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About the Undergraduate Program

Program Overview

Sociology provides the theoretical and empirical foundation for understanding how societies function and how they change over time. Sociologists are interested in understanding the causes and consequences of processes such as the social construction of groups and identity; the evolution of culture, inter-subjective meanings, inter-group relations, hierarchies, and social norms. Sociological research involves the study of individual behavior and outcomes, such as educational attainment, jobs and careers, religious commitment, and political involvement; of interpersonal process, such as intimate relationships, sexuality, social interaction in groups, social networks, and behavior of organizations and institutions; causes and consequences of group differences and social inequality; and social change at the societal and global level.

The Sociology department has three research centers in the fields of Comparative and Historical Sociology, Cultural Sociology and Social Theory, and Social Stratification and Life Course Research. In addition, our faculties publish and teach in the areas of Gender and Sexuality, Political Sociology, Sociology of Religion, Economic Sociology, Urban Sociology and Ethnography, and Chinese Society.

While the sociology major provides a solid foundation for students interested in careers in the social sciences, knowledge about social processes and how societies work is relevant for students interested in careers in law, public service, business, journalism, education, medicine, public health, environmental studies, and life sciences. In fact, many well-known people who are not social scientists majored in sociology.

Many of our recent graduates went on to law school (including Yale, Columbia University, Harvard, Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, UCLA, and Vanderbilt), medical school or public health (including Harvard and Columbia); and to graduate programs in business, education, urban planning, criminology and sociology (among others, Oxford, Arizona, Columbia, Princeton, MIT, and University of Pennsylvania). Others work in finance, consulting, publishing, marketing, city planning, teaching, research, and advocacy.

The Sociology department offers two undergraduate programs leading to the B.A. degree. The standard program provides a rigorous introduction to sociological concepts, theories, and methods. The combined program — sociology with another subject — introduces students to sociological perspectives, principles, and research as a contribution to an interdisciplinary perspective on all fields in which social processes are relevant, including history, philosophy, public health, biology, environmental studies, economics, statistics, mathematics, anthropology, African-American Studies, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, political science, international relations, area studies, art history and more. Students interested in the major are encouraged to contact the DUS early on to discuss these options.

Admission to the major

Students interested in the Sociology major should complete either a freshman seminar or at least one introductory course (numbered 110–149) by the end of the sophomore year. This course may be applied toward the requirements of the major. The introductory course requirement can be waived by the director of undergraduate studies (DUS) for students who provide evidence for adequate preparation for advanced coursework in sociology. All students interested in the Sociology major should meet with the DUS no later than the beginning of the junior year to elect a program of study. Students who are planning a junior term abroad should contact the DUS as early as possible.

Division of courses

Courses in Sociology are divided by level, with introductory courses numbered from 100 to 149, courses in sociological theory from 150 to 159, courses in sociological methods from 160 to 169, intermediate courses from 150 to 299, advanced courses in the 300s, and individual study and research courses in the 400s. Freshman seminars are numbered below 100 and count as introductory or intermediate courses. In addition, qualified students may elect to enroll in graduate courses, with permission of the instructor and of the director of graduate studies. A list of graduate courses and descriptions is available from the DUS.

Program I: The Standard Program

The requirements for the standard program are:

  1. Thirteen term courses in sociology, of which normally no more than two may be drawn from outside the Sociology department. One introductory class in sociology, or a substitute to be approved by the DUS. No more than two introductory courses may count toward this total.
  2. Two courses in sociological theory and two in sociological methods, normally completed by the end of the junior year. SOCY 151a, Foundations of Modern Social Theory, and 152b, Topics in Contemporary Theory, are the required courses for theory. SOCY 160a, Methods of Inquiry, and one additional Sociology course numbered between 161 and 169 are required for methods. These courses are normally taken in the junior year. Students planning to study abroad in their junior year are strongly encouraged take at least some of these courses in their sophomore year and to discuss the options for their course of study with the DUS before finalizing their plans.
  3. One advanced seminar in Sociology (SOCY 300-399).
  4. A two-term senior essay and colloquium for students electing the intensive major. Students in the intensive major attend a yearlong biweekly colloquium (SOCY 493) that provides them with an opportunity to share their research experiences. Students in the nonintensive major take one additional 300-level seminar in Sociology and write a one-term senior essay in SOCY 491a or SOCY 492b.

