Sociology Major

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BA degree

Sociology is the study of social behavior and the socio-cultural settings in which it occurs. It involves the study of whole societies and their basic institutions as well as smaller scale groups such as the family, peer group and neighborhood. Sociology has long been a popular major for students planning future training in such professions as social work, law, politics, education, public administration, public health and health care, and urban planning. A major in this department provides a foundation for social action as well as for graduate work in a variety of disciplines including policy studies, sociology, anthropology and women’s studies.

Courses counting for the major must be completed with a C- or higher.

UMass Dartmouth students seeking admission to Sociology must have earned a minimum of 45 credits with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50. Transfer students seeking admission to Sociology must have at minimum a 2.75 GPA. overall. Students interested in majoring in Sociology or Sociology / Anthropology Option must see the department Chair for permission to enter the program, to discuss the program requirements and to arrange for a permanent advisor.

Requirements

To successfully complete the program for graduation, all students must:

Maintain a minimum of 2.5 GPA in the major; beginning in fall 2009, students entering the major (starting with the class of 2013) must maintain a minimum 2.75 GPA in the major
Maintain a minimum of a 2.0 overall GPA
Meet the Sociology major requirements
Complete 30 credits at the 300/400 level (this includes courses in the major, excluding Experiential Learning)
Complete a minimum of 120 credits, at least 45 of which must be earned at UMass Dartmouth
Complete the University Studies requirements of the university
Complete the Distribution Requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences

Introduction

Three (3) credits required from this list.

SOC 101 - Introduction to Sociology 3 credits
ANT 111 - Introduction to Cultural Anthropology 3 credits
SOC 113 - Introduction to Social and Cultural Behavior 3 credits
ANT 113 - Introduction to Social and Cultural Behavior 3 credits

Theory

Three (3) credits required from this list. To be taken sophomore or junior year.

SOC 200 - Introduction to Sociological Thought 3 credits
SOC 354 - Sociological Theory three credits
ANT 354 - Anthropological Theory 3 credits

Methods

Three (3) credits required from this list. To be taken junior year.

SOC 316 - Research Methods 3 credits
ANT 316 - Research Methods 3 credits

Sociology Electives

Twenty-one (21) credits required of which fifteen (15) credits must be at the 300 - 400 level. Includes only courses with SOC or ANT prefixes. CJS courses may be elected only with permission of the Department Chair.

Internship*

Three (3) credits required from this list.

SOC 450 - Internship 3 credits
SOC 407 - Field Inquiry I 3 credits

Senior Seminar*

Three (3) credits required.

SOC 420 - Senior Seminar 3 credits

*Thesis Research

*Thesis Research (SOC 492 and SOC 493), a 2-semester, six (6) credit sequence taken in the senior year may be substituted for the Internship and Senior Seminar requirements.

Total Credits: 36

University Studies Requirements

In addition to the requirements in the major, students will be required to complete the University Studies requirements. For more information: http://www.umassd.edu/generaleducation/universitystudies/universitystudiescurriculum/.