Sociology Major: Degree Requirements

43 required credit hours

Courses in sociology (SOCI) teach students to develop a “sociological imagination,” providing students with the tools to systematically study society, social change, and social stability; to understand the structures and patterns that shape social interaction between individuals, groups, and nations; to recognize the ways individual choices are influenced by larger social structures; to critically interpret social patterns from multiple perspectives; and to understand human diversity and cultural variation locally and globally.

Program Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Describe the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in sociology.
  
• Analyze and apply research methods in sociology, including research design, data analysis, and interpretation.
  
• Implement the use of critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry, and, when possible, the scientific approach to examine problems related to sociology.
  
• Evaluate the diversity within and across countries.
  
• Assess, explain, and predict the effect of structural factors on personal, social, and organizational issues.

Within the 43 credit hours students are required to complete the following courses:

At least ONE course must be completed from EACH of the following five content areas:

Social Interaction and Change:

Social Institutions:

Crime, Deviance, and Social Control:

Inequality:

Demography and Community:

Sociology Electives: 12 hours

Special Requirements:

• A minimum of 43 credit hours must be selected from within sociology. Within the required 43 hours, 21 hours must be at the 3000 level and above with at least 9 hours at the 4000 level.
  
• A minimum of three hours in a non-native language (expertise demonstrated by course work or testing) are required for the major. Courses used towards the Arts and Sciences Language requirement may also be used to fulfill general education requirements or a major/minor in a foreign language. Students whose native language is not English and who are studying in English will be considered to have achieved their foreign language requirement if they successfully pass an ESL test of their English proficiency (e.g., TOEFL).
  
• No more than 6 credit hours obtained in practica, independent learning experiences, reading courses, and assessment of prior learning may be applied toward the 43 credit hours required for a major.
  
• Transfer students must complete a minimum of 28 approved credit hours of academic work at Webster within the major.
  
• Courses completed with a grade below a C- do not count toward fulfilling the specific course requirements of the major.

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