Sociology within the General Studies Major
Students may seek a major focused on sociology within the individual studies option of the general studies major.
Degree Requirements
A degree with a major in general studies and a focus in sociology requires the successful completion of 120 credits of coursework including 30 credits for the major (indicated by
); 41 credits in general education requirements (GERs); and 49 credits in the minor, electives, and other degree requirements. At least 15 credits in the major must be earned in upper-level courses (numbered 300 or above).
Requirements for the Sociology Focus
Coursework for a focus in sociology within the general studies major includes the following:
Recommended Sequence
The following course sequence will fulfill all of the requirements for the BS in general studies with a focus in sociology. Since some recommended courses fulfill more than one requirement, substituting courses for those listed may make it necessary to take additional courses to meet degree requirements. Students should consult an academic advisor whenever taking advantage of other options.
Information on alternate courses (where allowable) to fulfill general education requirements (in communications, arts and humanities, behavioral and social sciences, biological and physical sciences, mathematics, and interdisciplinary issues) and cross-curricular requirements (in civic responsibility, historical, and international perspectives) may be found on the GER page.
First Courses
(to be taken within the first 18 credits)
Note: Placement tests are required for math and English composition courses.
LIBS 150 Information Literacy and Research Methods (1)
ENGL 101/101X Introduction to Writing (3)
MATH 107 College Algebra (3)
or a higher-level math course
Introductory Courses
(to be taken within the first 30 credits)
PHIL 140 Contemporary Moral Issues (3)
or other ARTH, ARTT, HIST, HUMN, MUSC, PHIL, THET, dance, literature, or foreign language course to fulfill the first general education requirement in arts and humanities
BIOL 101 Concepts of Biology (3)
and BIOL 102 Laboratory in Biology (1)
or other course(s) to fulfill the general education requirement in biological and physical sciences with related laboratory
ENGL 291 Expository and Research Writing (3)
or other course to fulfill the general education requirement in communications/ writing
GVPT 170 American Government (3)
or other ANTH, BEHS, ECON, GEOG, GVPT, PSYC, SOCY, or eligible AASP, CCJS, GERO, or WMST course to fulfill the first general education requirement in behavioral and social sciences
IFSM 201 Introduction to Computer-Based Systems (3)
Foundation Courses
(to be taken within the first 60 credits)
PSYC 100 Introduction to Psychology (3)
or other course to fulfill the second general education requirement in behavioral and social sciences (discipline must differ from first)
SOCY 100
Introduction to Sociology (3)
STAT 200
Introduction to Statistics (3)
or other suitable statistics course (see Requirements for the Major)
NSCI 100 Introduction to Physical Science (3)
or ASTR 100 Introduction to Astronomy
or other course to fulfill the general education requirement in biologicaland physical sciences
HIST 142 Western Civilization II (3)
or HIST 157 History of the United States Since 1865
or other course(s) to fulfill the second general education requirement in arts and humanities (discipline must differfrom first) and the cross-curricular requirement for historical perspective
IFSM 304 Ethics in the Information Age (3)
or other course(s) to fulfill the second general education requirement in interdisciplinary issues/computing and the cross-curricular requirement in civic responsibility
SPCH 100 Foundations of Speech Communication (3)
or COMM 380 Language in Social Contexts or other course to fulfill the general education requirement in communications/ writing or speech
BMGT 392 Global Business Management (3)
or other course to fulfill the cross-curricular requirement in international perspective
Additional Required Courses
(to be taken after introductory and foundation courses)
ENGL 391/391X Advanced Expository and Research Writing (3)
or other course to fulfill the general education requirement in communications/ upper-level intensive writing
SOCY 325
The Sociology of Gender (3)
or other core course (see Requirements for the Major)
SOCY 403
Intermediate Sociology Theory (3)
or other core course (see Requirements for the Major)
SOCY 410
Social Demography (3)
or other core course (see Requirements for the Major)
SOCY 423
Ethnic Minorities (3)
or other core course (see Requirements for the Major)
SOCY 443
The Family and Society (3)
or other core course (see Requirements for the Major)
SOCY 461
Industrial Sociology (3)
or other core course (see Requirements for the Major)
SOCY 462
Women in the Military (3)
or other core course (see Requirements for the Major)
ANTH 344
Cultural Anthropology and Linguistics (3)
or other related course (see Requirements for the Major
Minor and/or Elective Courses
(to be taken in the last 60 credits along with required major courses) (49)
Total credits for BS in general studies (120)
Minor in Sociology
The sociology minor complements the skills the student gains in his or her major discipline by providing a study of contemporary sociological theory and research and applying it to social issues, including globalization, social inequality, diversity, health care, education, family, work, and religion.
Objectives
The student who graduates with a minor in sociology will be able to
- Discuss the role of sociology in understanding societal reality and social issues.
- Critically analyze theoretical orientations in sociology. Apply sociological theory and research to define and present alternatives for solving contemporary social problems.
- Communicate sociological concepts and terminology effectively.
- Discuss the relationship between the individual and society from a sociological perspective.
- Discuss micro and macro levels of sociological analysis and their roles in examining social reality.
- Use information technology to access and retrieve sociological literature.
- Apply sociological concepts to understand diversity in American society and the place of American society within a larger global context.
Requirements for the Minor
A minor in sociology requires the completion of 15 credits of coursework in sociology, drawn from various disciplines as appropriate; at least 9 credits must be earned in upper-level courses (numbered 300 or above). Specific course requirements are listed at right. If a specific course required for the minor is taken instead to satisfy the requirements for the major, another course in the same discipline should be substituted to fulfill the required minimum number of credits for the minor. Any course used to replace an upper-level course should also be classified as upper level.
Sociology Minor Courses
(to be taken in the last 60 credits with required and supplemental major courses)
Required Course:
SOCY 100 Introduction to Sociology (3)
Statistics Course
STAT 230 Business Statistics (3)
or STAT 225 Introduction to Statistical Methods in Psychology or STAT 200 Introduction to Statistics
Supplemental Courses
Any upper-level SOCY course (3)
Any upper-level SOCY course (3)
Any upper-level SOCY course (3)
Total credits for minor in sociology (15)
For a listing of all the requirements for the bachelor's degree, students should refer to the overall bachelor's degree requirements.
Last updated: 3 December 2007