Undergraduate Major in Sociology
Minor in Sociology
Major w/ a Concentration in Urban Studies and Planning
Major w/ a Concentration in Ethnic Studies 
Current Catalog Description of BA in Sociology
Links to All Previous Catalogs
Applying for the Undergraduate Program in Sociology

Bachelor of Arts in Sociology

The Bachelor of Arts in Sociology emphasizes the systematic study of human behavior in social groups. It focuses on how people coordinate their activities to achieve both individual and collective goals. Sociology is different from the other social and behavioral sciences in two important ways. First, it places primary importance on the social group within the larger society. Second, it seeks to explain the broad range of human behavior as it is influenced by the social context. Thus, sociology studies the major issues of our times and seeks to understand their complexity and predict their future. It investigates how patterns of social activity originate, what sustains them, why they take one form rather than another, and how they change.
Depending on the particular interest of the student, an appropriate minor area of study is selected in consultation with the student’s advisor. In lieu of the traditional minor, the Department also offers a concentration in either Ethnic Studies or in Urban Studies and Planning. Qualified undergraduates are encouraged to seek opportunities as teaching assistants and as research assistants with the Institute for Social and Community Research.

Career opportunities for sociology majors include a variety of agencies at the federal, state, and municipal levels, as well as with both private non-profit and private for-profit organizations.

Requirements for the Undergraduate Major in Sociology

The Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in Sociology requires a minimum of 180 units which includes courses for the major and minor, and courses for the other university-wide graduation requirements: General Education, American Institutions, First-Year Experience, Gender-Race-Ethnicity, Upper Division Writing, and Foreign Language.

Discipline-Based Requirements for the Undergraduate Major in Sociology

To fulfill the requirements for the major in sociology, the student must complete ten courses acceptable to the Department, including at least nine at the upper division level.

Prerequisites

1. SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology (or equivalent course)
2. SOC 200 Introduction to Statistics in the Social Sciences (or equivalent elementary statistics course)

Major Requirements

1. SOC 300 Introduction to Research Methods
Prerequisite

a. SOC 200 Introduction to Statistics in the Social Sciences (or equivalent elementary statistics course)


2. One of the following, with approval of faculty advisor (each requires satisfactory completion of SOC 300 Introduction to Research Methods, passing grade of C- or higher required):


a. SOC 400 Quantitative Analysis
b. SOC 434 Qualitative Research Methods
c. SOC 451 Geographical Information Systems and Spatial Analysis
d. SOC 452 Techniques of Demographic Analysis
e. SOC 453 Vision and Method of Historical Sociology
f. SOC 454 Social Network Analysis


3. SOC 301 Classical Sociological Theory

4. SOC 302 Contemporary Sociological Theory

5. One of the following:

a. SOC 440 Social Stratification
b. SOC 327 Race and Ethnic Relations


6. Four additional courses in Sociology (with approval of faculty advisor), at least three of which must be upper division

7. SOC 490 Senior Seminar in Sociology

8. A minor or concentration is required (selected from one of the following four options):

a. A minor consisting of at least 20-quarter units within a major program designed by another discipline
b. A concentration in either Ethnic Studies or Urban Studies and Planning
c. A special minor
d. An interdisciplinary concentration or minor in one of the specially developed areas (see “Interdisciplinary Concentrations and Minors”).

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Requirements for the Minor in Sociology

Four courses in Sociology, totaling 20-quarter units, at least three of which must be upper division, approved by Chair of the Sociology and Anthropology Department.

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Requirements for the Major with a Concentration in Ethnic Studies

Prerequisites

1. SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology (or equivalent course)

2. SOC 200 Introduction to Statistics in the Social Sciences (or equivalent elementary statistics course)

Major Requirements

1. SOC 300 Introduction to Research Methods
Prerequisite


a. SOC 200 Introduction to Statistics in the Social Sciences (or equivalent elementary statistics course)

2. One of the following, with approval of student’s faculty advisor (each require satisfactory completion of SOC 300, passing grade of C- or higher required):

a. SOC 400 Quantitative Analysis
b. SOC 434 Qualitative Research Methods
c. SOC 451 Geographical Information Systems and Spatial Analysis
d. SOC 452 Techniques of Demographic Analysis
e. SOC 453 Vision and Method of Historical Sociology


