Sociology, B.S.
Program Description
The sociology program develops the student's ability to analyze the social world by using diverse sociological theories and research methods. It stresses the importance of social, cultural, and historical contexts for understanding relationships between and among individuals and the social structures that make up societies. Students will gain the ability to think broadly and critically about the diversity of social organization and practice locally and globally. Students will also develop the ability to take a disciplined and scholarly approach to understanding the world in which we live.
The major in sociology strongly develops skills in critical thinking, research, analysis, writing and communication. Sociology students frequently go on to post-graduate education and/or careers in both public and private employment sectors.
Degree Requirements
| Degree Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| General Education1 | 41 |
| Quantitative requirement2 | 3 |
| Scientific Literacy requirement2 | 3-4 |
| Major requirements | 39 |
| University electives | 32-33 |
| Total | 120 |
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The General Education program contains a set of requirements each student must fulfill. Some of these courses may double count with major requirements.
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In addition to course work taken to fulfill General Education requirement.
Major Requirements
To earn the B.S. degree with a major in sociology, students must complete a minimum of 39 credit hours in sociology. Of these credit hours, 18 are required courses; the remaining 21 credit hours are electives. Students must observe the prerequisite sequencing of required courses as shown in the course descriptions.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| SOCI 110 | Social Issues in a Global Context [C4GE] | 3 |
| SOCI 140 | Microsociology: The Individual in Society [C5SD] | 3 |
| SOCI 200 | Development of Sociological Thought and Method | 3 |
| SOCI 231 | Introduction to Social Statistics 1 | 3 |
| SOCI 300 | Sociological Inquiry | 3 |
| SOCI 480 | Senior Seminar in Sociology 2,3 | 3 |
| Subtotal | 18 | |
| Sociology Electives | ||
| In addition to the 18 credit hours of required courses, students must complete 21 credit hours of electives. Students are encouraged to choose one of the concentrations listed below for partial fulfillment of their elective requirements. | 21 | |
| Subtotal | 21 | |
| Total Credits | 39 | |
- 1
Students can substitute SOCI 231 with MATH 220, PSYC 210 or COB 191, but must take an additional sociology course to complete the required 39 hours of sociology.
- 2
This course fulfills the College of Arts and Letters writing-intensive requirement for the major.
- 3
Completing a supervised internship with a substantial writing expectation can fulfill the senior seminar capstone requirement. Students must secure their own internship placement before enrolling in the internship course and secure advanced approval from a faculty supervisor. Completing an independent study with a substantial writing and analysis expectation (arranged in advance with a faculty supervisor), or successful completion of the SOCI 499A/SOCI 499B/SOCI 499C sequence, can also fulfill the senior seminar capstone requirement. Students seeking any of these pathways should consult with an advisor or the program coordinator in advance.
Sociology Concentrations
The sociology program encourages majors to select electives that create a coherent program of study suited to their special needs and interests. Such a focus would involve four or more courses from the following concentration groupings:1
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Within any of the defined concentrations students may gain credits toward completing the concentration through certain special topics or other courses. On occasion, courses taken outside the major or university may qualify. For special topics courses in sociology, see the instructor of record for that course. For other questions or possibilities see an advisor or the sociology program coordinator.
Communities, Inequalities and Public Policy Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SOCI/GERN 280 | Social Gerontology | 3 |
| SOCI 303 | Sociology of Death and Dying | 3 |
| SOCI 304 | Social Deviance | 3 |
| SOCI 309 | Capitalism and Alternative Economies | 3 |
| SOCI 311 | Sociology of the Environment | 3 |
| SOCI 318 | Sociology of Immigration | 3 |
| SOCI 321 | Politics in Society | 3 |
| SOCI/REL 322 | Sociology of Religion | 3 |
| SOCI 328 | Digital Inequality | 3 |
| SOCI 334 | Self and Society | 3 |
| SOCI 335 | Disability and Society | 3 |
| SOCI 336 | Race and Ethnicity | 3 |
| SOCI/WGSS 337 | Sociology of Gender | 3 |
| SOCI 341 | Sociology of Education | 3 |
| SOCI 347 | Queer Theories of Gender and Inequality | 3 |
| SOCI/ANTH 352 | Birth, Death, Sex: Exploring Demography | 3 |
| SOCI 353 | Energy and Society | 3 |
