10 Summer Sociology Programs for Middle School Students in New York
Sociology is the study of human societies. Middle schoolers in New York interested in the subject can participate in a summer program. Such programs will provide a rigorous curriculum covering various topics that deal with social behavior.
In addition to academics, you complete hands-on projects that help you develop skills. Opportunities for networking are provided in the form of interactions with professionals. Thus, these programs provide holistic development opportunities for you to embark on a career in sociology. Here are some summer programs you can consider.
10 Summer Sociology Programs for Middle School Students in New York
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Dates: 8 weeks, varies by cohort
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 to 8
Students looking to pursue original sociology research can consider Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program. In this program, you are paired with PhD mentors from various prestigious universities, like Harvard, Oxford, MIT, and Princeton, who are experts in sociology and related subjects. The program equips you with specialized knowledge by guiding you through hands-on research. Throughout the program, you learn to read and interpret academic literature, build research questions, and create outputs such as a high school-level research paper or case study, which enables you to build crucial skills as you work on your research. You can expect to develop scientific communication skills through feedback and writing coaching sessions. Students who wish to publish their research in academic journals can opt for the Junior Research and Publication Program.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: July 6 – 31
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: All NYC students in 7th or 8th grade during the application period
Participating in NYU’s College and Career Lab enables you to study different subjects and step into the roles of various professions through workshops. You attend college-style lectures and complete hands-on activities in the workshops. Students interested in sociology can opt for the health sciences and social work, public service, or anthropology tracks. Although not specifically about sociology, these tracks introduce you to the study of human society and how change is made possible through advocacy, policy, and innovation. You address pressing social challenges with a focus on proactive approaches and preventive interventions.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks (on weekends) during the spring cohort and 25 hours over 2 weeks (on weekdays) during the summer cohort.
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8
If you want to study an interdisciplinary program that combines sociology with technology, you can participate in Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers program. The program imparts the basics of AI and machine learning. You develop foundational knowledge in these subjects by learning topics such as Python, data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics. You then apply your knowledge to a practical project. This project must solve a real-world sociology problem using technology. Past students have built a machine-learning model to classify music genres and a machine-learning algorithm to provide a custom list of educational resources based on selected specifications.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY
Cost: $1300; scholarships are available
Dates: July 6 – 10 or July 13 – 17
Application Deadline: On a rolling basis
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8
The Science Alliance Program allows you to step into the shoes of a scientist as you discover various scientific disciplines. You can learn about anthropology, astrophysics, conservation science, Earth science, and evolutionary biology. The anthropology track is closely aligned with sociology as you study about human evolution, interaction, and expansion. You tour the museum exhibits, perform lab experiments, and interact with scientists. Thus, you discover where humans fit into the tree of life and what makes us human.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Online
Cost: $464
Dates: To be announced
Application Deadline: To be announced
Eligibility: Students in grades 7 – 11 who meet CTY-level verbal scores
In this program, you learn about healthcare from a systems and social perspective. You study the physical, mental, and social aspects of health as well as key parts of the healthcare system, such as providers, hospitals, medications, devices, and insurance, and how they function. You learn about the sustainable innovation happening today through examples from culture and healthcare. For the project, you examine a current problem and devise a solution using systems and social studies. The course introduces you to approaches to encourage the adoption of positive health behaviors, promote the utilization of available services, and facilitate the use of remote patient monitoring systems.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: New York City, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: July 6 – 30
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 and 7 who are NYC residents
This program teaches you about sustainability, engineering, and the urban community in New York. It is an interdisciplinary course that begins by teaching you about the urban society of New York and its residents. You learn about the noise pollution, public health, and sustainability challenges they face. This program teaches you electronics and coding, which you apply to build a sound monitoring device. The smart city technology you build during the program will be presented at the culminating expo.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Online
Cost: $700
Dates: To be announced
Application Deadline: One week before the program
Eligibility: Students in grades 7 – 11 who meet the Emerald-tier eligibility criteria
This program by Northwestern CTD is a solid option for students looking to study sociology from the perspective of innovation. You learn about social issues requiring urgent intervention and the entrepreneurial ventures working for social causes. Through case studies and lectures by entrepreneurs, you get a glimpse into creativity and innovation for society. Working in a group, you develop a business plan for a social cause of your choice. At the end of the program, you present and pitch your plan to the class.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: Online
Cost: $1,895 (enrichment course fees) or $3,995 (college credit course fees)
Dates: Multi-length courses available throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies according to session
Eligibility: Students aged 13 years and older
Students looking to blend sociology with business can opt for this program by Georgetown University. The program introduces you to social behavior and decision-making from the lens of marketing. You derive insights from data and use them to develop traditional and digital marketing strategies for a specific customer persona. You study a specific brand, analyze their target audience, and develop a marketing strategy in the final project. The program teaches you about careers as a copywriter, digital analyst, communications specialist, digital content creator, and more.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Online
Cost: $3,200; need-based financial aid is available
Dates: June 15 – 26 (Session 1)
Application Deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Students in grades 8 – 11
Stanford offers several programs for middle and high school students. In this virtual program, you study sociology from the perspective of social inequality. You study cases of legal reform to analyze complex social structures and their impact. You also develop an understanding of how redlining and mass incarceration have led to existing racial inequality and the role of the corporate veil in economic growth at the expense of the disadvantaged. The program is scheduled in the form of interactive lectures, discussions, video clips, and field observations. You develop research skills and learn to think critically.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: Online
Cost: $1,795; scholarships are available
Dates: Various sessions of different lengths are available
Application Deadline: Varies according to session
Eligibility: Students aged 13 and older
Students interested in social psychology, which blends social studies with psychology, can participate in this program. The program introduces you to the various social factors that influence human psychology and your understanding of the social world. With an emphasis on social psychology and the concept of the ‘self’, including its components, functions, and developmental process, you learn about social influences and behavior. You learn about the different kinds of social influences, such as compliance, obedience, and persuasion. For the final project, you reflect on your use of social media and how it affects your sense of well-being. Furthermore, the course introduces you to careers as a psychologist, human resources professional, political strategist, PR specialist, and much more.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.