College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences > Academics > Sociology > Undergraduate > Sociology (BA) > Major Requirements

Major Requirements

Major Requirements

Sociology majors must complete required core sociology courses, sociology electives, and open electives. The core courses (24 credit hours) give students a foundation in theory, methods, and career development; sociology electives are selected in consultation with student's academic advisor to identify an area of specialization; and open electives are selected in consultation with student's academic advisor to meet the minimum graduation requirement of 192 hours. 

Core Requirements

Course Title Quarter Hours
SOC 101INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY4
or SOC 105 SOCIAL PROBLEMS
SOC 115ORIENTATION TO CAREERS IN SOCIOLOGY2
SOC 215WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENTS AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT IN SOCIOLOGY2
SOC 279INTRO STATS FOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCES 14
SOC 331SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY4
SOC 380RESEARCH METHODS IN SOCIOLOGY I4
SOC 381RESEARCH METHODS IN SOCIOLOGY II4
1

The statistics requirement may also be fulfilled by PSY 240, MAT 137, or MAT 242.

Sociology Elective Requirements

Students must complete eight additional courses from sociology 200-level and 300-level courses (32 credit hours). The courses are to be selected in consultation with the student's academic advisor and the courses can be used to make up the student's area of specialization. Students develop a self-defined area of specialization, which reflects the common themes connecting their academic coursework, research and career interests. Previous areas of specializations have included: Health and Human Services; Law, Crime, and Criminology; Urban - Cities, Action, Power, Practice; and Sociology of Culture.  

NOTE: A minimum of three courses or twelve credits can be counted toward a student's area of specialization. A maximum of eight credits of SOC 398 INTERNSHIP can be counted toward major field credit. Additional SOC 398 credit may be earned but it will count for open elective credit or Experiential Learning (EL) credit, if applicable.​​​​

Course Listings by Category

Theory and Methodology

Course Title Quarter Hours
SOC 202PHILOSOPHY AND SOCIAL THOUGHT4
SOC 346URBAN ETHNOGRAPHY4
SOC 383VISUAL SOCIOLOGY4
SOC 384ETHNOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTARY FILM PRODUCTION4

Health and Human Services 

Course Title Quarter Hours
SOC 200SOCIAL WORK AND SOCIAL WELFARE4
SOC 221INTRODUCTION TO THE U.S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM4
SOC 307SOCIOLOGY OF DRUGS4
SOC 321HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS4
SOC 322HOW SCHOOLS ARE FAILING AND CRIMINALIZING YOUTH4
SOC 351HEALTH DISPARITIES4
SOC 353SOCIOLOGY OF MENTAL ILLNESS4
SOC 370SOCIOLOGY OF FOOD4
SOC 373PUBLIC HEALTH AND HIGH RISK BEHAVIOR4

Law, Crime and Criminology

Course Title Quarter Hours
SOC 214POLICING THE MARGINS4
SOC 220THEORIES OF CRIME AND DELINQUENCY4
SOC 248RESISTING WHITE SUPREMACY4
SOC 305POWER, DEVIANCE AND SOCIAL CONTROL4
SOC 310CRIMINALIZATION, PUNISHMENT, & RESISTANCE4
SOC 315LAW, POWER AND RESISTANCE4
SOC 317GENDER, CRIME AND JUSTICE4

Urban - Cities, Action, Power, Practice

Course Title Quarter Hours
SOC 212COMMUNITY AND SOCIETY4
SOC 214POLICING THE MARGINS4
SOC 217WORK IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD4
SOC 220THEORIES OF CRIME AND DELINQUENCY4
SOC 231RACE AND ETHNICITY IN THE CITY4
SOC 232GLOBAL CITIES4
SOC 245URBAN SOCIOLOGY4
SOC 246HOMELESS IN THE CITY4
SOC 307SOCIOLOGY OF DRUGS4
SOC 313SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION4
SOC 340SOCIAL INEQUALITY4
SOC 346URBAN ETHNOGRAPHY4
SOC 347CLASS, POWER AND DECISION MAKING IN THE CITY4
SOC 348THE CITY IN THE FUTURE4
SOC 370SOCIOLOGY OF FOOD4
SOC 383VISUAL SOCIOLOGY4
SOC 384ETHNOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTARY FILM PRODUCTION4

Social Inequality: Class, Gender, and Race

Course Title Quarter Hours
SOC 207YOUTH AND SOCIETY4
SOC 209SOCIOLOGY OF GENDER4
SOC 248RESISTING WHITE SUPREMACY4
SOC 306SOCIOLOGY OF FAMILIES4
SOC 313SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION4
SOC 340SOCIAL INEQUALITY4

Sociology of Culture

Course Title Quarter Hours
SOC 207YOUTH AND SOCIETY4
SOC 209SOCIOLOGY OF GENDER4
SOC 233SOCIOLOGY OF SPORT4
SOC 280MASS MEDIA AND CULTURE4
SOC 281SOCIOLOGY OF ROCK MUSIC4
SOC 383VISUAL SOCIOLOGY4
SOC 384ETHNOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTARY FILM PRODUCTION4
SOC 386POPULAR CULTURE AND THE ARTS4
SOC 283ART & SOCIETY4-4.5

Political and Economic Sociology

Course Title Quarter Hours
SOC 217WORK IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD4
SOC 256SOCIAL CHANGE4
SOC 292COLLECTIVE ACTION4
SOC 344POLITICAL SOCIOLOGY4
SOC 358REVOLUTIONS AND PEASANT REBELLIONS4
SOC 366CAPITALISM AND GLOBALIZATION
SOC 388SOCIOLOGY OF CONSUMPTION4

Advanced Study

Course Title Quarter Hours
SOC 290SPECIAL TOPICS IN SOCIOLOGY4
SOC 291SPECIAL TOPICS IN SOCIOLOGY2
SOC 390SEMINAR IN SOCIOLOGY4
SOC 395CAPSTONE IN SOCIOLOGY4
SOC 397TRAVEL/STUDY1-8
SOC 398INTERNSHIP1-4
SOC 399INDEPENDENT STUDY1-6

Open Electives Requirement

Open elective credits are required in order to meet the minimum graduation requirement of 192 hours. These courses are to be selected in consultation with the student's academic advisor and may include courses in fields such as psychology, criminology, marketing, health sciences, or other areas of student interest. Students may choose to use their open electives as part of a minor or to complete a double major.

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