Bachelor of Arts in Sociology
Program Description
The Bachelor of Arts in Sociology applies the unique approach of sociology to study all forms of human behavior from the individual and small group interactions of everyday life to larger institutions that shape our global experiences as humans. Sociology aids in developing a sociological imagination, the ability to examine the lived experiences of oneself and others. From different theoretical perspectives, sociology delves into issues such as healthcare; politics; religion; race and ethnicity; sex and gender; and the impact of social conflict, inequity, and injustice on society.
Students will develop key skills in collaboration, information literacy, critical thinking, writing, and social science research methods and analysis. Students will also identify ways to engage in social movements that promote social justice in their career fields and daily lives. Sociological knowledge and skills are especially well suited as preparation for varied fields including civil service, research, education, healthcare, social service, business, management, social media, or law.
Degree Program Objectives
In addition to the institutional and degree level learning objectives, graduates of this program are expected to achieve these learning outcomes:
- Differentiate major paradigms, classic and contemporary theories that inform the study of sociology.
- Apply a sociological imagination to everyday social behavior as well as current social issues and crises.
- Identify how social stratification influences social inequality and social injustice.
- Discuss how the individual self-concept is directly influenced by social processes and social structures.
- Describe the functions and influence of social institutions on societies.
- Evaluate appropriate ethical considerations, methodological approaches and analysis techniques for sociological research.
- Assess the impact of social change and technology on social life and social relationships.
Degree at a Glance
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General Education Requirements
30
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Major Required
30
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Select one of the following concentrations:
15
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Final Program Requirement
3
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Elective Requirements
42
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Total Semester Hours
120
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Degree Program Requirements
General Education (30 semester hours)
| Arts & Humanities (6 semester hours) 1 |
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Select 2 courses from the following:
6 |
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Arabic I
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Arabic II
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Art Appreciation
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Survey of Photography
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Film and Literature
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Image Enhancement using Adobe Photoshop®
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French I
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French II
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German I
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German II
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Introduction to Japanese
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Literature of American Encounters, Revolution, and Rebellion
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From Abolition to #MeToo: Literature of the American Civil Rights Movement
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Pivotal Figures in Early British Literature
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British Literature from Wordsworth through the Wasteland
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Leadership in World Literature: Antiquity to the Early Modern Period
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Literature of the Newly Globalized World: The Individual’s Struggle to Adapt
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Music Appreciation
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Jazz and Rock
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World Music and Cultures
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Introduction to Philosophy
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Critical Thinking
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Introduction to Ethics
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Philosophy of Science
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Introduction to Brazilian Portuguese
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Introduction to the Study of Religion
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Introduction to World Religions
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Russian I
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Spanish I
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Spanish II
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Thinking and Acting Ethically
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| Civics, Political & Social Sciences (6 semester hours) 2 |
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Select 2 courses from the following:
6 |
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Introduction to Anthropology
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World Archaeology
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Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
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Human Sexuality
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Planning Your Future with Purpose in Humanities & Education
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Social Media and Society
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Intercultural Communication
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Microeconomics
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Macroeconomics
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Humane Education: A Global Interdisciplinary Perspective
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Introduction to Geography
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Practical Food Safety and Awareness
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International Relations I
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Introduction to Political Science
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American Government I
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Introduction to Psychology
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Death and Dying
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Race & Religion
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Hope and Resilience
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Introduction to Sociology
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Social Problems
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American Popular Culture
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Exploring Society and Cultures via Science Fiction
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| Communication: Writing, Oral, and Multimedia (9 semester hours) |
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Information and Digital Literacy
3 |
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Making Writing Relevant
3 |
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Select 1 course from the following:
3 |
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Emerging Technology for College Success
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Public Speaking
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Interpersonal Communications
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Proficiency in Writing
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Argumentation and Rhetoric
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Introduction to Literature
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Technical Writing
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Scientific Writing
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Effective Business Communication
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Human Relations Communication
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Information Literacy and Global Citizenship
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Introduction to Information Technology Writing
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Human Relations
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| History (3 semester hours) |
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Select 1 course from the following:
3 |
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American History to 1877
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American History since 1877
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World Civilization before 1650
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World Civilization since 1650
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Western Civilization before The Thirty Years War
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Western Civilization since The Thirty Years War
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African-American History before 1877
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African-American History since 1877
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History of the American Indian
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History of Science
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The History and Context of STEM
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| Mathematics and Applied Reasoning (3 semester hours) |
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Select 1 course from the following:
3 |
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College Algebra
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Math for Liberal Arts Majors
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| Natural Sciences (3 semester hours) |
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Select 1 course from the following:
3 |
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Introduction to Biology
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Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology
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Introduction to Chemistry
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Introduction to Meteorology
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Introduction to Geology
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Introduction to Environmental Science
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Introduction to Physics
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Introduction to Astronomy
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Introduction to STEM Disciplines
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| Total Semester Hours 30 |
Major Required (30 semester hours)
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Introduction to Statistics
3 |
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Introduction to Sociology
3 |
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Social Problems
3 |
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Society, Interaction, and the Individual
3 |
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Stratification and Inequality
3 |
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Social Deviance
3 |
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Classical Sociological Theory
3 |
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Contemporary Sociological Theory
3 |
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Research Methods for Sociology
3 |
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Statistics for Social Science
3 |
| Total Semester Hours 30 |
Students must choose a concentration for this degree program and may select from a Concentration in Community Action, Concentration in Digital Society, Concentration in Education, Concentration in Health, Concentration in Public Policy, or Concentration in Social Justice.
