Bachelor of Arts in Sociology

Bachelor of Arts

Students majoring in sociology are required to complete a minimum of 36 units of course work in sociology. Included within the 36 units are 12 units of courses required of all majors and 24 units of adviser approved electives tailored to each student's career objectives. In addition to the minimum of 36 units, students must satisfy the 3 unit writing requirement listed below. At least 27 units must be upper division. A total of nine adviser-approved units may be transferred from a community college.

Adding Sociology as a Major/Minor

Required Courses (12 units)
Sociology 101 Introduction to Sociology (3)
Sociology 302 Social Research Methods (3)
Sociology 303 Statistics for the Social Sciences (3)
Sociology 410 Theories of Social Behavior (3)

Writing Requirement (3 units)
Sociology 308 Writing for Sociology Students (3)

Electives (24 units)
Students are to select a minimum of 24 units of elective course work in sociology consistent with their career objectives.
List of Sociology Electives

Note: All courses counting toward the major must be taken for a letter grade. Students under Fall 1991 and later catalog years must pass required core courses, including the required concentration core course, and the writing requirement course with a grade of "C'' (2.0) or higher.

Optional Concentrations for the Sociology Major

As part of the electives, sociology majors have the option of selecting one of the following concentrations in consultation with a faculty member and department advisor. Sociology majors are not required to select a concentration. However, if they chose to do so, they must declare their concentration formally by filling out the appropriate “Change of Major” form and submitting it through their portal. (While you are not changing your major away from Sociology, you are adding to the major and, therefore, will complete the “Change of Major” form specific to the adding a concentration section.)

Change of Major

A concentration consists of a total of twelve units (four courses) of interrelated topics, two required courses (one applied course and one specific to the concentration you’ve selected) and two approved elective courses within the selected concentration.

All students completing a concentration must take one of the following applied courses as required:

Required Concentration Applied Course (3 units):
Take ONE of the following:
Sociology 306: Applying Sociology in the Community
Sociology 485: Research Applications
Sociology 495: Sociology Internship

Concentrations Offered

I. SOCIAL INEQUALITIES

This concentration provides students a deeper understanding of how human differences may lead to devaluation and unequal outcomes. Individual, community-based, institutional, and ideological causes, consequences and intersections of various social inequalities and social stratification systems are examined.

Required Course (3 units):
Sociology 356: Social Inequality

Electives (6 units):
Sociology 304: The Black Family
Sociology 354: Gender, Sex and Society
Sociology 355: Women in Contemporary Societies
Sociology 357: Race and Ethnic Relations
Sociology 371: Sociology of City Life
Sociology 381: Sociology of Human Sexuality

II. SOCIOLOGY OF DEVIANCE AND CRIME

This concentration provides students a deeper understanding of the causes of deviance and crime from a sociological perspective focusing particularly on how norms and values construct human attitudes, behaviors, and conditions as deviant and/or criminal. Social forces regulating deviance and crime are also examined.

Required Course (3 units):
Sociology 366: Deviant Behavior

Electives (6 units):
Sociology 325: The American Drug Scene
Sociology 365: Law and Society
Sociology 385: Family Violence
Sociology 408: Sexual Abuse in American Society
Sociology 411: Criminology
Sociology 413: Juvenile Delinquency
Sociology 415: Mass Incarceration

III. HEALTH AND SOCIAL WELFARE

This concentration provides students a deeper understanding of the social construction of health and social welfare, the social forces that influence health and social welfare, and the ways in which societal institutions meet needs related to health and social welfare.

Required Course (3 units):
Sociology 300: Social Work OR
Sociology 455: Sociology of Health and Illness

Electives (6 units):
Sociology 300: Social Work *
Sociology 305: Social Work Practice
Sociology 350: Social Relationships and Emotions
Sociology 351: Sociology of Families
Sociology 353: Sociology of Children and Youth
Sociology 443: Sociology of Aging
Sociology 455: Sociology of Health and Illness*

*May be used as an elective if it was not used as a required concentration course.