Program Learning Objectives
- Achieve an international/global perspective of societies
- Develop an understanding of the problems of the U.S. as a pluralistic society
- Learn to apply a holistic/integrated approach to social problems
- Develop data collection skills and techniques used by modern sociology
- Be prepared to enter careers which use the skills and knowledge of sociology
- Demonstrate critical thinking concerning global issues
- Demonstrate the writing skills necessary to communicate effectively
Degree Requirements and Curriculum
In addition to the program requirements listed on this page, students must also satisfy requirements outlined in more detail in the Minimum Requirements for Graduation section of this catalog, including:
- 60 units of upper-division courses
- Graduation Writing Requirement (GWR)
- 2.0 GPA
- U.S. Cultural Pluralism (USCP)
Note: No Major, Support or Concentration courses may be selected as credit/no credit.
| MAJOR COURSES | ||
| SOC 110 | Comparative Societies (D2) 1 | 4 |
| SOC 111 | Social Problems | 4 |
| SOC 216 | US Race and Ethnic Relations | 4 |
| SOC 218 | International Political Economy (GE Electives) 1 | 4 |
| SOC 222 | Classical Social Theory | 4 |
| SOC 305 | Social Movements | 4 |
| or SOC 327 | Social Change | |
| SOC 308 | Sociology of the Environment | 4 |
| or SOC 435 | Sociology of Health and Illness | |
| SOC/WGQS 311 | Sociology of Genders and Sexualities | 4 |
| SOC 323 | Social Stratification | 4 |
| SOC 354 | Qualitative Research Methods | 4 |
| SOC 355 | Quantitative Research Methods | 4 |
| SOC 461 | Senior Project I | 2 |
| SOC 462 | Senior Project II | 2 |
| SOC Electives (4 units must be at the 300-400 level) | 12 | |
| STAT 217 | Introduction to Statistical Concepts and Methods (B4) 1 | 4 |
| Select from the following: | 4 | |
| Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Human Geography | ||
Lower-division Social Sciences Course 2 | ||
| ANT or GEOG Elective (300-400 level) | 4 | |
| Concentration or Individualized Course of Study (see list below) | 28 | |
| GENERAL EDUCATION (GE) | ||
| (See the GE program requirements below.) | 60 | |
| FREE ELECTIVES | ||
| Free Electives 3 | 20 | |
| Total units | 180 | |
| 1 | Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement. |
| 2 | Courses from the following disciplines will be acceptable towards the lower-division Social Sciences course: Anthropology, Ethnic Studies, Geography, Sociology, Political Science, Psychology, or Women's, Gender, and Queer Studies. |
| 3 | If a General Education (GE) course is used to satisfy a Major or Support requirement, additional units of Free Electives may be needed to complete the total units required for the degree. Free electives may need to be at the 300-400 level to ensure completion of the required minimum of 60 units of upper-division courses. |
Concentration or Individualized Course of Study
Students are required to take one of the following Concentrations or the Individualized Course of Study.
Individualized Course of Study
When creating an individual program, it should consist of 300-400 level courses selected in consultation with advising faculty. A written justification for the courses selected and the way they constitute a cohesive, integrated study is required. One-half of the units must be courses from the department.
General Education (GE) Requirements
- 72 units required, 12 of which are specified in Major and/or Support.
- If any of the remaining 60 units is used to satisfy a Major or Support requirement, additional units of Free Electives may be needed to complete the total units required for the degree.
- See the complete GE course listing.
- A grade of C- or better is required in one course in each of the following GE Areas: A1 (Oral Communication), A2 (Written Communication), A3 (Critical Thinking), and B4 (Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning).
| Area A | English Language Communication and Critical Thinking | |
| A1 | Oral Communication | 4 |
| A2 | Written Communication | 4 |
| A3 | Critical Thinking | 4 |
| Area B | Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning | |
| B1 | Physical Science | 4 |
| B2 | Life Science | 4 |
| B3 | One lab taken with either a B1 or B2 course | |
| B4 | Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning (4 units in Major) 1 | 0 |
| Upper-Division B | 4 | |
| Area C | Arts and Humanities | |
| Lower-division courses in Area C must come from three different subject prefixes. | ||
| C1 | Arts: Arts, Cinema, Dance, Music, Theater | 4 |
| C2 | Humanities: Literature, Philosophy, Languages other than English | 4 |
| Lower-Division C Elective - Select a course from either C1 or C2 | 4 | |
| Upper-Division C | 4 | |
| Area D | Social Sciences - Select courses in Area D from at least two different prefixes | |
| D1 | American Institutions (Title 5, Section 40404 Requirement) | 4 |
| D2 | Lower-Division D (4 units in Major) 1 | 0 |
| Upper-Division D | 4 | |
| Area E | Lifelong Learning and Self-Development | |
| Lower-Division E | 4 | |
| Area F | Ethnic Studies | |
| F | Ethnic Studies | 4 |
| GE Electives in Areas B, C, and D | ||
| Select courses from two different areas; may be lower-division or upper-division courses. | ||
| GE Electives (4 units in Major plus 4 units in GE) 1 | 4 | |
| Total units | 60 | |
| 1 | Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement. |
San Luis Obispo, California 93407