Concentration in Community Action (15 semester hours)
This interdisciplinary concentration will help prepare sociology students for professional responsibilities that relate to community organization and action. Students will explore organizations, agents of social change, religious organizations, and the role of the family in communities.
Objectives
Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:
- Apply the sociological imagination to understanding different types of communities and the motivation of communities to engage in action.
- Analyze communities using organizational sociology theories.
- Identify career paths for sociologists with expertise in community organization and action.
Concentration Requirements (15 semester hours)
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Organizational Sociology
3 |
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Social Change
3 |
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Sociology of Religion
3 |
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Sociology of the Family
3 |
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Families and Social Action
3 |
| Total Semester Hours 15 |
Concentration in Digital Society (15 semester hours)
This interdisciplinary concentration will prepare sociology students for professional responsibilities that involve digital communication and media, social media management, and social media analysis. Students will examine how sociological theory applies to digital society, explore online social communities to examine the effectiveness of design and interaction, and identify ways to collect and analyze online social data.
Objectives
Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:
- Apply sociological theory to our digital society.
- Examine data provided in online digital communities.
- Identify career paths for sociologists with expertise in digital communication and social media.
Concentration Requirements (15 semester hours)
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Digital Society
3 |
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Social Analysis of Digital Communities
3 |
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Digital Tools and Media in Communication
3 |
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Law, Privacy, and Digital Data
3 |
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Contemporary Internet Topics
3 |
| Total Semester Hours 15 |
Concentration in Education (15 semester hours)
This interdisciplinary concentration will help prepare sociology students for education related fields. Students will explore organizations, social movements and social change, learning theory, and strategies for measuring and evaluating education programs and institutions.
Objectives
Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:
- Compare and contrast education practices and systems using a sociological perspective.
- Evaluate the historical and current relationships between education, inequality, and socioeconomics.
- Identify career paths for sociologists in education related fields.
Concentration Requirements (15 semester hours)
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Organizational Sociology
3 |
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Social Change
3 |
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Adult Learning Theory
3 |
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Family Life Education
3 |
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Measurement and Evaluation
3 |
| Total Semester Hours 15 |
Concentration in Health (15 semester hours)
This interdisciplinary concentration will help to prepare sociology students for health related fields. Students will explore sociological factors that play a role in health and illness, the history of healthcare institutions, the process of aging and death. Students will examine public health issues in both national and international contexts using a sociological lens.
Objectives
Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:
- Analyze the historical and current relationships between health, inequality, and socioeconomics using sociological theories.
- Apply a sociological perspective to evaluating different healthcare systems.
- Identify career paths for medical sociologists in public health and other healthcare related fields.
Concentration Requirements (15 semester hours)
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Sociology of Aging
3 |
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Sociology of Health and Illness
3 |
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Sociology of Death and Dying
3 |
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Wellness: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
3 |
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Public Health in America
3 |
| Total Semester Hours 15 |
Concentration in Public Policy (15 semester hours)
This interdisciplinary concentration will help to prepare sociology students for fields related to understanding the sociological and bureaucratic factors that relate to public policy in local, national, and international settings. Students will apply sociological theory to understand organizations, political institutions, law, and social change.
Objectives
Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:
- Analyze social problems and the public policies and programs designed to solve them.
- Apply a sociological perspective to historical and current issues in public policy such as voting rights, incarceration, and workplace rights.
- Identify career paths for sociologists in public service, administration, and other organizations.
Concentration Requirements (15 semester hours)
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Political Sociology
3 |
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Organizational Sociology
3 |
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Sociology of the Law
3 |
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Social Change
3 |
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Public Policy
3 |
| Total Semester Hours 15 |
Concentration in Social Justice (15 semester hours)
This interdisciplinary concentration will help to prepare sociology students for professional responsibilities in promoting and supporting social justice issues in local, national, and international settings. Students will examine social justice issues related to race and ethnicity as well as gender and sex. Courses will also examine social movements and social change as well as leadership and organizational culture.
Objectives
Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:
- Examine causes and consequences of poverty at local, national, and international levels.
- Evaluate availability and effectiveness of social welfare programs and explore new strategies for increasing social justice.
- Identify career paths for sociologists in organizations addressing social justice and social welfare issues.
Concentration Requirements (15 semester hours)
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Race and Ethnicity
3 |
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Organizational Sociology
3 |
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Leadership & Motivation
3 |
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Social Change
3 |
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Gender and Society
3 |
| Total Semester Hours 15 |
Final Program Requirement (3 semester hours)
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Senior Seminar in Sociology 3
3 |
| Total Semester Hours 3 |
Elective Requirements (42 semester hours)
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Select any courses that have not been used to fulfill requirements listed above. Credits applied toward a minor or certificate in an unrelated field may be used to fulfill elective credit for the major. 42 |
| Total Semester Hours 42 |
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All literature courses require successful completion of ENGL101-Proficiency in Writing or ENGL110-Making Writing Relevant.
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All literature courses require successful completion of ENGL101-Proficiency in Writing or ENGL110-Making Writing Relevant.
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Prerequisite: SOCI111 and completion of all major and elective courses prior to enrollment. To be taken as the last course before graduation.