Sociology, Bachelor of Arts College of Letters & Science

The Major Programs

Sociology is the study of human society in all its manifestations. Its aim is to discover the process and structure of human interaction, to identify the main forces that sustain or weaken social groups, and to determine the conditions that transform social life. Sociology, like any science, is a disciplined, intellectual quest for knowledge about the fundamental nature of things. Students selecting the Sociology major will choose one of five options:

  • The General Sociology emphasis allows students to gain a broad perspective of sociology by providing an introduction to the discipline and its central issues and concepts. This emphasis offers the most flexibility in allowing students to choose which upper division courses to take.
  • The Law & Society emphasis is designed for students interested in the study of law, politics, and research. It offers a structured program of courses in law, criminology, deviance, and their relation to issues of societal order and change. Focusing on law in action, students will study how legal and criminal systems operate and theories of legal/criminal behavior. Students can expect to take courses in violence and inequality, delinquency, deviance, the criminal justice system, criminology, and social problems.
  • The Social Services emphasis focuses on the interactive perspective of family, community, social problems, and social services. The core of the curriculum addresses the fields of social welfare, the family, and social stratification. Students round out their program with courses chosen from areas of social issues, social interaction, gender, and organizational behavior. Students will also take multiple courses within the areas of psychology and race and ethnicity. The program provides a strong liberal arts education and adequately prepares students to work in the diverse social environment of the 21st century.
  • The Global & International Sociology emphasis is designed for students interested in developing an interdisciplinary, historically-informed understanding of global issues as well as regional challenges and characteristics. Students will study the social bases of political and economic life, culture and communities, inequalities, ethnic relations, migration, environmental changes, and other issues. Besides sociology courses, students choose classes across diverse disciplines, for example, economics, anthropology, political science, history, religious studies, and international agriculture.
  • The Race, Ethnicity, & Immigration emphasis brings together two sociological subfields by allowing students to take common core of lower division courses that provide them with a foundational knowledge of race & ethnicity and immigration. Students will build on this foundation by choosing from an array of Sociology courses that provide in-depth instruction in specific areas related to Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration, and from electives offered by the departments of African American and African Studies, Chicana/Chicano Studies, Native American Studies, Asian American Studies, Middle East and South Asia Studies, and other Social Science and Humanities departments offering relevant courses.

Career Opportunities

The Sociology major provides students with a solid liberal arts education that will prepare them for graduate work in the social sciences as well as a variety of careers. Students who major in sociology often work in areas such as business, education, law, social work or counseling, data analytics, research, health services, community engagement, and global fields.

Advising

Sociology Advising Office

Honors Program

An Honors Program is available to Sociology and Sociology-Organizational Studies majors who have demonstrated excellence in their field of study. This programs gives students the opportunity to engage in their own sociological research in the form of an honors thesis.

To be eligible for the program, students must have a grade-point average of 3.500 in the major, completed 135 units, and obtained the recommendation of a sociology faculty sponsor familiar with their work. Honors students write an honors thesis and take two courses (SOC 194HA & SOC 194HB) during their senior year. Successful completion of the Honors Program, when combined with College GPA requirements, enables the student to graduate with High or Highest Honors. Students should apply for the program before they begin their fourth year.

The major requirements below are in addition to meeting University Degree Requirements & College Degree Requirements; unless otherwise noted. Respective of the Emphasis, the minimum number of units required for the Sociology Bachelor of Arts are 73, 73, 72, 78, & 74.

