Sociology, B.S.

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. Ideally students should take , , , and early in the academic program, but no later than the junior year and prior to enrolling in the senior seminar which should be completed during the senior year. In consultation with the student’s advisor, the remaining 9 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:

Degree Requirements

General Education	41 hours
Major Requirements	35 hours*
Minor 1	15-18 hours
Minor 2	15-18 hours
Electives	8-17 hours
TOTAL	120 hours

*This program requires courses that can also fulfill requirements of the General Education curriculum. If program requirements are also used to fulfill General Education requirements, the number of elective hours will increase.

General Education (41 hours)

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

The following course required by the program meets General Education requirements:

(Soc/Beh Sci)
(Math) (recommended)

Major Requirements (35 hours)

SOC 1010 - Introductory Sociology 3 credit hours (may be counted in General Education)
SOC 2980 - Sociology as a Profession 1 credit hour
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 (3 must be upper division) 9 credit hours

Guided Electives (9 hours)

Choose 3 courses 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 4050 - Sociology of Families 3 credit hours
SOC 4100 - Work in the 21st Century 3 credit hours
SOC 4240 - Race and Ethnic Relations 3 credit hours
SOC 4360 - Medical Sociology 3 credit hours
SOC 4450 - Sociology of Emotions 3 credit hours
SOC 4500 - Social Interaction and Identities 3 credit hours
SOC 4511 - Social Movements and Social Change 3 credit hours
SOC 4520 - Population and Society 3 credit hours
SOC 4550 - Sociology of Religion 3 credit hours
SOC 4650 - Sociology of Law 3 credit hours

Minor 1 (15-18 hours)

Minor 2 (15-18 hours)

Electives (8-17 hours)

Recommended Curriculum: Sociology

Curricular listings include 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 ( 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 2980 - Sociology as a Profession 1 credit hour
SOC 3040 - Research Methods 3 credit hours *
SOC 3050 - Data Analysis 4 credit hours *
SOC elective 3 credit hours
SOC guided 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: 32 Hours

Junior

SOC 3060 - Sociological Theory 3 credit hours *
SOC guided electives 6 credit hours *
Soc elective 3 credit hours
Elective 3 credit hours
Minor courses 15 credit hours