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Bachelor of Arts: Sociology

Graduates of the Bachelor of Arts in Sociology degree program will be able to:

  • Examine the role and relevance of the sociological perspective for contemporary social life. Thus students will gain knowledge of the fundamentals in Sociology, such as the foundations of human practice, belief, and organization.
  • Reflect on contemporary issues and controversies in the academic discipline of Sociology. Thus students will be able to examine issues of inequality, cultural difference, and social stratification from a comparative perspective, applying sociological principles and concepts to their own lives.
  • Explore the basic theoretical and methodological perspectives, both in the social sciences and in a chosen specialty area. Thus students will have the capacity to critically evaluate and engage contemporary issues, trends in theory, and instruments of social analysis.
  • Advance the critical research, thinking, and writing skills that are integral to professional development and civic engagement. Thus students will apply the fundamentals of sociology to both experience and an enhanced interest in community engagement.

The bachelor of arts degree in sociology requires a total of 30 credit hours in addition to the general requirements for a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences.
For students selecting the Sociology major, required courses are the following:     
                                                                                       Hours

  SOCIOL 101       Sociology: An Introduction                     3
  ANTHRO 103       Intro. to Cultural Anthropology               3
  SOCIOL 361       Social Theory                                            3
  SOCIOL 362       Methods of Sociological Research      3
  SOCIOL 363*     Intro. to Statistics                                      3
  SOCIOL 404WI** Sociology Capstone: Senior Seminar   3


*MATH 235 is not a substitute for SOCIOL 363.
**All majors are required to take a writing intensive course within the Department of Sociology (SOCIOL 404WI fulfills this requirement).
Other degree requirements include:

  1. A 2.0 grade-point average in the 30 hours credited toward the major.
  2. A minimum grade of C- in all required courses (SOCIOL 101, ANTHRO 103SOCIOL 361SOCIOL 362SOCIOL 363, and SOCIOL 404WI).
  3. Completion of the general degree requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences with a minimum GPA of 2.0.
  4. No more than three 1-credit courses of Special Topics in Sociology (SOCIOL 300__) may be used to fulfill Sociology elective requirements.
  5. Students may apply a maximum of 12 credit hours of Sociology courses from other schools toward the major (introductory sociology, cultural anthropology, and/or sociology electives).

Majors may develop a focus within the major in one of the areas outlined below. These focus areas are designed to aid the student in selecting a plan of study related to personal or career interests.

Sexualities, Families, and the Life Course:


Inequalities: Race, Class, Gender and Nations:

Community Engagement:


Cultural Anthropology:

Several courses at the 300 and 400 level are set aside for individual study--either as readings or research courses. The readings course (SOCIOL 397/ANTHRO 397) has variable credit from 1 to 3 credit hours, and individual contracts are made with faculty members prior to a student selecting the course. The individual research course, SOCIOL 398, has variable credit from 1 to 6 credit hours, and individual contracts must be made with faculty prior to enrolling in the course. The department also offers internship courses (SOCIOL 390R and SOCIOL 391), which require considerable work outside the classroom, often in an agency setting. Students are restricted to 6 credit hours of any combination of field experience, directed individual study and research toward the 30 hours required in the sociology major.

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