General Emphasis

Preparatory Subject Matter
Sociology
SOC 001Introduction to Sociology5
SOC 046Introduction to Social Research Methods4
SOC 056Introduction to Social Statistics5
or SOC 056Y Introduction to Social Statistics
Choose one:3-4
Self & Society
Social Problems
Immigration & Opportunity
Global Social Change: An Introduction to Macrosociology
Health & Illness
Race & Ethnicity
Sociology of Labor & Employment
Sociology of Popular Culture
Anthropology
ANT 002Cultural Anthropology4-5
or ANT 020 Comparative Cultures
History
Choose one:4
History of Western Civilization
History of Western Civilization
History of Western Civilization
Introduction to the Middle East
History of Latin America to 1700
History of Latin America, 1700-1900
History of Latin America 1900-present
History of Indian Civilization
History of East Asian Civilization
History of East Asian Civilization
World History III
Africa to 1900
Africa Today
History of the United States
History of the United States
Philosophy
Choose one:4
Critical Reasoning
Ethical & Social Problems in Contemporary Society
Introduction to Ethics
Preparatory Subject Matter Subtotal29-31
Depth Subject Matter
(A)
SOC 100Origins of Modern Sociological Theory4
(B)
Choose one from each of the following four categories:16
Individual, Culture & Society
Sociology of Culture
Social Interaction
Social Relationships
Stratification & Social Differentiation
Race Relations
The Sociology of Gender
Social Stratification
Organizations & Institutions
Political Sociology
The Family
Sociology of Religion
Complex Organizations
Social Dynamics
The Political Economy of International Migration
Industrialization & Social Change
Urban Society
Population
(C)
Choose three upper division courses from one of the following clusters, not counting courses taken to fulfill requirement B:12
Cluster 1: Individual, Culture & Society
Deviance
Sociology of Adolescence
Sociology of Culture
Social Interaction
Interracial Interpersonal Dynamics
Sociology of Black Experience in America
The Family
The Sociology of Gender
Social Relationships
African American Society & Culture 1790 to 1990
Sociology of City Life
Collective Behavior
Criminology
Juvenile Delinquency
The Sociology of Childhood
Society, Culture, & Health
Population Health: Social Determinants & Disparities in Health
Death & Dying
Sociology Through Literature
American Jewish Identities & Communities
Sociology of Knowledge, Science, & Scientific Knowledge
Cluster 2: Stratification & Social Differentiation
Political Sociology
Interracial Interpersonal Dynamics
Sociology of Black Experience in America
Race Relations
The Sociology of Gender
Sexual Stratification & Politics
Social Stratification
Sociology of Third World Development
Gender & Rural Development in the Third World
Population Health: Social Determinants & Disparities in Health
Sociology of Violence & Inequality
Social Policy
Social Policy (Hybrid Version)
Markets, Culture & Inequality in China
Choose one:
Black Female Experience in Contemporary Society
Asian American Communities
Sociology of the Chicana/o Experience
Native Americans in the Contemporary World
Cluster 3: Organizations & Institutions
Political Sociology
Education & Inequality in the U.S.
The Family
Sexual Stratification & Politics
Corporations & Society
Sociology of Religion
Criminology
The Criminal Justice System
Sociology of Law
Work, Employment, & Careers in the 21st Century
Sociology of the Environment
Population Health: Social Determinants & Disparities in Health
Health Policy & Politics
Punishment & Corrections
Complex Organizations
Social Policy
Social Policy (Hybrid Version)
Cluster 4: Social Dynamics
The Political Economy of International Migration
Sociology of Culture
Economic Sociology
Industrialization & Social Change
Urban Society
Sociology of Third World Development
Gender & Rural Development in the Third World
Sociological Perspectives on East Asia
Collective Behavior
Social Movements
Social Conflict
Population
Student-Initiated Thematic Cluster
Developed with a faculty advisor and approved by the Sociology Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.
(D)
8 units of Sociology beyond courses taken to fulfill above requirements, and outside of the course cluster used to fulfill requirement C.8
(E)
One additional elective upper division Sociology course not already used to fulfill other major requirements 14
Depth Subject Matter Subtotal44
Total Units73-75
1

May use 4 units of 192, 194HA, 195 or 199.

