Maryland's internationally prominent sociology department offers a broad program of excellence with special strengths in Demography (ranked 8th), Development, Gender Work and Family (ranked 5th), Historical & Comparative Sociology, Military Sociology, Social Psychology, Stratification, and Theory. Currently ranked 20th in the U.S. News ratings, the department's reputation has continued to rise in recent years.

Research centers such as the Maryland Population Research Center, the Center for Research on Military Organization, and the Center for Innovation offer students and faculty abundant opportunities to collaborate. The Department also houses the India Human Development Survey.