The Department of Sociology begins under the Professorship of Tom Burns, formerly a staff member in the Department of Social Study.

Sociology celebrated its 50th birthday in 2014, with a year of events and seminars. As their website states, Burns 'emphasised the importance of teaching students not just about society, but about the methodologies and skills required to study it, a legacy that has contributed to our international standing in teaching and research and positioned Edinburgh as centre of excellence in the discipline.'

Source: Frank Bechhofer and David McCrone, Founding Principals, 2009.