Law & Society Emphasis

Preparatory Subject Matter
Sociology
SOC 001Introduction to Sociology5
SOC 046Introduction to Social Research Methods4
SOC 056Introduction to Social Statistics5
or SOC 056Y Introduction to Social Statistics
Choose one:4
Social Problems
Immigration & Opportunity
Health & Illness
Race & Ethnicity
Sociology of Labor & Employment
Choose one:4-5
Cultural Anthropology
Comparative Cultures
American National Government
American National Government
International Relations
Basic Concepts in Political Theory
Contemporary Issues in Law & Politics
History
Choose one:4
History of Western Civilization
History of Western Civilization
History of Western Civilization
Introduction to the Middle East
History of Latin America to 1700
History of Latin America, 1700-1900
History of Latin America 1900-present
History of Indian Civilization
History of East Asian Civilization
History of East Asian Civilization
World History III
Africa to 1900
Africa Today
History of the United States
History of the United States
Philosophy
Choose one:4
Critical Reasoning
Ethical & Social Problems in Contemporary Society
Introduction to Ethics
Preparatory Subject Matter Subtotal30-31
Depth Subject Matter
Sociology
SOC 100Origins of Modern Sociological Theory4
SOC 155Sociology of Law4
Choose from the following categories:
Individual Culture & Society
Choose one:4
Sociology of Culture
Social Interaction
Social Relationships
Stratification & Social Differentiation
Choose one:4
Race Relations
The Sociology of Gender
Social Stratification
Organizations & Institutions
Choose one:4
Political Sociology
The Family
Sociology of Religion
Sociology of the Environment
Population Health: Social Determinants & Disparities in Health
Health Policy & Politics
Complex Organizations
Crime & Social Dynamics
Choose three:12
Deviance
Criminology
The Criminal Justice System
Juvenile Delinquency
Sociology of Violence & Inequality
Punishment & Corrections
Stratifications & Social Dynamics
Choose one:4
Political Sociology
African American Society & Culture 1790 to 1990
Collective Behavior
Social Movements
Social Conflict
Society, Culture, & Health
Population Health: Social Determinants & Disparities in Health
Health Policy & Politics
Black Female Experience in Contemporary Society
Black Social & Political Thought
Black Intellectuals
United States-Mexican Border Relations
Political Economy of Chicana/o Communities
Native American Governmental Decision Making
Native American Politics
Legal Studies
Choose one:3-4
Asian American Legal History
Race & Juvenile Justice
Freedom of Expression
Environmental Law
Legal Aspects of Environmental Toxicology
Water Law
Philosophy of Law
International Law
Judicial Politics & Constitutional Interpretation
Constitutional Politics of the First Amendment & the Right to Privacy.
The Constitutional Politics of the Equality
Legal Philosophy
Psychology & Law
Writing in the Professions: Law
Gender & Law
Choose one additional elective upper division Sociology course not already used to fulfill other major requirements 14
Depth Subject Matter Subtotal43-44
Total Units73-75
1

May use 4 units of 192, 194HA, 195 or 199.

