Sociology (BA)

Students majoring in sociology complete five required courses, three electives, and eight credits of capstone activities (internship or thesis). Students work closely with advisors in course selection and planning.

Program Requirements

Required Courses

SOCI 101Principles of Sociology

4

SOCI 239Introduction to Social Research I

4

SOCI 249Inequalities

4

SOCI 325Applications of Sociological Theory

4

SOCI 330Transnational Studies

4

Generally, SOCI 101 should be completed no later than the sophomore year, SOCI 239 and 268 in the sophomore or junior year, and SOCI 325 and SOCI 330 in the junior or senior year.

Students choose any three electives from the list below:

 
SOCI 210Body Politics

4

SOCI 216I Sing the Body Electric: Social Justice and the Expressive Arts

3

SOCI 220Working for Social Justice

4

SOCI 222Organizing for Social Change

4

SOCI 223Mass Media and Popular Culture

4

SOCI 225Social Movements

4

SOCI 232/AST 232/WGST 232Race, Gender & Health

4

SOCI 241Health, Illness & Society

4

SOCI 245Global Health

4

SOCI 262Criminology

4

SOCI 267Globalization

4

SOCI 270South Asia, People & Power

4

SOCI 275Birth and Death

4

SOCI 280Sociology of the Law

4

SOCI 285Drugs and Society

4

SOCI 301Disability and Society

4

SOCI 321Sociology of Food

4

SOCI 338MCross Cultural Alliance Building

4

SOCI 339Community Research

4

SOCI 344Sociology of Poetry & Prose

4

SOCI 346Gender and Islam

4

SOCI 347Antiracism and Social Justice

4

SOCI 349Directed Study

4

SOCI 350Independent Study

4

SOCI 365Intimate Family Violence

4

Capstone

Students may take one of the two following options:

Internship

Students may choose to complete an internship to fulfill the capstone requirement. Internships are completed in the spring semester of the student’s senior year. In the fall semester before the internship, each student works with the internship supervisor to design an 8-credit internship plan for the following semester. As part of this requirement, students also take the Internship seminar (SOCI 370). Students completing double majors who wish to do an internship will complete their internship through one of their departments.

Thesis

Students may choose to do an independent research and writing project that culminates in a 40–50 page thesis written under the supervision of a faculty member in the department.

Students submit a proposal by the second semester of their junior year and take SOCI 350 (Independent Study) in the first semester of their senior year and SOCI 355 (Thesis) in the second semester of their senior year. An honors designation is granted to meritorious theses. All theses are presented at an event organized by the department.