Sociology, B.S.

Department of Sociology and Anthropology
615-898-2690
Meredith Dye, program coordinator
Meredith.Dye@mtsu.edu

Sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. It is an expanding field that addresses challenging issues such as family dynamics, inequality, patterns of behavior, and forces for social change and resistance. Sociologists’ research can be applied to virtually any aspect of social life, from crime to corporate downsizing.

Students must receive at least a C in each required course. Additionally, students must complete 3 hours emphasizing institutions and the sociological imagination and 3 hours of critical perspectives in sociology (see below). Ideally students should take SOC 3040 , SOC 3050 , and SOC 3060 early in the academic program, but no later than the junior year and prior to enrolling in SOC 4980 which should be completed during the senior year. In consultation with the student’s advisor, the remaining 12 hours of electives may be organized into an emphasis. Possible emphases include, but are not limited to, social inequalities, deviance and social control, work and family, and health and aging.

Academic Map

Following is a printable, suggested four-year schedule of courses:

Sociology, B.S., Academic Map

Degree Requirements

General Education (41 hours)

General Education requirements include Communication, History, Humanities, and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Science categories.

The following General Education courses are recommended for this major:

SOC 1010 (Soc/Beh Sci)
MATH 1530 (Math) (recommended)

Major Requirements (34 hours)

SOC 1010 - Introductory Sociology 3 credit hours (3 credit hours may be counted in General Education)
SOC 3040 - Research Methods 3 credit hours
SOC 3050 - Data Analysis 4 credit hours
SOC 3060 - Sociological Theory 3 credit hours
SOC 4980 - Senior Seminar in Sociology 3 credit hours
Sociology electives 12 credit hours

Institutions and Sociology Imagination

Choose 3 credit hours from the following:

SOC 4050 - Sociology of Families 3 credit hours
SOC 4100 - Sociology of Work 3 credit hours
SOC 4360 - Medical Sociology 3 credit hours
SOC 4511 - Social Movements and Social Change 3 credit hours
SOC 4520 - Population and Society 3 credit hours
SOC 4560 - Organizational Structures and Processes 3 credit hours
SOC 4660 - Urban and Community Studies 3 credit hours

Critical Perspectives

Choose 3 credit hours from the following:

SOC 3400 - Gender and Society 3 credit hours
SOC 4011 - Social Inequality 3 credit hours
SOC 4020 - Sociology of Aging 3 credit hours
SOC 4150 - Topics in Sociology 3 credit hours
SOC 4240 - Race and Ethnic Relations 3 credit hours

Minor 1 (15-18 hours)

Minor 2 (15-18 hours)

Electives (12-18 hours)

Total hours in program: 120

Recommended Curriculum: Sociology

Curricular listings include General Education requirements in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

Freshman

ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
SOC 1010 - Introductory Sociology 3 credit hours (Soc/Beh Sci) *
Mathematics (MATH 1530 recommended) 3 credit hours
Natural Sciences (2 prefixes) 8 credit hours
Humanities and/or Fine Arts (2 prefixes) 6 credit hours
SOC lower-division elective 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 29 Hours

Sophomore

ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
HUM 2610 - Foreign Literature in Translation 3 credit hours (Hum/FA)
COMM 2200 - Fundamentals of Communication 3 credit hours (Comm)
SOC 3040 - Research Methods 3 credit hours *
SOC 3050 - Data Analysis 4 credit hours *
SOC elective 3 credit hours
SOC ”critical perspectives” elective 3 credit hours *
Social/Behavioral Sciences 3 credit hours
Minor course 3 credit hours
Choose 6 hours from:
HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours
HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours
HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Junior

SOC 3060 - Sociological Theory 3 credit hours *
SOC ”institutions and sociological imagination” elective 3 credit hours *
SOC upper-division elective 3 credit hours
Electives 6 credit hours
Minor courses 15 credit hours

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Senior

SOC 4980 - Senior Seminar in Sociology 3 credit hours *
SOC upper-division elective 3 credit hours
Electives 6 credit hours
Minor courses 12 credit hours
Minor courses (if needed) or electives 6 credit hours

Subtotal: 30 Hours

NOTE:

* Required courses