What does a sociology major study?
Are you fascinated by the dynamics of human social interaction? Would you like to investigate the root causes of social problems? Are you interested in social change? Then you may wish to consider majoring in sociology. Sociology is the systematic study of human social life. The undergraduate program in sociology provides students with the basic tools of sociological analysis including social research methods (both quantitative and qualitative) and theory. Furthermore, our curriculum equips students to more effectively negotiate the diverse society in which we live by addressing social inequalities such as race/ethnicity, gender and social class. Above all, our program--which emphasizes writing, critical thinking, group dialogue, and one-on-one faculty mentorship-- gives our graduates the strong writing, research, and analytic skills that are increasingly attractive to employers in the information age.
What can I do with a sociology degree?
Our majors go on to work in federal, state, local, and international agencies, in private businesses, and in nonprofit organizations. In addition, many go on to pursue graduate studies in law, medicine, journalism, and the social sciences. Click here for more information from the American Sociological Association about entering the job market with a sociology degree.
What are the requirements for a sociology major or minor?
SOCIOLOGY B.A. Degree Requirements
• A Major in Sociology for the B.A degree requires 30 semester hours, including Sociology 101, 365, and 468, and two of the following three courses: Sociology 325, 413, and 427.
• Not more than 3 hours of sociology 551 may be used for the major in sociology.
• A minor may be taken in sociology. (18 hours). A sociology major may minor in anthropology, and vice versa.
REQUIRED COURSES
101. INTRODUCTORY SOCIOLOGY I. Concepts and methods necessary for studying society. (3).
365. METHODS OF SOCIAL RESEARCH. An introduction to social science research. Topics include conceptualization and research design, sampling, measurement, data collection and analysis, and the logic of scientific inference within one or more of the research techniques used by sociologists (survey research, field research, historical and comparative research, content analysis, etc.). Prerequisite: SOC 101. (3).
468. SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY. An introduction to the ideas of 19th- and 20th-century sociologists such as Marx, Weber, Durkheim, and Mead, and the orientations of major schools of contemporary sociological theory (functionalism, symbolic interaction, etc.). Prerequisite: SOC 101. (3).
325. SOCIOLOGYOF GENDER. Examines the social and cultural construction of gender differences in contemporary U.S. society, focusing on the social history of gender roles and gender inequality in current cultural and institutional practices. Prerequisite: SOC 101. (3).
413. RACE AND ETHNICITY. Economic, political, cultural, and historical dimensions of contemporary racial and ethnic relations in both U.S. and international contexts. Prerequisite: SOC 101. (Same as AAS 413). (3).
427. SOCIAL STRATIFICATION. Theories of stratification, class, social status, gender, and conceptions of power. Empirical findings on the distribution of wealth and income in the United States, their concentration, income disparities for women and minorities, poverty and upward mobility. Federal tax policies and spending priorities as they affect life chances. Prerequisite: SOC 101. (3).
How can I get advised about majoring in sociology?
Click here for more information.
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