Social Services Emphasis

Preparatory Subject Matter
Sociology
SOC 001Introduction to Sociology5
SOC 046Introduction to Social Research Methods4
SOC 056Introduction to Social Statistics5
or SOC 056Y Introduction to Social Statistics
Choose One4
Self & Society
Social Problems
Health & Illness
Sociology of Labor & Employment
Psychology
PSC 001General Psychology4
or PSC 001Y General Psychology
Choose two:6-8
African-American Culture & Society
Introduction to African American Humanities
Historical Experience of Asian Americans
Contemporary Issues of Asian Americans
Introduction to Chicana/o Studies
Chicana & Chicano Culture
Introduction to Native American Studies
Native American Experience
Immigration & Opportunity
Race & Ethnicity
Preparatory Subject Matter Subtotal28-30
Depth Subject Matter
Sociology
SOC 100Origins of Modern Sociological Theory4
SOC 131The Family4
SOC 140Social Stratification4
SOC 185Social Policy4
or SOC 185Y Social Policy (Hybrid Version)
Psychology
Choose one:4
Developmental Psychology
Developmental Psychology
Social & Personality Development
Social Psychology
Social Psychology
Mental Health, Mental Illness, & Problems in Living
Choose from the following categories:
Social Issues
Choose two:8
The Political Economy of International Migration
Deviance
Sociology of Adolescence
Education & Inequality in the U.S.
Corporations & Society
Urban Society
Sociology of Religion
Criminology
Juvenile Delinquency
The Sociology of Childhood
Sociology of Law
Social Movements
Sociology of the Environment
Society, Culture, & Health
Population Health: Social Determinants & Disparities in Health
Population
Sociology of Violence & Inequality
Punishment & Corrections
Social Interaction
Choose one:4
Social Interaction
Interracial Interpersonal Dynamics
Sociology of City Life
Collective Behavior
Social Conflict
Death & Dying
Race & Ethnicity
Choose one:4
Survey of Ethnicity in the US
Theoretical Perspective in Asian American Studies
Ethnicity, Culture, & the Self
Filipino American Experience
Japanese American Experience
Chinese American Experience
Korean American Experience
Southeast Asian American Experience
Sociology of the Chicana/o Experience
Comparative Ethnicity
Native Americans in the Contemporary World
Sociology of Black Experience in America
Race Relations
African American Society & Culture 1790 to 1990
Gender
Choose one:4
The Sociology of Gender
Sexual Stratification & Politics
Gender & Rural Development in the Third World
Organizational Behavior
Choose one:4
Corporations & Society
Sociology of Religion
The Criminal Justice System
Work, Employment, & Careers in the 21st Century
Health Policy & Politics
Complex Organizations
Depth Subject Matter Subtotal44
Total Units72-74

