The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Sociology provides students broad exposure to the systematic study of human society, social groups, and social interaction. Students graduating with a Major in Sociology will have the skills and knowledge needed for entry-level positions in a variety of fields such as all levels of government, business, education, non-profit organizations, public administration, health care and health care administration, and law, just to name a few. In addition, the B.A. degree serves as a foundation for graduate work in sociology and other related fields. 

Students may select a Traditional Track or Applied Sociology/Human Services Track within this degree. 

The Traditional Track is centered on understanding and explaining problems defined by classical traditions of sociology. Courses are primarily chosen from Sociology offerings and provide the basis for a true liberal arts education. This track is for the student: 

• Interested in maintaining greater flexibility in your course scheduling and maximizing the sociological focus of your studies
• Interested in developing a strong foundation in research methods 
• Interested in pursuing graduate work in sociology 

The Applied Sociology/Human Services Track is designed to prepare students for careers in policy analysis, program development and evaluation, and quantitative and qualitative data analysis. This track is for the student: 

• Interested in human and social service careers, or research related careers in healthcare, criminal justice, substance abuse, public affairs and urban planning, business, law, or education
• Interested in developing skills for research related careers in those areas or pursuing further graduate education

The Department of Sociology offers three optional concentrations for majors

• Children and Families Concentration
  • For students interested in working directly with children, youth, and families, in organizations serving in a broad range of professions including educational counseling, teaching, policy, advocacy, family and community services, social work, early childhood development, and juvenile justice
• Crime and Society Concentration 
  • For students interested in working in the criminal justice field, including policing, courts, and corrections, juvenile delinquency prevention, abuse and neglect investigation, and juvenile corrections
• Medical Sociology Concentration
  • For the students interested in working with health behaviors, physical and mental illnesses, doctor-patient interaction, medicalization, health care reform, health care delivery, and health policy

Students who complete a concentration will be awarded a certificate by the department and have the concentration included on the college transcript. Sociology majors have the option of selecting one of the above concentrations in consultation with their undergraduate advisor - selecting a concentration is not mandatory. 

The concentrations allow students to focus on a specific topic (or approach) in Sociology. Students can only select one concentration, although they are free to take courses that fall under other concentrations in order to fulfill other requirements in the major. 

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.

3. 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.)
    • Mental Health (3 cr.) 
    • Health over the Life Course (3 cr.) 
    • Drugs and Society (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 385 Human Trafficking, Human Rights, and Sustainability (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.)

4. 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 need to complete any four courses from the following list for this concentration: 

• • • SOC-S 316 Family
    • SOC R-320 Sexuality and Society
    • SOC-S 328 Juvenile Delinquency 
    • SOC-S 331 Aging
    • SOC-S 338 Gender
    • SOC-S 344 Sociology of Childhood
    • SOC-S 360 Topics in Social Policy: Variable Topics
      • SOC-S 360 Topics in Social Policy: Family Violence
    • SOC-S 363 Sociology of Development
    • SOC-S 375 Issues in Social & Human Services
    • SOC-S 475 Applied Sociology

Crime and Society Concentration (12 cr.) 

Students need to complete any four courses from the following list for this concentration: 

• • • SOC-S 317 Social Stratification
    • SOC-S 325 Criminology 
    • SOC-S 328 Juvenile Delinquency 
    • SOC-S 420 Topics in Deviance: Variable Topics 
    • SOC-S 360 Topics in Social Policy: Variable Topics 
      • SOC-S 360 Family Violence
      • SOC-S 360 Drugs and Society 
    • SOC-S 385 Human Trafficking, Human Rights, and Sustainability 

Medical Sociology Concentration (12 cr)

Students need to complete any four courses from the following list for this concentration: 

• • • SOC-S 314 Social Aspects of Health and Medicine
    • SOC-R 320 Sexuality and Society 
    • SOC-S 331 Aging 
    • SOC-S 360 Topics in Social Policy: Variable Topics 
      • SOC-S 360 Mental Health
      • SOC-S 360 Heath Over the Life Course 
      • SOC-S 360 Drugs and Society 
      • SOC-S 360 Family Violence 
    • SOC-S 419 Social Movements and Collective Action

* It is strongly recommended that S252 be taken as soon as possible after S 100 or S 101. Updated Concentrations are effective Fall 2017.

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.

3. 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 385 Human Trafficking, Human Rights, and Sustainability (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.)

• 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 courses taken in Public Administration and Health Management (PAHM) are counted as non-Arts and Science electives but will still count toward the major.

4. 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 need to complete any four courses from the following list for this concentration: 

• • • 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 Topics in Social Policy: Variable Topics
      • SOC-S 360 Applied Sociology
    • SOC-S 363 Sociology of Development 
    • SOC-S 375 Issues in Social & Human Services

Crime & Society Concentration (12 cr)
Students need to complete any four courses from the following list for this concentration: 

• • SOC-S 325 Criminology
  • SOC-S 328 Juvenile Delinquency
  • SOC-S 360 Topics in Social Policy: Variable Topics
    • SOC-S 360 Family Violence
    • SOC-S 360 Drugs and Society
  • SOC-S 385 Human Trafficking, Human Rights, and Sustainability 
  • SOC-S 317 Social Stratification
  • SOC-S 420 Topics in Deviance: Variable Topics

Medical Sociology Concentration (12 cr.)

Students need to complete any four courses from the following list for this concentration: 

• • • SOC-S 314 Aging 
    • SOC-R 320 Sexuality and Society 
    • SOC-S 360 Topics in Social Policy: Variable Topics 
      • SOC-S 360 Mental Health
      • SOC-S 360 Health Over the Life Course 
      • SOC-S 360 Drugs and Society 
      • SOC-S 360 Family Violence 
      • SOC-S 360 Body and Society 
    • SOC-S 419 Social Movements and Collective Action