architect Constantine Doxiadis. Its 64 acres include smart classrooms, science and STEM laboratories, fine art studios and exhibition spaces, a Center for the Arts with multiple performance venues including the Pierce Theater, a black box theater and the Irene Bailey Theater, a library, a gym, a swimming pool, tennis courts, a soccer and track complex, a chapel, and student lounges. The campus offers panoramic views of the Athens basin.

Student life

Student life at ACG is active and diverse. Students can join academic societies, a wide range of clubs, and student organizations including the Deree Student Association, the Research Scholars Organization, and the Student Emergency Response Force. Intercollegiate and intramural sports are organized under the Deree Griffins banner. Arts programming is extensive, with music, theater, dance and visual arts performances running throughout the academic year under the Arts at Deree initiative. An International Honors Program is available for high-achieving students, including a Stanford Summer component and a dedicated merit scholarship. Service learning projects connect students to the broader Athens community.

Research and institutes

ACG's research activity spans applied academic research and public policy engagement through four dedicated centers:

• ACG Research Center (ACG-RC): supports interdisciplinary applied research, with active projects including a study on the role of the Greek-American diaspora in bilateral U.S.-Greece relations from 1974 to 2024
• Institute of Global Affairs: hosts research, public events and publications on international policy and geopolitics
• Institute of Public Health: conducts public health research and runs an annual lecture series open to the wider community
• The Demos Center: dedicated to democratic values, civic discourse and public engagement

Sustainability

Sustainability is a core institutional commitment at ACG. The college has been listed among the Princeton Review's most environmentally responsible colleges for seven consecutive years, and is one of only four European institutions to appear on the list for 2025. In 2024, ACG was recognized as a top performer in five categories of the AASHE Sustainable Campus Index — Campus Engagement, Energy, Grounds, Purchasing, and Wellbeing and Work — making it the highest-ranked STARS institution outside the United States and Canada. ACG also received the 2024 EPEAT Purchaser Award for the second consecutive year for sustainable electronics procurement, and was featured in Greece's inaugural Hellenic Impact Report for its integration of sustainability across academics, operations and partnerships. The college currently offers 149 sustainability-focused and sustainability-inclusive courses across undergraduate and graduate levels.

Student support services

• Student Academic Support Services (SASS): learning facilitation, peer tutoring and academic resources
• Career Services: career planning, internship placement, and employer connections including an annual ACG Career Days event
• Student Success Center: holistic advising and student wellbeing support
• Counseling and Health and Wellness Center: mental health services, wellness coaching and medical assistance
• Financial assistance: merit scholarships, grants, work-study, and access to U.S. Federal Loans and Veterans Aid for eligible students
• On-campus and nearby housing for undergraduate and study-abroad students

International reach

1. ACG welcomes study-abroad students from universities worldwide through semester, summer and intensive programs in Athens. Special programs include the Hellenic Studies Summer School, the Heritage Greece program, and a longstanding collaboration with Harvard University's Center for Hellenic Studies. Through its Outbound Study Abroad Programme, Deree students can study at partner institutions in cities including Stanford, New York, Boston, London, Rome, Seoul, Shanghai and Berlin. A parallel studies pathway also allows students enrolled in Greek public universities to earn a Deree degree simultaneously.