Sociology

Taylor 122
541-552-6321
Echo Fields, Coordinator

Sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies and examine how people interact within these contexts. Since all human behavior is social, the subject matter of sociology ranges from the intimate family to the hostile mob; from organized crime to religious movements; from the divisions of race, gender, and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture; from work lives to digital selves.

Sociological training helps students bring breadth and depth of understanding to the workplace. A sociology graduate learns to think abstractly, formulate problems, ask appropriate questions, search for answers, analyze situations and data, organize material, write well, and make oral presentations that foster the insight needed for effective decisionmaking.

Critical thinking and using evidence in support of an argument is valuable in a fast-changing job market. Sociology majors are in demand wherever effective communication and cross-cultural competence are required. The skills and experiences they acquire in research design, data analysis, statistics, theory, and the application of sociological concepts to real-world problems makes our students competitive for support positions in social research, policy analysis, and program evaluation, as well as for post-graduate work.

Most people with the terms “sociologist” or “social worker” in their job title have graduate training, but sociology graduates apply the sociological perspective to a wide variety of jobs beyond these traditional categories, including careers in sectors such as business, education, health care, the criminal justice system, social services, and the government. Recent graduates of our program are working as small business owners, social service and non-profit managers, technology consultants, as well as pursuing post-graduate degrees in sociology and social work. For students interested in becoming professors, researchers, or applied sociologists, a BA or BS in sociology is excellent preparation for graduate work in various social science professions.

Human Service Degree Completion Program

The sociology program collaborates with the Psychology Department to offer an interdisciplinary bachelor’s degree program focusing on the needs of human service professionals. Curriculum and requirements are listed in the Psychology Department  section of the SOU Catalog.

Interdisciplinary Major Emphasizing Sociology

As with the sociology major, students who wish to obtain a baccalaureate degree in interdisciplinary studies with sociology as a major field must apply to the program by submitting a personal statement describing their goals for the major, evidence of a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7 in SOC 204  and 205 , and proof of having completed University Seminar and MTH 243  or EC 232 . Transfer students must provide GPA evidence from their previous institutions. All candidates work with an advisor from the program at the time of application. The program notifies applicants if they qualify as interdisciplinary degree students with a primary field in sociology. Some sociology courses are restricted to majors and interdisciplinary degree candidates with sociology as the primary field.

Program Requirements

Programs

Major

• •  Sociology, BA or BS

Minor

• •  Sociology Minor

Courses

Sociology

• •  SOC 199 - Special Studies
• •  SOC 204 - The Sociological Imagination
• •  SOC 205 - Social Problems and Policy
• •  SOC 209 - Practicum
• •  SOC 301 - Sociological Practice
• •  SOC 304 - Poverty, Family, and Policy
• •  SOC 310 - Community Studies
• •  SOC 312 - Sociology of Families
• •  SOC 320 - Schools and Society
• •  SOC 326 - Introduction to Social Research Methods
• •  SOC 327 - Quantitative Data Analysis
• •  SOC 333 - Global Culture, Media, and Politics
• •  SOC 337 - Racial and Ethnic Relations
• •  SOC 340 - Sociology of Gender
• •  SOC 343 - Gender and the Body
• •  SOC 350 - People and Forests
• •  SOC 370 - Classical Sociological Thought
• •  SOC 371 - Society and Identity
• •  SOC 372 - Social Inequality
• •  SOC 399 - Special Studies
• •  SOC 401 - Research
• •  SOC 403 - Thesis
• •  SOC 405 - Reading and Conference
• •  SOC 407 - Seminar
• •  SOC 408 - Workshop
• •  SOC 409 - Practicum
• •  SOC 414A - Sociology Senior Capstone I
• •  SOC 414B - Sociology Senior Capstone II
• •  SOC 420 - Environmental Sociology
• •  SOC 425 - Food, Power, and Agriculture
• •  SOC 444 - Organizational Sociology
• •  SOC 450 - Social and Cultural Change
• •  SOC 454 - Sociology of Deviant Behavior
• •  SOC 461 - Creating and Negating God
• •  SOC 520 - Environmental Sociology
• •  SOC 544 - Organizational Sociology