Sociology (BS)

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.

Degree Requirements

Total program: 60 semester hours

Prerequisite Requirements

8 semester hours

Course List

Code	Title	Semester Hours
SOC 250	Introduction to Sociology	4
SOC 305	Quantitative Analysis	4
Total Semester Hours		8

Core Requirements

20 semester hours

Course List

Code	Title	Semester Hours
SOC 390	Research Methods	4
SOC 400	Sociological Theory	4
SOC 497	Internship	4
Two Senior Capstone Courses 1		8
Total Semester Hours		20

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

Course List

Code	Title	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 Hours		4

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

Course List

Code	Title	Semester Hours
Select four of the following:		16
SOC 270	Social Problems
SOC 314
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	Crimes of the Powerful
SOC 370	Social Change and Resistance
SOC 375	Drugs and Society
Total Semester Hours		16

¹

Only one of the following may be used.

Applied Statistics Concentration

Course List

Code	Title	Semester Hours
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 Hours		16

Crime, Law, and Society Concentration

Course List

Code	Title	Semester Hours
Select four of the following:		16
SOC 320	Sociology of Deviance
SOC 321	Juvenile Justice
SOC 322	Introduction to Criminology
SOC 342	Urban Crime Patterns
SOC 345	Crimes of the Powerful
SOC 350	Law and Society
SOC 375	Drugs and Society
SOC 380	Political Economy of Crime
Total Semester Hours		16