Sociology, B.A.

Sociology and Anthropology
615-904-8349
Angela Mertig, program coordinator
Angela.Mertig@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 SOC 2980 , 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.A., Academic Map

Degree Requirements

True Blue Core (TBC)	41 hours
Major Requirements	35 hours*
Foreign Language	6 hours
Minor	15-18 hours
Electives	20-23 hours
TOTAL	120 hours

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

True Blue Core (41 hours)

True Blue Core (TBC) requirements (shown in curricular listings below) include courses in the Foundational Skills areas of Written Communication (WC), Information Literacy (Info Lit), Non-Written Communication (NWC), and Quantitative Literacy (Quant Lit). Knowledge Domains include Human Society and Social Relationships (HSSR), Scientific Literacy (Sci Lit), Creativity and Cultural Expression (CCE), and History and Civic Learning (HCL), which include Discovery and Explorations categories. Students must choose at least one course from each Discovery category.

The following course required by the program meets True Blue Core requirements:

SOC 1010 (HSSR)
MATH 1530 (Quant Lit) (recommended)

Major Requirements (35 hours)

SOC 1010 - Introductory Sociology 3 credit hours (may be counted in True Blue Core)
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 9 credit hours

Sociology Guided Electives (9 hours)

SOC 3152 - Sociology of Sex/ualities 3 credit hours
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

Foreign Language Requirement (6 hours)

B.A. students must successfully complete 2010 and 2020 or any courses numbered above the 2000 level in a single foreign language.

Minor (15-18 hours)

Electives or Additional Minor (20-23 hours)

Curriculum: Sociology

Freshman

SOC 1010 - Introductory Sociology 3 credit hours (HSSR)
Written Communication 3 credit hours
Information Literacy 3 credit hours
Quantitative Literacy (MATH 1530 recommended) 3 credit hours
Scientific Literacy 8 credit hours
Creativity and Cultural Expression 6 credit hours
SOC elective (lower division) 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 29 Hours

Sophomore

SOC 2980 - Sociology as a Profession 1 credit hour
Creativity and Cultural Expression Literature 3 credit hours
Non-Written Communication 3 credit hours
History and Civic Learning 6 credit hours
Foreign language 6 credit hours
Human Society and Social Relationships 3 credit hours
SOC guided elective 3 credit hours
SOC 3040 - Research Methods 3 credit hours
SOC 3050 - Data Analysis 4 credit hours

Subtotal: 32 Hours

Junior

SOC 3060 - Sociological Theory 3 credit hours
Foreign language 6 credit hours
Minor courses 9 credit hours
Elective 3 credit hours
SOC elective 3 credit hours
SOC guided electives 6 credit hours

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Senior

SOC 4980 - Senior Seminar in Sociology 3 credit hours
SOC elective 3 credit hours
Minor courses 3-12 credit hours
Electives 11-20 credit hours