Sociology, BA
Degree: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Major: Sociology
Program Overview
Sociology is a dynamic and exciting discipline with opportunities for a variety of career pathways. A major in sociology provides a strong background for students considering careers in health and social service professions, criminal and juvenile justice agencies, social research, public administration and program development, journalism, market research, social work, communications, teaching, and business. A sociology major also provides excellent preparation for law school, medical school, or graduate study in sociology, social work, education, and many other fields.
Undergraduate Policies
For undergraduate policies and procedures, please review the Undergraduate Academics section of the General Bulletin.
Program Requirements
Students seeking to complete this major and degree program must meet the general requirements for bachelor's degrees and the Unified General Education Requirements. Students completing this program as a secondary major while completing another undergraduate degree program do not need to satisfy the school-specific requirements associated with this major.
The major in sociology has been designed to serve a range of educational goals, including pre-professional training, postgraduate employment, and preparation for graduate school. The major requires a minimum of 30 credit hours of coursework. All majors complete the four following common core requirements, plus a minimum of six electives:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses: | ||
| SOCI 101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| SOCI 300 | Modern Sociological Thought | 3 |
| SOCI 306 | Logic of Social Inquiry | 3 |
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| Social Statistics | ||
| Introduction to Statistical Analysis in the Social Sciences | ||
| Quantitative Methods in Psychology | ||
| Basic Statistics for Social and Life Sciences | ||
| Concentration Electives | 12 | |
| SOCI Electives a | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
- a
SOCI 375 is available to selected majors in their junior or senior year.
Concentration Requirements
Students may choose four electives within any of the following concentrations:
- General Sociology
- Crime, Law and Justice
- Gender, Work and Family
- Health, Medicine and Aging
- Social Inequality
General Sociology
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Choose four of the following: | ||
| SOCI 113 | Critical Problems in Modern Society | 3 |
| SOCI 201 | Introduction to Gender Studies | 3 |
| SOCI 202 | Race and Ethnic Minorities in The United States | 3 |
| SOCI 203 | Human Development: Medical and Social | 3 |
| SOCI 204 | Criminology | 3 |
| SOCI 208 | Family in the 21st Century | 3 |
| SOCI 228 | Sociology of Sexuality | 3 |
| SOCI 239 | International Comparative Family Policy | 3 |
| SOCI 250 | Law & Society: Law, Rights and Policy | 3 |
| SOCI 255 | Special Topics | 3 |
| SOCI 264 | Body, Culture and Disability | 3 |
| SOCI 275 | Lives in Medicine: Becoming and Being a Physician | 3 |
| SOCI 310 | The Individual in Society | 3 |
| SOCI 311 | Health, Illness, and Social Behavior | 3 |
| SOCI 313 | Sociology of Stress and Coping | 3 |
| SOCI 320 | Delinquency and Juvenile Justice | 3 |
| SOCI 325 | Departmental Seminar in Sociology: Great Books | 3 |
| SOCI 326 | Gender, Inequality, and Globalization | 3 |
| SOCI 327 | Narrative Methods: Life Stories, Oral History, and Sociological Storytelling | 3 |
| SOCI 328 | Capitalism, Cities, and Inequality | 3 |
| SOCI 338 | Seminar and Practicum in Adolescents | 3 |
| SOCI 344 | Health Disparities | 3 |
| SOCI 345 | Sociology of Mental Illness | 3 |
| SOCI 347 | Sociology of Education | 3 |
| SOCI 349 | Social Inequality | 3 |
| SOCI 355 | Special Topics | 3 |
| SOCI 356 | Economic Sociology: Money, Markets, Morals, and Social Life | 3 |
| SOCI 357 | Sociology of Human Rights | 3 |
| SOCI 360 | The Sociology of Law | 3 |
| SOCI 361 | The Life Course | 3 |
| SOCI 365 | Health Care Delivery | 3 |
| SOCI 366 | Racial Inequality and Mass Imprisonment in the US | 3 |
| SOCI 369 | Aging in American Society | 3 |
| SOCI 372 | Work and Family: U.S. and Abroad | 3 |
