Bachelor's Degree in Sociology
Degree: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science
Major: Sociology
Hours: 120
Sociology Degree Overview
The Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Science Degrees in Sociology provides you with scientific knowledge of the structures, forms and dynamics of human interaction within a broadly-based liberal arts education. The program emphasizes the research methods used to acquire data, test hypotheses, conduct analyses and evaluate information. You'll study subject matter from the intimate family to the hostile mob, from crime to religion, from the division of race and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture, from the sociology of religion to the sociology of education.
This program is available as a residential or fully-online program and allows you to focus on general areas of interest that motivate you. If you're interested in organizational theory, you might gravitate toward organizational planning and training. If you study the sociology of work and occupations, you may pursue a career in human resources or industrial relations. If you especially enjoy research design, statistics and data analysis, consider positions in marketing, public relations or organizational research. If you are interested in an international business career, build courses in economic and political sociology, racial and ethnic relations and social conflict into your curriculum.
You'll graduate prepared to critically consider social problems such as crime, unemployment, violence, urban decay, poverty, discrimination and social inequality.
Sociology Courses You May Take
Research Methods: Philosophy and methods of social research, including research design, methods of data collection, data analysis and uses other sources of social data. Qualitative and quantitative techniques of inference, analysis and research writing.
Social Data Analysis: Basic concepts and statistical techniques for applied social research. Introduction to use of SPSS statistical software to data entry and statistical analysis, including correlation, bivariate analysis, and multivariate analysis.
Social Theory: Development of social theory from the perspectives of early thinkers, such as Comte, Spencer, Durkheim, Weber and Marx to contemporary schools of functionalism, conflict, interactionalism, feminism, exchange and postmodern theory.
Career Paths for Sociology
As a sociology graduate, you might establish a rewarding career in a variety of professions, including law, business administration, health, politics, urban planning, city government, counseling and human resources, advertising and marketing, public relations and the media, criminal justice, education and the nonprofit sector.
Primary Careers
Attorney, city administrator, public relations specialist, educator
- Human resources
- Urban development
- Municipal management
- Law
- Business administration
- Education
- Schools and universities
- Research institutions
- Human resources departments
- Law firms
- Management consultants
- Marketing and advertising agencies