Sociology Major (B.A.)

Sociology offers practical and wide-ranging social and cultural knowledge that empowers its students to create change and improve the human condition. It also makes available many options on the job market. Focusing on human connections and interactions, sociology helps us to comprehend the social forces that affect our relationships, experiences, and opportunities. Our sociology program provides students with tools to analyze, critically evaluate, and understand pressing global and domestic concerns in social groups and categories such as the family, workplace, ethnicity, race, class, gender, sexuality, religion, organizations, sports, and others.

A major or minor in sociology provides a strong liberal arts foundation for a career in management, law, advertising, healthcare, public administration, policy analysis, urban planning, research, marketing, human resources, education, social work and community development. Many of our graduates find employment as lawyers, educators, researchers, demographers, urban planners, counselors, public relations specialists, journalists, diversity trainers, market researchers, personnel and business managers, and media specialists. Others work in the applied fields of government, law, law enforcement, diplomacy, and medicine.

This broad-based major offers flexibility in choices for long-range career possibilities in tough economic times, well- rounded preparation for law school or graduate school in a related area, and unlimited potential towards a career in academia, research, law or public policy. The department also offers employment-related opportunities through its internships.

Sociology is also a great accompaniment to many fields. Business majors learn what motivates groups as consumers and how organizations are influenced socially. Education majors gain insights into our social institutions and socialization processes. Nursing and Pre-Med majors acquire knowledge on the patient experience and the institutional environment affecting healthcare. Communications majors obtain awareness of the conflicting social realities underlying “the facts” reported by media. Criminology, Criminal Justice, Anthropology, Political Science, and Social Work majors find a natural blend with required course work along with an opportunity to engage in an interdisciplinary approach to their chosen major. Social and Behavioral Science majors benefit from the integrative focus of the discipline. Psychology majors become aware of the social context of personality development and individual behavior.

Alpha Kappa Delta, International Sociology Honor Society

Bi-annually eligible students are inducted into Alpha Kappa Delta  (AKD) the International Sociology Student Honor Society of the American Sociological Association. Students are eligible who have completed at least 12 credits in sociology, have a 3.3 GPA overall and 3.0 in the major, and are invited by sociology faculty. Students, faculty and invited alumni speakers come together to celebrate students' scholarly achievements. When appropriate, the faculty also present a Distinguished Graduate Award at this event to an alumnus who best illustrates the principles of humanistic sociology in his or her professional and community life. AKD holds the joint bi-annual ceremony with the anthropology honor society.

Major Program in Sociology 

In addition to meeting the standards and requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences, degree candidates must complete department requirements in sociology and related fields for a total of 36 credits. With good reason, students may modify the major program in consultation with a department adviser.

In recent years, students have pursued double majors in sociology alongside degrees in education, social work, criminal justice, and others. This broad-based major is ideal for students interested in pursuing careers and graduate studies in law, business, media, government, education, counseling, corrections, and social services, among others. Our recent alumni have pursued further studies and careers in social work, law, and non-profit administration, among others.

Program Requirements 

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Required Courses
SOCI 1101	Introduction to Sociology	3
SOCI 2910	Research Methods	3
SOCI 3310	Sociological Theories	3
SOCI 5988	Senior Seminar in Sociology	3
Electives
Select four sociology 2000 level courses *		12
Select one sociology 3000/4000 level course		3
Social Science Electives
Select three courses **		9
Total Hours		36

*

Limit one special topics course. To gain useful research skills, students are encouraged to take SOCI 2912 Qualitative Research Methods as one of their 2000-level electives.

**

Selected in consultation with adviser, from any of the following disciplines: anthropology, Africana studies, criminal justice, political science, economics, psychology and social work. No more than three (3) credits may be taken in each discipline. Students are encouraged to take ANTH 1202 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology as one of their social science electives.