| SOCI 375 | Independent Study | 3 |
| SOCI 377 | Population Dynamics and Changing Societies | 3 |
| SOCI 380 | Social Movements and Social Change | 3 |
| SOCI 384 | Sociology of Sex(es), Gender(s) and Sexuality(ies) | 3 |
| SOCI 385 | Ethnography | 3 |
| SOCI 386 | Race and Racism | 3 |
Crime, Law and Justice Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Choose four of the following: | ||
| SOCI 204 | Criminology | 3 |
| SOCI 239 | International Comparative Family Policy | 3 |
| SOCI 250 | Law & Society: Law, Rights and Policy | 3 |
| SOCI 320 | Delinquency and Juvenile Justice | 3 |
| SOCI 349 | Social Inequality | 3 |
| SOCI 357 | Sociology of Human Rights | 3 |
| SOCI 360 | The Sociology of Law | 3 |
| SOCI 366 | Racial Inequality and Mass Imprisonment in the US | 3 |
| SOCI 380 | Social Movements and Social Change | 3 |
Gender, Work and Family Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Choose four of the following: | ||
| SOCI 201 | Introduction to Gender Studies | 3 |
| SOCI 208 | Family in the 21st Century | 3 |
| SOCI 228 | Sociology of Sexuality | 3 |
| SOCI 239 | International Comparative Family Policy | 3 |
| SOCI 250 | Law & Society: Law, Rights and Policy | 3 |
| SOCI 264 | Body, Culture and Disability | 3 |
| SOCI 275 | Lives in Medicine: Becoming and Being a Physician | 3 |
| SOCI 310 | The Individual in Society | 3 |
| SOCI 326 | Gender, Inequality, and Globalization | 3 |
| SOCI 349 | Social Inequality | 3 |
| SOCI 356 | Economic Sociology: Money, Markets, Morals, and Social Life | 3 |
| SOCI 372 | Work and Family: U.S. and Abroad | 3 |
| SOCI 384 | Sociology of Sex(es), Gender(s) and Sexuality(ies) | 3 |
Health, Medicine and Aging Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Choose four of the following: | ||
| SOCI 203 | Human Development: Medical and Social | 3 |
| SOCI 264 | Body, Culture and Disability | 3 |
| SOCI 275 | Lives in Medicine: Becoming and Being a Physician | 3 |
| SOCI 310 | The Individual in Society | 3 |
| SOCI 311 | Health, Illness, and Social Behavior | 3 |
| SOCI 313 | Sociology of Stress and Coping | 3 |
| SOCI 344 | Health Disparities | 3 |
| SOCI 345 | Sociology of Mental Illness | 3 |
| SOCI 361 | The Life Course | 3 |
| SOCI 365 | Health Care Delivery | 3 |
| SOCI 369 | Aging in American Society | 3 |
| SOCI 377 | Population Dynamics and Changing Societies | 3 |
| SOCI 443 | Medical Sociology | 3 |
| SOCI 469 | Aging in American Society | 3 |
Social Inequality Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Choose four of the following: | ||
| SOCI 113 | Critical Problems in Modern Society | 3 |
| SOCI 201 | Introduction to Gender Studies | 3 |
| SOCI 202 | Race and Ethnic Minorities in The United States | 3 |
| SOCI 203 | Human Development: Medical and Social | 3 |
| SOCI 228 | Sociology of Sexuality | 3 |
| SOCI 264 | Body, Culture and Disability | 3 |
| SOCI 320 | Delinquency and Juvenile Justice | 3 |
| SOCI 326 | Gender, Inequality, and Globalization | 3 |
| SOCI 328 | Capitalism, Cities, and Inequality | 3 |
| SOCI 344 | Health Disparities | 3 |
| SOCI 349 | Social Inequality | 3 |
| SOCI 356 | Economic Sociology: Money, Markets, Morals, and Social Life | 3 |
| SOCI 357 | Sociology of Human Rights | 3 |
| SOCI 361 | The Life Course | 3 |
| SOCI 365 | Health Care Delivery | 3 |
| SOCI 366 | Racial Inequality and Mass Imprisonment in the US | 3 |
| SOCI 372 | Work and Family: U.S. and Abroad | 3 |
| SOCI 380 | Social Movements and Social Change | 3 |
| SOCI 384 | Sociology of Sex(es), Gender(s) and Sexuality(ies) | 3 |
| SOCI 386 | Race and Racism | 3 |
Departmental Honors
Juniors majoring in sociology with a 3.4 overall GPA and a 3.6 GPA in sociology are invited to apply for the department’s honors program, which consists of an intensive, year-long investigation of a research problem under the guidance of a faculty member. Students will earn credit through registration in SOCI 397 and SOCI 398. Admission to honors work is by faculty approval.
The opportunity to join Alpha Kappa Delta (AKD), the national sociology honors fraternity, is available to junior or senior sociology majors. Membership requires a 3.0 GPA in sociology and a 3.3 GPA overall. In addition, the student must have completed at least four sociology courses.