Degree Requirements
All Sociology majors are assigned a Sociology advisor as early as possible during their college years. The structure of the curriculum demands that students make sure that they are properly advised in order for them to meet the requirements. Each student is free to choose his/her advisor provided this advisor has not already reached a number of advisees who will make it difficult for him/her to properly serve his/her advisees. In this case, the student will be assigned an adviser by the Sociology program faculty.
Required Courses | 21 credits
This course is geared toward liberal arts, science, business, and health science majors." It introduces descriptive statistics, probability distributions (both discrete and normal), confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, and correlation. Real-world applications are offered and computer statistical software may be used.
Students are taught how to investigate social issues as sociologists do-by tracing the troubles of men and women back to broader social forces and problems. The relevance of sociology is demonstrated through examples of applied sociology and through the students' use of social theory and methods to address social problems.
This sociological theory course gives students an understanding of the works of the major classical theorists whose ideas played a central role in the development of sociological theory and introduces students to the dominant contemporary perspectives in social thought. Emphasis is on developing the students' knowledge of the range of thinking that exists concerning social issues and what the strengths and weaknesses of each position are, therefore enabling them to work within any point of view. A seminar format is used, requiring students to do assigned readings before a topic is discussed in class because it is through class discussions that ideas are analyzed, dissected, and critically assessed. A prerequisite to SO 384
Prerequisite: SO 110 and 3 credits 200 or 300 level SO courses
Students learn how to design, conduct, and report the results of social research. Attention is given to experimental and evaluation research, field research, unstructured exploratory interviewing, content analysis, analysis of published statistical data, survey research, conceptualization and operationalization of variables, analysis of data, the writing of research reports, and the logic of cause and effect in research. The course also includes learning how to use the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software to analyze quantitative data. A prerequisite to SO 384
Prerequisite: Take SO 110 and 3 credits 200 or 300 SO courses
This course allows students to develop their thesis project through the application of material covered by the Sociological Theory and Research Methods courses.
Prerequisite: Take SO-372 and SO-382
The internship in sociology offers an opportunity for qualified Sociology majors to gain practical experience in an area to which sociology applies. Internships are arranged in advance of the semester they are to be taken.
The capstone course in the Sociology major. Students write and defend a sociological thesis under the guidance of a faculty mentor.
Prerequisite: Take SO-384
Electives | 15 credits
- 4 Sociology electives
- 1 Sociology or Criminal Justice elective
- At least one Sociology elective must be in the content area of diversity and inequality from this list:
- SO 123 Human Rights and Social Justice
- SO 201 Poverty and Inequality
- SO 218 Social Issues and Social Change
- SO 239 Diversity and Oppression
- SO 244 Racial and Ethnic Relations
- SO 263 Sociology of Gender
SO 398: The Senior Seminar in Sociology
The scientific core of the junior year immerses students in sociological theory and methods of research, and the Senior Seminar in Sociology takes this one step further by having the students synthesize them in practice. Rather than simply learn sociology, they do sociology. They take on the role of practitioner, a vital step in the career of a sociologist.
This seminar serves as a transition between college study and the profession of sociology. Writing the thesis provides the student direct experience with what is entailed in sociological scholarship. By promoting a mentor-mentee relationship the senior is provided with a role model and advocate. And finally, examples of applied sociology demonstrate to students how they can practice sociology in a variety of settings. Thus, the seminar not only promotes the skills but also the professional identity necessary for success in graduate study or careers in the public and private sectors.
The format of the seminar, its intensity, and the encouragement of a professional identity strongly reinforce and complete the seniors' experience as a class.
My time spent in the SHU sociology program granted me an enlightening perspective on life. The faculty provided the resources and unconditional support necessary to become successful in the competitive world we live in today. I will be forever grateful for all of the incredible academic and work opportunities this program has provided. Through the leadership and guidance of the sociology department, I have learned how to effectively apply myself in the behavioral science field. The program significantly contributed to my personal growth and understanding of work-ethic, confidence, and resilience; all skills that will be utilized through any obstacle I may face in life.