Program Description
Sociology is the study of human society and social behavior. Thus, the sociology program intellectually opens the doors of society, allowing students to see what goes on behind them and revealing ways in which our society and the groups to which we belong influence our attitudes, beliefs, perceptions and world view. Sociology majors obtain valuable insight into social relations in any social context and develop their conceptual and critical thinking skills to understand issues of diversity, social control, social institutions, inequality, social policy and socio-cultural change.
Being a sociology major at Winston-Salem State means reading, writing, working with others in a supportive academic environment, both inside and outside the classroom. It means doing research, developing communication skills, and thinking critically about issues that affect us all. All of these skills and experiences will serve a graduate well in all types of work, including graduate school.
Sociology majors are people who like to learn, to think, and to talk about the world we all live in - how things work, why they work the way they do, and how they might be changed for the better. They are curious about different people’s perceptions, different cultures, and different ideas about why people do the things they do.
A Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology will lead to career opportunities in the criminal justice system, social services, government, or business. It will also serve as preparation for graduate study in sociology, other social sciences or professions, such as social work, counseling, education, or law.
Program Mission
The Sociology program employs an applied emphasis to provide theoretical and practical experiences preparing students to 1) enter graduate or professional school or 2) attain entry-level employment in non-academic settings. The program also serves the university’s general education component, helping provide non-majors with experiences essential to a liberal arts education. Sociology contributes to student understanding of society and social behavior, encourages critical thinking, and helps develop communication skills.
Program Goals
1. To provide students with a broad background in sociology for a greater understanding of interrelationships in human society and for effective participation in a variety of occupations.
2. To prepare students to be creative problem solvers, using critical thinking and communication skills.
3. To prepare students for continued studies on the graduate and professional levels.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the major, the student will be able to:
- Participate effectively in professions and business.
- Demonstrate a greater understanding of interrelationships in human society.
- Creatively solve problems, using critical thinking and communication skills.
- Continue studies on the graduate or professional level.
Major Requirements
Students who major in Sociology must have a 2.0 cumulative grade point average to enter the program. Although the student is chiefly responsible for completing the 120-semester-hour curriculum, students will be advised by the Sociology program faculty to ensure that each student matriculates through the curriculum within the university-targeted four- to five-year time period. Each student will be assigned a faculty advisor by the student’s last name. The student and advisor must meet a minimum of twice during the academic year to ensure sequential selection of courses and to avoid delays in the student completing the major in Sociology.
Required Courses
Sociology majors must complete the following courses with a grade of C or better:
· SOC 2301 General Sociology or SOC 2302 Health & Society: General Sociology
· SOC 2326 Statistics for the Social and Behavioral Sciences ( or MAT 2326 or PSY 2326)
· SOC 3342 Sociological Theory
· SOC 3352 Methods of Social Research
· SOC 4401 Senior Seminar
The first four courses named above are prerequisites for Senior Seminar.
Sociology majors must also complete 24 semester hours of courses within one of two tracks of study – Social Inequality or Health and Wellness – as well as 6 semester hours of sociology electives, with a grade of C or better in each course. Students must declare a Track of Study upon declaration of Sociology as the major and successful completion of General Sociology (SOC 2301) or Health & Society: General Sociology (SOC 2302).
In support of the major area, students must complete six semester hours of one foreign language or of American Sign Language, and three semester hours each in economics, geography, and philosophy.
Sociology majors are not required to complete a minor in another discipline. Candidates for a sociology degree are required to participate in program assessment activities.
Sociology majors must meet the university’s General Education Core Curriculum requirements. Required courses outside of sociology include three semester hours each in economics, geography, and philosophy, and six hours of one foreign language or of American Sign Language.
Sociology majors are required to take the following five courses (16 hours), the first four of which are prerequisites for Senior Seminar:
SOC 2301 General Sociology or SOC 2302 Health & Society: General Sociology
SOC/PSY/MAT 2326 Statistics
SOC 3342 Sociological Theory
SOC 3352 Methods of Social Research
SOC 4401 Senior Seminar
Majors are required to take 24 hours in one of the following tracks, plus 6 hours of SOC electives. The electives may be in either track or any other six hours of sociology.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
SOC 2356 Sociology of the Family
SOC 3304 Social Gerontology
SOC 3306 Child Welfare
SOC 3315 Medical Sociology
SOC 3354 Sociology of Mental Illness
SOC 3307 Social Psychology
SOC 3320 Society & Public Health
SOC 3323 Population Problems & Human Ecology
SOC 3343 Cultural Diversity
SOC 3350 Human Sexuality
SOC 4356 Special Problems Seminar in Sociology
SOC 4360 Internship in Sociology
SOCIAL INEQUALITY
SOC 2341 Sociology of Religion
SOC 2336 Social Problems
SOC 2356 Sociology of the Family
SOC 3347 Deviant Behavior
SOC 3344 Sex, Gender, and Feminist Thought
SOC 3350 Human Sexuality
SOC 3360 Issues in the Non-Profit Sector
SOC 4311 Sociology of the African American
SOC 4317 Urban Communities
SOC 4333 Social Stratification
SOC 4364 Race and Culture
SOC 4356 Special Problems Seminar in Sociology
SOC 4360 Internship in Sociology
Total semester hours in Sociology = 46, with a grade of “C” or higher in each course.
Additional elective hours in any discipline must bring the total credits earned to at least 120 semester hours.
A minor in another discipline is not required.
Minor Program in Sociology
A minimum of 18 semester hours in Sociology with a grade of C or better in each course is required for a minor in this field. The following courses are required:
· General Sociology or Health & Society: General Sociology
· Elementary Statistics (*waived for students whose major requires a statistics course)
· Social Theory
· Methods of Social Research (**waived for students whose major requires a social/behavioral science research methods course)
General Sociology (SOC 2301) or Health & Society: General Sociology (SOC 2302) is prerequisite to all 3000- and 4000-level courses in sociology.
Sociology electives must be completed to bring the total semester hours in Sociology to 18.
Students for whom one or two required courses are waived must complete three hours of Sociology for each course that is waived.
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