School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Sociology, History, and Political Science

Bachelor of Arts in Sociology
The Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology provides students with a broad exposure to the theories, methods, and substantive areas of the discipline. The program provides training in social theory, research skills, and specialized course work that prepares students for a variety of careers within human and social services. The B.A. degree also serves as a foundation for graduate work in sociology as well as in other professional fields such as social work, public administration, law, and business. Students may select a traditional or applied sociology/human services track within this degree. Specialty concentrations in “Children and Families” and/or “Crime and Society” may also be selected within the sociology electives needed for this degree. It is strongly recommended that students selecting a major or a minor in sociology complete SOC-S 252, Methods of Sociological Research, at the earliest possible opportunity before taking advanced upper-level courses in sociology.

Requirements for the Traditional Track within the B.A. in Sociology (BA-T):
  1. See “Degree Requirements” section under “Humanities and Social Sciences.”
  2. Sociology Major (BA-T) - Students must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours in sociology with a grade of C- or higher in each course. The following 15 credit hours of courses are required in addition to S 100:
  • SOC-S 100 Introduction to Sociology (3 cr.) (counts for general education*) 
  • SOC-S 252 Methods of Sociological Research (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 340 Social Theory (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 355 Statistics for Social & Health Professionals (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 494 Field Experience in Sociology or SOC-S 495 Individual Readings in Sociology
  • SOC-S 470 Senior Seminar (3 cr.)

*Please note that SOC-S 100 applies to the general education core but must also be taken for the major.

  1. Sociology Electives for BA-T - In addition to the courses listed in requirement 2, students must complete a minimum of 15 additional credit hours in sociology, to be selected from the following list:
  • SOC-R 320 Sexuality and Society (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 314 Social Aspects of Health and Medicine (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 316 The Family (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 317 Social Stratification (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 325 Criminology (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 328 Juvenile Delinquency (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 331 Sociology of Aging (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 335 Race and Ethnic Relations (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 338 Gender Roles (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 344 Sociology of Childhood (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 360 Topics in Social Policy: Variable Topics (may be taken up to 4x with variable topics) (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 361 Cities and Suburbs (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 363 Sociology of Development (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 375 Issues in Human and Social Service Agencies (3 cr.)**
  • SOC-S 419 Social Movements and Collective Action (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 420 Topics in Deviance (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 431 Topics in Social Psychology (3 cr.)
  1. Optional Specialty Concentrations within a Sociology Degree - these concentrations can be taken with either a B S or a B.A. and within either the Traditional track or Applied Sociology/Human Services track. Substitutions for each list are not permitted.

Children and Families Concentration (12 cr.)
 Students will complete four of the following courses from this list:

    • SOC R-320 Sexuality and Society
    • SOC-S 316 Family
    • SOC-S 331 Aging
    • SOC-S 338 Gender
    • SOC-S 344 Sociology of Childhood
    • SOC-S 360 Topics in Social Policy: Family Violence
    • SOC-S 360 Topics in Social Policy: Applied Sociology
    • SOC-S 375 Issues in Social & Human Services

Crime & Society Concentration (12.0 cr.)
 Students will complete four of the following courses from this list:

    • SOC-S 325 Criminology
    • SOC-S 328 Juvenile Delinquency
    • SOC-S 420 Topics in Deviance (variable topics)
    • SOC-S 360 Topics in Social Policy: Family Violence
    • SOC-S 360 Topics in Social Policy: Drugs and Society
    • SOC-S 360 Topics in Social Policy: Sustainability and Human Trafficking
    • SOC-S 317 Social Stratification

*Please note that along with SOC-S 100 or SOC-S 101, SOC-S 252 is a prerequisite for all upper-level sociology courses for major or minors in sociology. It is strongly recommended that S252 be taken as soon as possible after S 100 or S 101. Some courses also have other additional prerequisites.  Updated Concentrations are effective Fall 2015.


