SociologySociologyProfessor—Barbosa
Associate Professors—Dumont, Hossfeld
Assistant Professors—Bettinger, Carrington, Clay, Fields
B.A. in Sociology
Minor in Sociology
Sociology examines the social aspects and dimensions of most everything human beings do in the realm of politics, economics, culture, technology, relationships, and identity. Studying sociology provides students critical and reflexive perspectives with which to understand the world. It pushes students to develop the analytical, research, and compositional skills necessary to investigate, understand, analyze, explain, and improve the world around them. Courses cover a broad range of topics including: the study of individuals as social actors; the analysis of social processes such as social interaction and deviance and conformity; the study of institutions such as law, family, media, popular culture, medicine, education, and religion; and the investigation of the social organization of entire societies in the global context. The department offers a variety of courses of interest to non-majors as well as to majors.
Upon completion of a B.A. in Sociology, students can continue their education with graduate work in either sociology or in some related field such as social work, public administration, or law. For students who choose to pursue employment with their bachelor's degree, sociology provides an excellent liberal arts foundation for a range of career paths that utilize their sociological insights as well as the conceptual and methodological skills they have acquired. Training in sociology can open a variety of doors in the human services and in business. Those who enter human services may work with youths at risk, the elderly, or people experiencing problems related to poverty, substance abuse, or the justice system. Some find employment in agencies that work for social change including various organizations concerned with human rights issues or the environment. Sociology majors who enter the business world work in sales, marketing, customer relations, or human resources.
In addition, the sociology major has a competitive advantage in today's information society. The solid base received in research design, data analysis, statistics, and sociological concepts enables them to compete for support positions in research, social planning, policy analysis, program evaluation, and other social science endeavors.
All courses numbered 300 and above require upper division standing and completion of Segment I G.E. requirements including ENG 214 or equivalent. SOC 370 and 392 require passing of JEPET or concurrent enrollment in ENG 414. Students are allowed to take one course toward the major as credit/no credit (CR/NC). This course cannot be used as one of the Required Courses or to satisfy Areas 1, 2, and 3. University regulation requires 24 units toward the major must be completed in residence.
On-line course descriptions are available.
| Required Courses | Units | |
| SOC 300 | Sociological Analysis | 4 |
| SOC 370 | Theories of Society | 4 |
| SOC 392 | Sociological Research—Methods and Techniques I | 4 |
| SOC 393 | Sociological Research—Methods and Techniques II or | 4 |
| SOC 394 | Advanced Research Methods (SOC 392 and approved statistics course are prerequisites) |
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| SOC 500 | Senior Seminar or | 3 |
| SOC 501 | Internship: Applied Sociology | |
| Total required courses | 19 | |
| Sociology Electives (to include 1 course from each of the following areas) | 23-24 | |
| Area 1: Interpersonal Perspectives | ||
| SOC 340 | Social Psychology (4) | |
| SOC 362 | The Social Construction of Deviance and Conformity (4) | |
| SOC 467 | Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Cultures and Society (4) | |
| Area 2: Institutional Perspectives | ||
| SOC 457 | Sociology of Law (4) | |
| SOC 464 | Families and Society (4) | |
| SOC 466 | Society and Education (4) | |
| SOC 468 | Social Aspects of Human Sexuality (4) | |
| SOC 469 | Gender and Society (4) | |
| SOC 476 | Medical Sociology (4) | |
| SOC 477 | Environmental Sociology (4) | |
| SOC 490 | Sociology of Popular Culture (4) | |
| Area 3: Global Perspectives | ||
| SOC 461 | Ethnic Relations: International Comparisons (4) | |
| SOC 471 | Societal Change and Development (4) | |
| SOC 480 | The City in a Global Society (4) | |
| SOC 482 | Global Immigration and Immigrants (4) | |
| SOC 483 | Global Sociology (4) | |
| SOC 484 | Population and Social Dynamics (4) | |
| The remaining units may include additional courses from these areas or any other courses offered with a sociology prefix, including SOC 105. | ||
| Total for major | 42-43 | |
Students who take SOC 394 but not SOC 393 must also complete a statistics course outside the department. Statistics courses other than SOC 393 must be approved in writing by the department and do not count toward the total number of units required in the sociology major.
Students must be assigned letter grades for all courses taken toward the minor. University regulation requires twelve units toward the minor must be completed in residence.
| Required Courses | Units | |
| SOC 300 | Sociological Analysis | 4 |
| SOC 370 | Theories of Society | 4 |
| SOC 392 | Sociological Research—Methods and Techniques I | 4 |
| Total | 12 | |
| Sociology Electives (to include at least 1 course from 2 of the 3 areas below): | 11-12 | |
| Area 1: Interpersonal Perspectives | ||
| SOC 340 | Social Psychology (4) | |
| SOC 362 | The Social Construction of Deviance and Conformity (4) | |
| SOC 467 | Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Cultures and Society (4) | |
| Area 2: Institutional Perspectives | ||
| SOC 457 | Sociology of Law (4) | |
| SOC 464 | Families and Society (4) | |
| SOC 466 | Society and Education (4) | |
| SOC 468 | Social Aspects of Human Sexuality (4) | |
| SOC 469 | Gender and Society (4) | |
| SOC 476 | Medical Sociology (4) | |
| SOC 477 | Environmental Sociology (4) | |
| SOC 490 | Sociology of Popular Culture (4) | |
| Area 3: Global Perspectives | ||
| SOC 461 | Ethnic Relations: International Comparisons (4) | |
| SOC 471 | Societal Change and Development (4) | |
| SOC 480 | The City in a Global Society (4) | |
| SOC 482 | Global Immigration and Immigrants (4) | |
| SOC 483 | Global Sociology (4) | |
| SOC 484 | Population and Social Dynamics (4) | |
| The remaining units may include additional courses from these areas or any other course with a sociology prefix. | ||
| Total | 23-24 | |