| SOCI 354 | Social Inequality | 3 |
| SOCI 357 | Sociology of Disasters | 3 |
| SOCI 359 | The Sociology of Climate Denial | 3 |
| SOCI 360 | Social Movements | 3 |
| SOCI 367 | Sociology of Sexuality | 3 |
| SOCI 372 | Sociology of the Community | 3 |
| SOCI 374 | Sociology of Families | 3 |
| SOCI 375 | Medical Sociology | 3 |
| SOCI 382 | Qualitative Sociology | 3 |
| SOCI 385 | Madness and Society: The Sociology of Mental Health and Illness | 3 |
| SOCI 386 | Sociology of Nonprofit Organizations | 3 |
Environments, Technologies and Innovations Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SOCI 309 | Capitalism and Alternative Economies | 3 |
| SOCI 311 | Sociology of the Environment | 3 |
| SOCI 315 | Technology and Society | 3 |
| SOCI 328 | Digital Inequality | 3 |
| SOCI 344 | Work and Society | 3 |
| SOCI 353 | Energy and Society | 3 |
| SOCI 354 | Social Inequality | 3 |
| SOCI 357 | Sociology of Disasters | 3 |
| SOCI 359 | The Sociology of Climate Denial | 3 |
| SOCI 360 | Social Movements | 3 |
| SOCI 361 | Sociology of Organizations | 3 |
| SOCI 367 | Sociology of Sexuality | 3 |
| SOCI 375 | Medical Sociology | 3 |
| SOCI 385 | Madness and Society: The Sociology of Mental Health and Illness | 3 |
| SOCI 386 | Sociology of Nonprofit Organizations | 3 |
Health, Medicine and Society Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SOCI/GERN 280 | Social Gerontology | 3 |
| SOCI 303 | Sociology of Death and Dying | 3 |
| SOCI 315 | Technology and Society | 3 |
| SOCI 317 | Sociology of the Body | 3 |
| SOCI 328 | Digital Inequality | 3 |
| SOCI 335 | Disability and Society | 3 |
| SOCI 336 | Race and Ethnicity | 3 |
| SOCI/WGSS 337 | Sociology of Gender | 3 |
| SOCI 347 | Queer Theories of Gender and Inequality | 3 |
| SOCI/ANTH 352 | Birth, Death, Sex: Exploring Demography | 3 |
| SOCI 354 | Social Inequality | 3 |
| SOCI 357 | Sociology of Disasters | 3 |
| SOCI 361 | Sociology of Organizations | 3 |
| SOCI/WGSS 367 | Sociology of Sexuality | 3 |
| SOCI 375 | Medical Sociology | 3 |
| SOCI 385 | Madness and Society: The Sociology of Mental Health and Illness | 3 |
| SOCI 386 | Sociology of Nonprofit Organizations | 3 |
Markets and Cultures Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SOCI 306 | Japanese Society and Culture | 3 |
| SOCI 309 | Capitalism and Alternative Economies | 3 |
| SOCI 315 | Technology and Society | 3 |
| SOCI 317 | Sociology of the Body | 3 |
| SOCI 318 | Sociology of Immigration | 3 |
| SOCI 328 | Digital Inequality | 3 |
| SOCI 329 | Sociology of Sport | 3 |
| SOCI 334 | Self and Society | 3 |
| SOCI 341 | Sociology of Education | 3 |
| SOCI 344 | Work and Society | 3 |
| SOCI 358 | Sociology of Consumption | 3 |
| SOCI 361 | Sociology of Organizations | 3 |
| SOCI 363 | Sociology of Culture | 3 |
| SOCI 367 | Sociology of Sexuality | 3 |
| SOCI 382 | Qualitative Sociology | 3 |
| SOCI 386 | Sociology of Nonprofit Organizations | 3 |
Political and Global Analysis Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SOCI 304 | Social Deviance | 3 |
| SOCI 306 | Japanese Society and Culture | 3 |
| SOCI 309 | Capitalism and Alternative Economies | 3 |
| SOCI 318 | Sociology of Immigration | 3 |
| SOCI 321 | Politics in Society | 3 |
| SOCI 328 | Digital Inequality | 3 |
| SOCI 335 | Disability and Society | 3 |
| SOCI 336 | Race and Ethnicity | 3 |
| SOCI/WGSS 337 | Sociology of Gender | 3 |
| SOCI 344 | Work and Society | 3 |
| SOCI 347 | Queer Theories of Gender and Inequality | 3 |
| SOCI/ANTH 352 | Birth, Death, Sex: Exploring Demography | 3 |
| SOCI 353 | Energy and Society | 3 |
| SOCI 354 | Social Inequality | 3 |
| SOCI 359 | The Sociology of Climate Denial | 3 |
| SOCI 360 | Social Movements | 3 |
| SOCI 361 | Sociology of Organizations | 3 |
| SOCI 363 | Sociology of Culture | 3 |
| SOCI 375 | Medical Sociology | 3 |
| SOCI 382 | Qualitative Sociology | 3 |
| SOCI 386 | Sociology of Nonprofit Organizations | 3 |
Recommended Schedule for Majors
Transfer students on a two-year course of study should change "Year" in this sequence to "Semester."
The following is an example of a four-year course of study for a student seeking a degree in sociology:
| First Year | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| SOCI 110 | Social Issues in a Global Context [C4GE] | 3 |
| SOCI 140 | Microsociology: The Individual in Society [C5SD] | 3 |
| Sociology elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Second Year | ||
| SOCI 200 | Development of Sociological Thought and Method | 3 |
| SOCI 231 | Introduction to Social Statistics | 3 |
| Sociology elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Third Year | ||
| SOCI 300 | Sociological Inquiry | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| SOCI 480 | Senior Seminar in Sociology 1 | 3 |
| Sociology electives | 9 | |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 39 | |
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Majors take this any time after completing SOCI 300