Sociology Department Majors & Programs

Majors

Criminal Justice Major

The Criminal Justice major examines the ins and outs of the Criminal Justice System, while preparing students for a profession working within this system. Careers in law enforcement, probation, parole, corrections, forensics, investigation, and security are some of the many options awaiting our graduates.

Sociology Major Tracks

The Sociology major is designed to give students tools to study, understand, and apply various concepts and theories to study human behavior in groups, communities, organizations, social movements, societies, and nation-states.

We offer different tracks tailored to the interests of our students:

  • General Track -- for students who wish to explore the social world; fosters critical thinking, research, writing skills, and a broad-based ability to see the world through a variety of lenses. Students in this track have had particular success in double-majoring in such fields as Philosophy, Psychology, Political Science and Anthropology. If you are interested in law school, the department recommends either this program or another liberal art major (particularly Political Science) over the Criminal Justice major because the emphasis on critical thinking and writing is particularly applicable to the study and practice of law.
  • Community Development and Planning -- for students who are interested in liberal arts sociology but find themselves drawn to issues related to urbanization, rural poverty, environmental abuses, community change, and community development. This track will prepare you for a wide range of career and graduate training possibilities in Urban Planning, Community Development, and International Development.
  • Criminology and Deviance -- for students interested in the study of crime and is suitable for students who wish to pursue a career in criminal law, crime research, and crime policy, or who have an interest in studying social deviance.
  • Human Services -- for students interested in working in the social welfare system and other human services occupations. This program will prepare you either for work in a human/social services agency or for future study in a Master of Social Work (MSW) program. As there are more required credits in this program, it is more difficult (but not impossible) to dual major.
  • Aging Studies: for students interested in the study of aging and gerontology. This program will prepare you to work in the human or social service field within the area of aging, such as the Office of the Aging. It will also prepare you for advanced studies in the field of Gerontology or other aging-related programs.

Minors

Sociology Minor

The Sociology Minor returns in the Fall of 2023. This minor allows students to take a sampling of sociology courses without committing to the full major. Students interested in the minor may be interested in the general track of the sociology major.

SOC 1001 Intro to Sociology

SOC 2009 Social Research Methods

Complete One Course in Each Area:

  • Inequality (SOC 2200-2399/3200-3399/4200-4399)
  • Culture, Socialization, and Institutions (SOC 2400-2599/3400-3599/4400-4599)
  • Population, Social Change, and Environment (SOC 2600-2799/3600-3799/4600-4799)
  • Social Control, Crime, and Deviance (SOC 2800-2999/3800-3999/4800-4999)

18 s.h. Total

Sustainable Planning and Development Minor

The Sustainable Planning and Development Minor allows students the opportunity to learn about the field of planning and development, which can help launch them toward a career in Urban Planning, Community Development, and International Development. Students may also be interested in the Community Development and Change track in the Sociology Major. The Geography major is also a useful complement to this minor.

ENSS 1010 Environmental Sustainability

GEOG 3106 Geographic Information Systems: Principles and Methods

SOC 2600 Community Development & Change

SOC 3700 Urbanization

Pick one:

  • SOC 2760 (Global Social Change and Development) OR
  • SOC 4770 (Population and Social Change)

Pick one:

  • GEOG 2010 (Economic Geography and Sustainability) OR
  • GEOG 3208 (Environmental Planning) OR
  • GEOG 3612 (Geography of Urban Environments)

18 s.h. Total

Health and Society Minor

The new Health and Society minor was designed to give students an understanding of the human dimension of health and medicine. The minor provides an overview of the health care system, social epidemiology, and applications to a range of topics. This minor is helpful for students planning to take the MCAT and wish to learn important sociological concepts for success. This minor may appeal to students in the pre-health concentration, exercise science, biology, anthropology, or other related majors.

SOC 2580 Sociology of Health & Illness

SOC 2581 American Health Care System

SOC 3510 Epidemics & Society

Social Inequalities Elective: SOC 2200-2399/3200-3399/4200-4399

Select Two:

  • SOC 2640 Sociology of Food and Eating
  • SOC 3500 Health and Aging
  • SOC 3580 Social Policy
  • SOC 3887 Violence in Relationships
  • SOC 4770 Population and Social Change

18 s.h. Total

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