Global & International Sociology Emphasis

Preparatory Subject Matter
Sociology
SOC 001Introduction to Sociology5
SOC 005Global Social Change: An Introduction to Macrosociology4
SOC 046Introduction to Social Research Methods4
SOC 056Introduction to Social Statistics5
or SOC 056Y Introduction to Social Statistics
Economics
ECN 001BPrinciples of Macroeconomics4
or ECN 001BV Principles of Macroeconomics
Anthropology
ANT 002Cultural Anthropology4-5
or ANT 020 Comparative Cultures
Choose one:4
World History III
Introduction to Comparative Politics
Course work in one modern foreign language at the two-year level or provide proof of proficiency.0-30
Preparatory Subject Matter Subtotal30-61
Depth Subject Matter
Sociology
SOC 100Origins of Modern Sociological Theory4
SOC/IRE 104The Political Economy of International Migration4
SOC 141Industrialization & Social Change4
SOC 145ASociology of Third World Development4
SOC 170Population4
Choose one:4
Anthropology of Development
Women & Development
Economic Development
Choose three:12
Urban Anthropology
Political Sociology
Race Relations
The Family
Urban Society
Agriculture & Society
Gender & Rural Development in the Third World
Social Movements
Regional Focus
Choose three from one of the following groups:12
Africa; choose three:
West African Social Organization
Cultural Politics in Contemporary Africa
Islam in Africa & the Americas
Cultures & Societies of West & Central Africa
Cultures & Societies of East & South Africa
History of West Africa
History of East Africa & the Indian Ocean
History of Southern Africa from Exploration to the Rainbow Nation
African History: Special Themes
Africa & U.S. Foreign Policy
Latin America; choose three:
African Descent Communities & Culture in the Caribbean & Latin America
Race & Ethnicity in Latin America
Contemporary Societies & Cultures of Latin America
Women & Gender in Latin American History
History of the Andean Region
History of Brazil
History of Brazil
History of Chile
Latin American Social Revolutions
History of Mexico to 1848
History of Mexico since 1848
Modern Latin American Cultural & Intellectual History
History of Inter-American Relations
Ethnopolitics of South American Indians
Ethnohistory of Native People of Mexico & Central America
Introduction to Latin American Culture
Mexican Culture
Cinema & Latin American Culture
Middle East; choose three:
Peoples of the Middle East
Topics in Pre-Modern Jewish History
Topics in Modern Jewish History
History of Modern Palestine/Israel
Middle Eastern History I: The Rise of Islam, 600-1000
Middle Eastern History II: The Age of the Crusades, 1001-1400
Middle Eastern History III: The Ottomans, 1401-1730
History of the Modern Middle East, 1750-1914
History of the Modern Middle East, From 1914
Jewish Studies; see an advisor.
Modern Iranian Cinema
Topics in Middle East & South Asian Studies
Topics in Regional ME/SA Studies
Topics in Regional ME/SA Studies: Arab Studies
Undergraduate Seminar in Iranian & Persianate Studies
Undergraduate Proseminar in Middle East/South Asia: Arab Studies Seminar
Introduction to Islamic Law
Gender in the Arab World
Asia-China & Japan; choose three:
African Descent Communities & Culture in Asia
Culture & Political Economy in Contemporary China
Cinema & Society in China
Economy of East Asia
Classical China
High Imperial China
Late Imperial China
19th-Century China: The Empire Confronts the West
The Chinese Revolution
History of the People's Republic of China
Special Topics in Chinese History to 1800
Special Topics in Chinese History after 1800
Sex & Society in Modern Chinese History
Aristocratic & Feudal Japan
Early Modern Japan
Modern Japan
Government & Politics of East Asia: China
Government & Politics in East Asia: Japan
Islam in Asia
Ch'an (Zen) Buddhism
Sociological Perspectives on East Asia
Markets, Culture & Inequality in China
Southeast Asia/Pacific; choose three:
Ethnology of Southeast Asia
Performance, Embodiment, & Space in South Asia
Modern South Asia Cinema
Economy of East Asia
Classical China
High Imperial China
Late Imperial China
19th-Century China: The Empire Confronts the West
The Chinese Revolution
History of the People's Republic of China
Special Topics in Chinese History to 1800
Special Topics in Chinese History after 1800
Sex & Society in Modern Chinese History
History of Modern Korea
Medieval India
Modern India
Middle East & South Asia: Comparative Perspectives
Modern South Asia Cinema
Topics in Regional ME/SA Studies
Undergraduate Seminar in South Asian Studies
Government & Politics in East Asia: Japan
Government & Politics in East Asia: Southeast Asia
Islam in Asia
Ch'an (Zen) Buddhism
Depth Subject Matter Subtotal48
Total Units78-109

