Sociology Major Requirements (.pdf worksheet)

All sociology majors must complete at least 37 hours of course work, including the following 19 hours of required courses: 101, 280, 371, 381, 471 and 481(L). The 18 elective hours (six courses) are drawn from all sociology courses not specifically required above but must include at least 12 hours (four courses) at the 300 or 400 level. The student may select from a number of designated courses that provide a concentration in one of the following subfields of sociology:

Pre-law. Provides background for careers or further training in police, correctional or legal institutions. Note: student should not attempt to major in sociology with this concentration AND minor in criminology.

Human Services and Social Policy. Appropriate for future work in public and private agencies, as preparation for law school or for graduate study in social work, public administration, and business administration. Note: students should not attempt to major in sociology with this concentration AND minor in social welfare.

Each course must be passed with a grade of C- or better and the cumulative grade point average in these courses must be at least 2.00. Courses taken for CR/NC or AUDIT cannot be applied to major requirements. A cumulative grade point average of 2.25 or better required for regular admission to the sociology major.

Planning the course of study:

A student planning a sequence of courses should keep in mind that many required courses and electives have prerequisites and that it is best to steadily complete required courses rather than leaving them for the last semester or semesters.

Note: Students should not assume that any particular course is taught every semester; students should consult the Sociology Department as to when courses are offered

REQUIRED

101 Introduction to Sociology
280 Introduction to Social Research
371 Classical Sociological Theory
381 Sociological Data Analysis
471 Contemporary Sociological Theory
481(L) Research Methods in Sociology (4 hours: 3 hour lecture w/ 1 hour lab)

Note: Soc 280, 381, and 481(L) must be taken in order.

ELECTIVE 18 elective hours (six courses); 12 hours (four courses) at the 300 or 400 level.

PRE-LAW CONCENTRATION

The concentration in Pre-Law is designed for students interested in law school or other careers in the legal field, and highlights those aspects of law that overlap with crime and criminal justice. The concentration provides students with an introduction to the causes of crime and deviance as well as social and institutional responses to this behavior. Students can choose from courses focusing on the personal and social forces that give rise to crime, as well as courses that examine the role of the legal and criminal justice systems in dealing with criminals and reducing crime rates. To complete this concentration, students must complete 12 hours from the following list (Note: 9 of these hours must be selected from the 300/400 level courses listed below):

SOC 205 * Crime, Public Policy and the Criminal Justice System
SOC 211 * Social Problems
SOC 213 * Deviance
SOC 312 * Causes of Crime and Delinquency
SOC 313 * Social Control
SOC 412 * Sociology of Police and Social Control
SOC 414 * Sociology of Corrections
SOC 416 * Sociology of Law
SOC 418 * Selected Topics in Criminology
SOC 423 * Gender and Crime
SOC 424 * Race, Class, and Crime
SOC 425 * From Youthful Misbehavior to Adult Crime
SOC 426 * Drugs, Crime, and Social Control
SOC 491 Directed Study in Criminology

HUMAN SERVICES AND SOCIAL POLICY CONCENTRATION

The concentration is designed for students interested in pursuing a graduate degree or a career in human services, social work, social policy, health care, mental health, or education (K-12 and post-secondary). The concentration aims to provide broad thematic coverage of these fields by drawing upon elective courses that address topics critical to understanding the context within which welfare, health, mental health, and educational institutions operate, including social problems, race/ethnic relations, and socio-economic inequality. Students must complete 12 hours from the courses listed below. (Note: 9 of these hours must be selected from the 300/400 level courses listed below.) This concentration is recommended as an alternative to the Social Welfare minor for students majoring in Sociology. Students majoring in fields other than Sociology but who have an interest in social work, social policy, health care, mental health, or education are encouraged to pursue a minor in Social Welfare.

SOC 200 * Foundations of Social Welfare
SOC 211 * Social Problems
SOC 216 * Dynamics of Prejudice
SOC 225 * Marriage, Family, and Their Alternatives
SOC 300 * Social Welfare: Programs and Policies
SOC 303 * Sociology of Political Behavior
SOC 308 * Sociology of Gender
SOC 310 * Sociology of Aging and the Aged
SOC 340 Sociology of Medical Practice
SOC 342 * Social Epidemiology
SOC 345 * Youth and Society
SOC 400 * The Welfare State
SOC 415 * Social Stratification
SOC 420 * Race and Cultural Relations
SOC 421 * Sociology of Education
SOC 441 * Complex Organizations
SOC 445 * Occupations and Professions
SOC 488 Field Observation and Experience
SOC 490 Directed study (limited to topics approved for the concentration) Students MUST seek topic approval PRIOR to taking 490

* Courses that have one more prerequisite.

Sociology Minor Requirements (.pdf worksheet)

To graduate with a sociology minor, a student must pass 21 hours (7 courses) of sociology coursework, including 9 hours (3 courses) of specific requirements and 12 hours (4 courses) of electives. Each course must be passed with a grade of C- or better, and the cumulative grade point average in these courses must be at least 2.00.

Criminology majors may not minor in sociology without a special approved degree plan constructed in consultation with the sociology undergraduate advisor. Note that any course applied toward the total hours of one major or minor may not also be applied toward the total credit hours of another major or minor. When a major or minor have courses that overlap with one another or with another major or minor, students are required to take additional course(s), as approved by the sociology undergraduate advisor.

The 9 hours of specifically required coursework for the sociology minor:
101 Introduction to Sociology
280 Introduction to Research Methods
371 Classical Sociological Theory OR 471 Contemporary Sociological Theory

The 12 elective hours - 6 hours (2 courses) at the 300 and 400 level.