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 getting a B.A. will follow either a Traditional Track or an Applied Sociology/Human Services Track.  

• 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

The concentrations allow students to focus on a specific topic (or approach) in Sociology. Students will be awarded a certificate of completion and have the concentration included on their transcript. Students must complete at least four courses identified under the concentration to fulfill the requirement. Selecting a concentration is not mandatory. 

Requirements for the Traditional Track within the B.A. in Sociology (BA-T):

1. See “Degree Requirements” section under “Humanities and Social Sciences.”
2. All Sociology Majors (BA-T) must complete SOC-S 100 Introduction to Sociology (3 cr.) - counts for general education
3. All Sociology Majors (BA-T) 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:
   • 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 (3 cr.)
   • SOC-S 470 Senior Seminar (3 cr.)
4. Sociology Electives for BA-T - In addition to the courses listed in Requirement #3, students must complete a minimum of 15 additional credit hours in sociology, to be selected from the following list:

• • 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-R 320 Sexuality and Society (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.)
    • Environmental Sociology
  • SOC-S 361 Cities and Suburbs (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 363 Sociology of Development (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 364 Drug Abuse in Society (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 366 Body and Society (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 367 Race, Crime, and Justice (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 368 Family Violence (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 372 Health Over the Life Course (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 374 Sociology of Mental Illness (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.)
  • SOC-S 445 Deviant Behaviors and Social Control (3 cr.)

Optional Specialty Concentrations within the B.A. Traditional Track. Course substitutions are not permitted without Department approval.  

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 Sociology of Aging
    • SOC-S 338 Gender Roles
    • SOC-S 344 Sociology of Childhood
    • SOC-S 360 Topics in Social Policy: Variable Topics
    • SOC-S 363 Sociology of Development
    • SOC-S 368 Family Violence
    • SOC-S 372 Health Over the Life Course
    • 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 335 Race and Ethnic Relations
    • SOC-S 420 Topics in Deviance: Variable Topics 
    • SOC-S 360 Topics in Social Policy: Variable Topics 
    • SOC-S 364 Drug Abuse in Society
    • SOC-S 367 Race, Crime, and Justice 
    • SOC-S 368 Family Violence
    • SOC-S 385 Human Trafficking, Human Rights, and Sustainability 
    • SOC-S 420 Topics in Deviance: Variable Topics 
    • SOC-S 445 Deviant Behaviors and Social Control 

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 Sociology of Aging 
    • SOC-S 360 Topics in Social Policy: Variable Topics 
    • SOC-S 364 Drug Abuse in Society (3 cr.)
    • SOC-S 366 Body and Society (3 cr.)
    • SOC-S 372 Health Over the Life Course (3 cr.)
    • SOC-S 374 Sociology of Mental Illness (3 cr.)

1. See “Degree Requirements” section under “Humanities and Social Sciences.”
2. All Sociology Majors (BA-AS/HS) must complete SOC-S 100 Introduction to Sociology (3 cr.) - counts for general education
3. All Sociology Majors (BA-AS/HA) 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:
   • 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.)
4. Sociology Electives for BA-AS/HS - In addition to the courses listed in Requirement #3, students must complete a minimum of 15 additional credit hours in sociology, to be selected from the following list:
   • 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-R 320 Sexuality and Society (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.)
     • Environmental Sociology
   • SOC-S 361 Cities and Suburbs (3 cr.)
   • SOC-S 363 Sociology of Development (3 cr.)
   • SOC-S 364 Drug Abuse in Society (3 cr.)
   • SOC-S 366 Body and Society (3 cr.)
   • SOC-S 367 Race, Crime, and Justice (3 cr.)
   • SOC-S 368 Family Violence (3 cr.)
   • SOC-S 372 Health Over the Life Course (3 cr.)
   • SOC-S 374 Sociology of Mental Illness (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.)
   • SOC-S 445 Deviant Behaviors and Social Control (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.

Optional Specialty Concentrations within the B.A. Applied Sociology/Human Services Track. Course substitutions are not permitted without Department approval. 

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 Sociology of Aging
    • SOC-S 338 Gender Roles
    • SOC-S 344 Sociology of Childhood
    • SOC-S 360 Topics in Social Policy: Variable Topics
    • SOC-S 363 Sociology of Development
    • SOC-S 368 Family Violence
    • SOC-S 372 Health Over the Life Course
    • 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 335 Race and Ethnic Relations
    • SOC-S 420 Topics in Deviance: Variable Topics 
    • SOC-S 360 Topics in Social Policy: Variable Topics 
    • SOC-S 364 Drug Abuse in Society
    • SOC-S 367 Race, Crime, and Justice 
    • SOC-S 368 Family Violence
    • SOC-S 385 Human Trafficking, Human Rights, and Sustainability 
    • SOC-S 420 Topics in Deviance: Variable Topics 
    • SOC-S 445 Deviant Behaviors and Social Control 

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 Sociology of Aging 
    • SOC-S 360 Topics in Social Policy: Variable Topics 
    • SOC-S 364 Drug Abuse in Society (3 cr.)
    • SOC-S 366 Body and Society (3 cr.)
    • SOC-S 372 Health Over the Life Course (3 cr.)
    • SOC-S 374 Sociology of Mental Illness (3 cr.)