Requirements for the Applied Sociology/Human Services Track within the B.A. in Sociology (BA-AS/HS)

  1. See “Degree Requirements” section under “Humanities and Social Sciences.”
  2. Sociology Major (BA-AS/HS) - Students must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours in sociology with a grade of C- or higher in each course. The following 18 credit hours of courses are required in addition to S 100:
  • SOC-S 100 Introduction to Sociology (counts for general education) (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 125 Introduction to Social & Human Services (or HUMS 101 from Ivy Tech) (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 252 Methods of Sociological Research (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 340 Social Theory (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 355 Statistics for Social & Health Professionals (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 497 Field Experience in Human /Social Services (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 471 Senior Seminar in Applied Sociology/Human Services (3 cr.)

Please note that SOC-S 100 applies to the general education core but must be taken for the major.

  1. Sociology Elective Courses in the Applied Sociology/Human Services Track (BA - AS/HS) (4 courses or 12 credit hours from the list below.)
  • SOC-R 320 Sexuality and Society (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 314 Social Aspects of Health and Medicine (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 316 Family (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 317 Social Stratification (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 325 Criminology (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 328 Juvenile Delinquency (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 331 Aging (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 344 Sociology of Childhood (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 335 Race and Ethnic Relations (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 338 Gender Roles (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 360 Topics in Social Policy: Variable Topics (may be taken up to 4x with variable topics) 
  • SOC-S 363 Sociology of Development (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 375 Issues in Human & Social Service Policy(3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 419 Social Movements and Collective Action (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 420 Topics in Deviance: Variable Topics (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 431 Topics in Social Psychology: Variable Topics (3 cr.)
Up to two courses (6 credit hours) of the above 15 credit hours may be selected from Interdisciplinary Electives for AS/HS Track from the following courses from the approved list of upper-level courses from other disciplines. Those approved interdisciplinary elective courses include the following:
  • PSY-P 303 Health Psychology
  • PSY-P 324 Abnormal Psych
  • PSY-P 381 Helping Skills
  • PAHM-V 362 Nonprofit sector
  • PAHM-V 373 Human Resource Management
  • PAHM-V 379 Program Evaluation
  • SPCH-C 380 Organizational Communication
*Please note that along with SOC-S 100 or SOC-S 101, SOC-S 252 is a prerequisite for all upper-level sociology courses totaling 6.0 credit hours prerequisite. Some courses also have other additional prerequisites.**These courses have 9.0 credit hours as prerequisite (SOC-S 100 or SOC-S 101, SOC-S 252, and SOC-S 316 family.  Please note that courses taken in Public Administration and Health Management (PAHM) are counted as non-Arts and Science electives but will still count toward the major.
  1. Optional Specialty Concentrations within a Sociology Degree - these concentrations can be taken with either a BS or a B.A. and with either the Traditional track or Applied Sociology/Human Services track – see Optional Specialty Requirements for the BA Traditional (BA-T) degree. Substitutions for courses on these lists cannot be made.

Children and Families Concentration (12 cr.)
 Students must complete four courses from the following list of courses:

    • SOC-S 316 Family
    • SOC-R 320 Sexuality and Society
    • SOC-S 331 Aging
    • SOC-S 338 Gender
    • SOC-S 344 Sociology of Childhood
    • SOC-S 360 Topics in Social Policy: Family Violence
    • SOC-S 360 Applied Sociology
    • SOC-S 375 Issues in Social & Human Services

Crime & Society Concentration (12.0 cr.)
 Students will complete four of the following list of courses:

    • SOC-S 325 Criminology
    • SOC-S 328 Juvenile Delinquency
    • SOC-S 420 Topics in Deviance: Variable Topics
    • SOC-S 360 Topics in Social Policy: Family Violence
    • SOC-S 360 Topics in Social Policy: Drugs and Societ
    • SOC-S 360 Topics in Social Policy: Sustainability & Human Trafficking
    • SOC-S 317 Social Stratification

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