Majoring in Sociology

Sociology is the study of the development, structure, and functioning of human society. Sociologists study social interaction and connection, organizations and institutions, communities and whole societies. The ability to identify and understand these processes – a capacity which C.W. Mills called the “sociological imagination” – is a valuable tool for navigating and engaging with a changing and complex world. The sociology major prepares students for a diverse set of interesting and impactful careers, such as careers in law, social work, urban planning, business, education, and public health as well as for graduate work in sociology and related fields. A maximum of two courses may be transferred into the major.

Courses in the Sociology Program integrate theory and application into a broad foundation of both scientific and humanistic knowledge about humans in society. All students complete an internship and an original empirical senior thesis as part of their major requirements. Emphasis is placed on the development of critical thinking skills and the application of values to the content of the sociology curriculum. The knowledge and skills gained during the program are crucial to successful performance in graduate school and are also highly valued by a wide variety of potential employers who hire sociology majors directly after graduation.

Degree Requirements

Total program: 58 semester hours

Prerequisite Requirements

8 semester hours

SOC 250Introduction to Sociology4
SOC 305Quantitative Analysis4
Total Semester Hours8

Core Requirements

18 semester hours

SOC 390Research Methods4
SOC 400Sociological Theory4
SOC 497Internship2
Two Senior Capstone Courses 18
Total Semester Hours18
1

e.g., SOC 499A Senior Thesis A and SOC 499B Senior Thesis B or two SOC 499C Senior Capstone C courses. When crosslisted with a Research Intensive course, that course may only be taken one time for credit (either as 499C or as catalog course number).

Breadth Requirements

4 semester hours

Select one of the following:4
SOC 315
Race and Ethnicity
SOC 330
Social Class and Inequality
SOC 331
Gender Inequality
Total Semester Hours4

Elective Requirements

12 semester hours (Any 3 sociology courses)

Select a Concentration

16 semester hours

If not selecting a concentration: (Any 4 sociology courses)

Social Justice Concentration

Select four of the following:16
SOC 270
Social Problems
SOC 314
Sexuality and Gender Issues
SOC 315
Race and Ethnicity
SOC 317
Health, Wealth, and Poverty
SOC 320
Sociology of Deviance
SOC 330
Social Class and Inequality
SOC 331
Gender Inequality
SOC 335
Black Experience in the U.S. 1
SOC 336
Latino Experience 1
SOC 337
Asian-American Experience 1
SOC 338
Native American Experience 1
SOC 341
Urban Sociology
SOC 345
White-Collar Crime
SOC 370
Social Change
SOC 375
Drugs and Society
Total Semester Hours16
1

Only one of the following may be used.

Applied Statistics Concentration

Select four of the following:16
SOC 310
Advanced Quantitative Analysis
SOC 317
Health, Wealth, and Poverty
SOC 342
Urban Crime Patterns
SOC 348
Social Networks
SOC 371
Birth, Migration and Aging
SOC 380
Political Economy of Crime
Total Semester Hours16

Crime, Law, and Society Concentration

Select four of the following:16
SOC 320
Sociology of Deviance
SOC 321
Juvenile Delinquency
SOC 322
Introduction to Criminology
SOC 342
Urban Crime Patterns
SOC 345
White-Collar Crime
SOC 350
Law and Society
SOC 375
Drugs and Society
SOC 380
Political Economy of Crime
Total Semester Hours16