Program II: Sociology with Another Subject

The combined program allows students to unite the study of sociology with the study of another discipline or substantive area. The requirements are:

  1. Thirteen term courses, of which at least nine and no more than ten are selected from Sociology, the remainder being chosen from another department or program. One introductory class in sociology, or a substitute to be approved by the DUS. No more than two introductory courses in any department or program may count toward the total. The courses outside Sociology must constitute a coherent unit alone and form a logical whole when combined with the Sociology courses.
  2. Two courses in sociological theory and two in sociological methods, normally completed by the end of the junior year. SOCY 151a, Foundations of Modern Social Theory, and 152b, Topics in Contemporary Theory, are the required courses for theory. SOCY 160a, Methods of Inquiry, and one additional Sociology course numbered between 161 and 169 are required for methods. These courses are normally taken in the junior year. Students planning to study abroad in their junior year are strongly encouraged take at least some of these courses in their sophomore year and to discuss the options for their course of study with the DUS before finalizing their plans.
  3. One advanced seminar in Sociology (SOCY 300-399).
  4. A one- or two-term senior essay in which the student integrates sociology and the other subject chosen. Students opting for the intensive major attend a yearlong biweekly colloquium (SOCY 493) that provides them with an opportunity to share their research experiences and counts with two credits towards the major. Students in the nonintensive major must take one additional 300-level seminar in Sociology and write a one-term senior essay in SOCY 491a or SOCY 492b, which counts with one credit towards the major.

The combined program allows students to design a program to satisfy their own substantive interests and future career plans. By the beginning of the junior year, participants in the combined program are expected to consult with the director of undergraduate studies in order to obtain approval for their course of study.

The Senior Essay Requirement

Senior requirement for the nonintensive major

Students electing the nonintensive major take one additional seminar in Sociology (SOCY 300-399) and write a one-credit senior essay during the fall or spring of the senior year (SOCY 491a or SOCY 492b). The senior essay for nonintensive majors is intended to be an in-depth scholarly review and critical analysis based on secondary sources. Students should select a controversial topic of any sociological field and use library resources and various search tools to write a literature review that evaluates what is known about the topic. All nonintensive majors are required to enroll in SOCY 491a or 492b to receive credit for the senior essay. Nonintensive majors are not eligible to graduate with Distinction in the Major.

Senior requirement for the intensive major

The intensive major gives students an opportunity to undertake a yearlong program of original research resulting in a contribution to sociological knowledge. The yearlong project requires substantial independent research and knowledge of a sociological subfield. Students may use various research methods: they can gather data through participant observation, in-depth interviewing, conduction of small scale surveys, or conduct secondary analysis of existing data, such as the General Social Survey or census data. Findings may be presented in various forms, from ethnographic narratives to analytical statistics. Students select primary and secondary advisers from the faculty. Students in the intensive major are required to enroll in SOCY 493, Senior Essay and Colloquium for Intensive Majors, during their senior year, and receive two credits toward the major. The purpose of the colloquium is to provide a forum for discussing the research process and for presenting the student’s research at various stages. Intensive majors are eligible to graduate with Distinction in the Major if they meet the grade standards for distinction and submit a senior essay written in SOCY 493.

Admission to the intensive major

Students should apply to the director of undergraduate studies no later than the last day of classes in the spring term of their junior year. In special circumstances, applications may be accepted through the end of registration period in the first term of the senior year. Applications should include a one-page statement of interest that includes a list of relevant courses taken and identifies a prospective senior essay adviser. Admission is based on performance and promise. The director of undergraduate studies and the senior essay adviser serve as advisers to candidates for the intensive major.

Summary of Requirements of the Major

Prerequisite: 1 intro course (SOCY 110-149).

Number of courses: 13 term courses (includes prerequisite and senior essay).

Specific courses required: SOCY 151a, 152b, 160a, one additional sociology course numbered 161-169.

Distribution of courses: Program I — at least 11 Sociology courses at intermediate and advanced levels, 1 Sociology seminar at 300 level; Program II — 9 or 10 term courses in Sociology, at least 1 Sociology seminar at 300 level; no more than 2 intro courses in any dept or program.

Senior requirement: Nonintensive major — 1 additional 300-level Sociology seminar and senior essay (SOCY 491a or 492b); Intensive major — senior essay and colloquium for intensive majors (SOCY 493).