3. SOC 327 Race and Ethnic Relations

4. SOC 301 Classical Sociological Theory

5. SOC 302 Contemporary Sociological Theory

6. One of the following:


a. SOC 440 Social Stratification
b. SOC 444 Social Changes and Social Movements


7. SOC 490 Senior Seminar in Sociology

8. Any three courses chosen from the following:


a. SOC 335 The Latino Experience in the United States
b. SOC 336 The Asian-American Experience in the United States
c. SOC 337 The African-American Experience in the United States
d. SOC 338 The Indigenous Experience in the Modern Americas


9. Any four courses (20 units) from the following; Fifteen (15) units of which must be upper division; and no more than ten (10) units may come from any one department:


a. ANTH 250 Peoples of Africa
b. ANTH 330 Diversity in the Classroom
c. ANTH 350 Peoples of Mexico
d. ANTH 351 Native Peoples of California
e. BEHS 321 Community Politics
f. ENGL 207 Ethnic-Minority American Literature
g. ENGL 364 Studies in Fiction: The African-American Experience
h. ENGL 370 Literature by Women of Color
i. HIST 466 History of African-Americans Since 1865
j. HIST 468 Mexican American History
k. PLSI 315 Civil Liberties
l. PLSI 329 Chicano Politics
m. SOC 328 Chicana Experiences
n. SOC 339 Multicutural Diversity and the US Educational System
o. SOC 352 Sex, Life Course, and Human Population
p. SOC 439 The Latin American Experience
q. SPAN 424 Culture and Civilization of Mexico and the Chicano/Mexican American*
r. SPAN 426 Southwest Hispanic Folklore*
s. SPAN 427 Hispanic-American Culture and Civilization
t. SPAN 428 Hispanic-American Culture and Civilization*

*Requires competency in Spanish.

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Requirements for the Major with a Concentration in Urban Studies and Planning

Prerequisites


1. SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology (or equivalent course)
2. SOC 200 Introduction to Statistics in the Social Sciences (or equivalent elementary statistics course)

Major Requirements


1. SOC 300 Introduction to Research Methods
Prerequisite


a. SOC 200 Introduction to Statistics in the Social Sciences (or equivalent elementary statistics course)


2. One of the following, with approval of faculty advisor (each require satisfactory completion of SOC 300, passing grade of C- or higher required):


a. SOC 400 Quantitative Analysis
b. SOC 434 Qualitative Research Methods
c. SOC 451 Geographical Information and Systems and Spatial Analysis
d. SOC 452 Techniques of Demographic Analysis
e. SOC 453 Vision and Method of Historical Sociology


3. SOC 301 Classical Sociological Theory

4. SOC 302 Contemporary Sociological Theory

5. SOC 367 Urban Sociology

6. Two of the following:


a. SOC 352 Sex, Life Course, and Human Population
b. SOC 451 Geographical Information Systems and Spatial Analysis
c. SOC 467 Neighborhood and Community


7. One of the following:


a. SOC 440 Social Stratification
b. SOC 444 Social Changes and Social Movements


8. SOC 490 Senior Seminar in Sociology

9. SOC 496 Internship in Applied Sociology

10. Any four classes from the following list, with no more than two from the same discipline:


a. ANTH 415 Cultural Resource Management
b. ANTH 473 Historical Archaeology
c. BEHS 321 Community Politics
d. BEHS 331 Political Sociology
e. ECON 370 Economics of Environmental and Safety Regulation
f. ECON 395 Economic Geography
g. ECON 435 Public Finance
h. ECON 480 Labor Economics
i. ECON 495 Urban and Regional Economics
j. GEOL 205 Environmental Geology
k. HIST 373 Kern County History
l. HIST 450 Economic History of the United States
m. PLSI 319 California Politics and Public Policy
n. PPA 340 Policy Networks
o. PPA 479 Urban Planning and Public Policy
p. SOC 323 Sociology of Power

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Applying for the Undergraduate Program in Sociology

 

Please Note:  Course descriptions can be found in the CSUB Catalog. The Catalog can be linked to by clicking here