Race, Ethnicity, & Immigration Emphasis

Preparatory Subject Matter
SOC 001Introduction to Sociology5
SOC 004Immigration & Opportunity4
SOC 005Global Social Change: An Introduction to Macrosociology4
SOC 007Race & Ethnicity4
SOC 046Introduction to Social Research Methods4
SOC 056Introduction to Social Statistics5
or SOC 056Y Introduction to Social Statistics
Choose one:4
African-American Culture & Society
Introduction to Caribbean Studies
Black Popular Culture
Introduction to Black Politics
Historical Experience of Asian Americans
Contemporary Issues of Asian Americans
Methods in Asian American Studies
Asian American Cultural Studies
Introduction to Chicana/o Studies
United States Political Institutions & Chicanas/os
Food Justice: Chicana/o & Indigenous Communities
Introduction to Native American Studies
Indigenous & Minority Languages
Native American Experience
Preparatory Subject Matter Subtotal30
Depth Subject Matter
SOC 100Origins of Modern Sociological Theory4
SOC 130Race Relations4
Choose six:24
The Political Economy of International Migration
Sociology of Culture
Interracial Interpersonal Dynamics
Sociology of Black Experience in America
The Family
The Sociology of Gender
African American Society & Culture 1790 to 1990
Social Stratification
Urban Society
Sociology of City Life
Sociology of Third World Development
Gender & Rural Development in the Third World
The Criminal Justice System
Intersections of Race, Gender & Class
American Jewish Identities & Communities
One other upper division SOC course with advisor approval.
Choose three:12
Survey of Ethnicity in the US
Introduction to Research in the Afro-American Community
African Descent Communities & Culture in the Caribbean & Latin America
African Descent Communities & Culture in North America
African Descent Communities & Culture in Asia
Black Female Experience in Contemporary Society
Education in the African-American Community
The Black Family In America
Psychology of the African American Experience
Black Social & Political Thought
Black Intellectuals
Islam in Africa & the Americas
African Religions in the Americas
Afro-Christianity & the Black Church
Diaspora & New Black Identities
African Modernity & Globalization
Race & Ethnicity in Latin America
Interdisciplinary Approaches to Environmental Justice/Injustice
Race, Culture & Society in the United States
Indigenous Peoples & Natural Resource Conservation
Resistance, Rebellion, & Popular Movements
Migration & the Politics of Place & Identity
Race, Class, Gender Systems
Theoretical Perspective in Asian American Studies
Asian American Women
Asian American Sexuality
Asian Diasporas
Multiracial Asian Pacific American Issues
Asian American Youth
Filipino American Experience
Japanese American Experience
Chinese American Experience
Korean American Experience
Southeast Asian American Experience
South Asian American History, Culture, & Politics
Asian American Legal History
Chicana/o Theoretical Perspective
Chicana/o Feminist Theoretical Understandings of K-20 Educational Disparities
Grassroots Community Activism & Mobilization Efforts Challenging Educational Inequity
Policy & Law Challenging Segregation & Educational Inequity
Sociology of the Chicana/o Experience
Chicanas/Mexicanas in Contemporary Society
Globalization, Transnational Migration, & Chicana/o & Latina/o Communities
Latin American Women’s Engagement in Social Movements
Women of Color Reproductive Health & Reproductive Politics in a Global Perspective
Women of Color Reproductive Health & Gender Politics in Cuba & the U.S.
Chicana/o Psychology
Chicana/o Community Mental Health
Psychology Perspectives Chicana/o & Latina/o Family
Psychology Perspectives Chicana/o & Latina/o Family
Psychological perspectives on Chicana/o & Latina/o Children & Adolescents
Latino Families in the Age of Globalization: Migration & Transculturation
United States-Mexican Border Relations
Chicanas in Politics & Public Policy
Chicanas in Politics & Public Policy
Political Economy of Chicana/o Communities
Transnational Latina/o Political Economy
Decolonizing Spirit
The Chicana & Chicano Movement
Queer Latinidad
Chicanas, Latinas & Mexicanas in Commercial Media
Chicanas & Latinas in the U.S.: Historical Perspectives
Race & Juvenile Justice
Latino Youth Gangs in Global Perspective
Latino Youth Gangs in Global Perspective
Race & Media
Cultural Diversity & Education in a Sociopolitical Context
Diversity in the K-12 Classroom
Environmental Change, Disease & Public Health
Colonialism & the Making of the Modern World
Slavery, Africa, & the Atlantic World
Latin American Migration History
Slavery, Society & Expansion in the Early U.S.
Becoming an American: Immigration & American Culture
History of Black People & American Race Relations: 1450-1860
History of Black People & American Race Relations: 1860-Present
Asian American History, 1850-Present
History of South Asian Islam
Women & Islamic Discourses
Iranian Society & Culture
Native Americans in the Contemporary World
Native American Politics
Introduction to Federal Indian Law
Ethnopolitics of South American Indians
Corporate Colonialism
Native American Ethno-Historical Development
Race, Culture, & Nation
Orientation to Research in Native American Studies
Women, "Race" & Sexuality in Postcolonial Cinema
Gender & Experience of Race
Depth Subject Matter Subtotal44
Total Units74