Sociology BS
Sociology will enable you to see the world in a new light; it is the scientific study of human social relationships, interactions, and institutions. Whether they be friendships, families, church groups, socioeconomic classes, complex organizations, or nations, much of our lives are socially constructed. And in a society where individualism is celebrated, it is easy to forget that the way we behave and feel is socially produced. This is the basic premise of sociology. After your core courses, a BS in Sociology will focus on quantitative research tools like surveys, statistics, and data analysis to answer that critical question “What is this all about?”
General Education Requirements
Majors must satisfy the university and college general education requirements. Foreign language proficiency is not required, although students are encouraged to take foreign language courses.
All required courses for the major must be completed with a grade of C- or better. Courses counting toward the major requirements may not be taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
The minimum number of Sociology hours required for the B.S. degree is 33.
Core Courses: 18 hours
Elective Courses: 15 hours
Core Courses
| SOC 1010 | Introduction to Sociology (MOTR SOCI 101) | 3 |
| SOC 2160 | Sociological Social Psychology | 3 |
| SOC 3210 | Sociological Theory | 3 |
| SOC 3220 | Quantitative Data Analysis in Social Science Research 1 | 3 |
| SOC 3230 | Social Research Methods | 3 |
| SOC 4040 | Survey Research Practicum for Sociology | 3 |
| Total Hours | 18 | |
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A statistics class from another social science department may be substituted with approval of the faculty advisor.
Electives (15 hours)
Students must complete at least 15 elective hours of Sociology Courses including 9 hours of SOC at the 3000-level or above. GERON, GS, MVS or courses relevant to sociology that are offered by other departments may be included as electives when approved in advance by the faculty.
Optional Tracks
Urban Sociology Track (aligned with the Urban Studies Minor)
| SOC 2203 | The City | 3 |
| SOC 2202 | Urban Sociology | 3 |
| SOC 3344 | Problems of Urban Community | 3 |
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Health and Aging Track (aligned with the Gerontology Minor)
| SOC/GERON 2170 | Aging in America: Concepts & Controversies | 3 |
| SOC/GERON 3400 | ||
| SOC/GERON 4400 | Social and Community Services for an Aging Population | 3 |
| Total Hours | 6 | |
Gender and Families Track (aligned with the Gender Studies Minor)
| SOC/GS 2102 | Introduction to Gender Studies | 3 |
| SOC 2103/GS 2102 | Gender Roles in Society | 3 |
| SOC 3243 | Marriage, Family and Kinship | 3 |
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Military and Veterans Track (aligned with the Veterans Studies Minor)
| SOC 2801/MVS 2100 | Veterans in American Society | 3 |
| SOC 2802/MVS 2130 | Gender and the Military | 3 |
| SOC 3801 | The Military and Society | 3 |
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, graduates will be able to:
Identify and apply sociological theories to understand social phenomena by:
- Recognizing the differences between “folk” explanations of social phenomena and sociological theories of those phenomena
- Distinguishing modes of sociological inquiry from other disciplinary modes of inquiry
- Applying key concepts and key themes in sociological theory to analyze social phenomena
- Discerning the role of social structures in creating and reproducing social inequality and examining how social structures change
- Distinguishing among micro, meso, and macro levels of observation, inquiry, and analysis
Apply scientific principles to understand the social world by:
- Effectively utilizing evidence-based knowledge and sociological theories and concepts to generate research questions and/or hypotheses
- Identifying the strengths and weaknesses of scientific methodology and methods for analyzing social phenomena in different contexts
- Explaining disciplinary standards for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of data
Critically evaluate explanations of human behavior and social phenomena by:
- Identifying and appraising major theoretical perspectives, including their assumptions, key concepts, and main arguments in terms of historical context and interpretive and explanatory capacities
- Employing the sociological imagination to analyze social problems in context and evaluate solutions to social problems
Use sociological knowledge to inform social change by:
- Engaging with the world around them, including everyday life, work, policy debates, stakeholders, and the public
- Constructing and proposing real world solutions to social issues;
- Expressing sociological ideas in a clear and coherent manner in written and oral communication
- Demonstrating informal, technological, qualitative, and quantitative literacy
Sample Four Year Plans
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| INTDSC 10031 | 1 | SOC 1040 or 1241 | 3 |
| SOC 1010 | 3 | SOC 2160 | 3 |
| ENGL 1100 | 3 | EXPLORE - Mathematics and Life/Natural Sciences | 3 |
| CORE - Mathematics Proficiency | 3 | EXPLORE: Humanities and Fine Arts | 3 |
| CORE - US History and Government | 3 | Elective or minor | 3 |
| Elective or minor | 3 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| SOC 2XXX+ Sociology Elective | 3 | SOC 2XXX+ Sociology Elective | 3 |
| CORE - Information Literacy | 3 | SOC 3210 | 3 |
| EXPLORE - Humanities and Fine Arts | 3 | EXPLORE - Humanities and Fine Arts | 3 |
| EXPLORE - Mathematics and Life/Natural Sciences | 3 | Elective or minor | 3 |
| Elective or minor | 3 | Elective or minor | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| SOC 3220 | 3 | SOC 3XXX+ Sociology Elective | 3 |
| SOC 3230 | 3 | SOC 3XXX+ Sociology Elective | 3 |
| ENGL 3100 | 3 | Cultural Diversity Requirement | 3 |
| CORE - Communication Proficiency | 3 | Elective or minor | 3 |
| EXPLORE - Mathematics and Life/Natural Sciences | 3 | Elective or minor | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| SOC 4XXX: Sociology Course | 3 | SOC 4XXX: Sociology Course | 3 |
| SOC 4XXX: Sociology Course | 3 | SOC 4040 | 3 |
| SOC 4XXX: Sociology Course | 3 | Elective or minor | 3 |
| Elective or minor | 3 | Elective or minor | 3 |
| Elective or minor | 3 | Elective or minor | 2 |
| 15 | 14 | ||
| Total Hours: 120 | |||
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INTDSC 1003 is required only for first-time freshmen and transfer students with less than 24 college credits.
Please Note: This plan is an example of what a four year plan could look like for a typical student. Placement exam scores in math as well as the completion of coursework may change the plan. It should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor each semester. All requirements are subject to change.