Degree Requirements General Sociology
- SOC 111; SOC 301; SOC 302; SOC 303; SOC 495 or 497; SOC 308, 310 or comparable SOC class in gender/sexualities; SOC 304, 335, 360, 392, or comparable SOC class in race/ethnicity
- Sociology electives (15 hours)
Employment Relations Specialization
Students with an interest in employment relations will complete the following:
- SOC 111, 301, 302, 303, 338, 431, 433
- Sociology electives (15 hours)
Diversity and Social Justice Specialization
Students with an interest in diversity and social justice will complete the following:
- SOC 111, 301, 302, 303, 325, 411, 433
- Sociology electives (15 hours)
Double Majors in Criminal Justice Studies or Psychology
Students majoring in Criminal Justice Studies may use a "C" or better in CJ 302 to replace SOC 302 and students may just a "C" or better in CJ 303 to replace SOC 303. Students majoring in Psychology may use PSYC 220 and 221 in place of SOC 302 and 303. However, students cannot have one or the other and both courses must be satisfied with a "C" or better to waive SOC 302 and 303. For example, a student cannot waive SOC 302 and SOC 303 if they have only completed PSYC 220 or PSYC 221 or if PSYC 220/221 was completed with a "C" while the other was completed with a "D".
Senior Assignment
As part of the University’s assessment program, all undergraduate majors in sociology are required to complete a senior assignment, either Sociology 433, Sociology 495, or Sociology 497. General majors complete their major with the Sociology 495 (senior seminar) capstone course. They may take Sociology 495 after completing 27 hours of the following sociology courses (requiring Cs or better): 111, 301, 302, 303, one course related to gender/sexualities (ex: 308 or 310) and one course related to race/ethnicity (ex: 304, 335, 360, 392) (all previous courses require grades of C or better) and three sociology electives. Sociology 495 is usually offered both in spring and fall semesters, but not in the summer term. Students interested in completing an individual research project may replace the Sociology 495 requirement with Sociology 497, Sociology Senior Thesis Research Project. However, students must find a tenure-track faculty mentor willing to work with the student on the thesis prior to choosing this exit requirement option. Sociology 497 is only offered in Fall and Spring.
Students enrolled in employment relations (ER) or diversity and social justice (DSJ) specializations are required to take Sociology 433 (Internship) as their capstone course. The internship course is offered annually in the Spring and some summers. Before enrolling in SOC 433, ER and DSJ students must complete the following 21 hours: 111, 301, 302, and 303 (with grades of C or better) and three sociology electives. In addition, the following 6 hours must be completed with grade of C or better prior to registering for SOC 433: ER students must complete 338 and 431 (431 offered only in Fall) and DSJ students must complete 325 and 411 (both offered only in the Fall).
For General Sociology, ER and DSJ majors, a grade of C or better is is necessary for all SOC courses except for Sociology electives.
More information about the senior assignment in sociology may be obtained from the departmental office, Peck Hall, room 1205.
Statement of Major Goals
The undergraduate major in sociology seeks to foster the development of the following knowledge and skills while encouraging students to become well-informed, active citizens who appreciate creativity and diversity.
- Ability to understand, use and apply social theory
- Ability to understand, use and apply social research methods
- Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing
- Ability to search and use relevant sociological literature
- Ability to understand diversity and its impact on society, social theory and social research
- Ability to define a problem, generate appropriate sociological data and propose logical solutions
Retention
Students majoring in sociology are required to maintain a cumulative average of 2.0 (C) or above in their sociology courses.
General Education Requirements
University general education requirements are outlined in the general education section of the undergraduate academic catalog and included in the sample curriculum outline. Students electing to complete a Bachelor of Arts must complete a minimum of one year of foreign language, as well as six courses in fine and performing arts or humanities.
