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Sociology

Major & Minor Requirements

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BS Sociology (48 hours*)

Major Requirements (also see footnotes below)

  1. At least 24 hours of sociology major courses must be taken in residence at BYU.
  2. Complete one of the following introductory courses:
    Soc 111: Introductory Sociology (3:3:0)
    Soc 112: Current Social Problems (3:3:0)
  3. Complete one of the following introductory statistics courses:
    Soc 306: Applied Social Statistics (3:3:0)
    Stat 221: Principles of Statistics (3:3:0)
  4. Complete the following introductory methodology courses:
    Soc 300: Methods of Research in Sociology (3:3:0)
    Soc 307: Data Analysis, Presentation, and Management (3:3:0)
    Note: Students must declare a sociology major before registering for Soc 307.
  5. Complete the following theory courses:
    Soc 310: Foundations of Social Inquiry (3:3:0)
    Soc 311: Contemporary Sociological Theory (3:3:0)
    Note: Soc 300, 307, 310 and Soc 306 or Stat 221 are foundational courses for the major. Students are encouraged to take these courses as early in their program of studies as possible. Students must complete these four courses with a C– or better grade in order to graduate with a degree in sociology.
  6. Complete the following writing course:
    Engl 312: Persuasive Writing (3:3:0)
  7. Complete at least one course from the following social diversity and inequality courses:
    Soc 322: Class Inequality (3:3:0)
    Soc 323: Racial and Minority-Group Relations (3:3:0)
    Soc 367: Sociology of Gender (3:3:0)
  8. Complete the following social psychology course:
    Soc 350: (Soc-Psych) Introduction to Social Psychology (3:3:0)
  9. Complete at least one course in advanced methodology:
    Soc 404: Qualitative Research Methods (3:3:0)
    Soc 405: Multiple Regression Analysis and Social Science Computing (3:3:0)
    Note: Students may wish to take both Soc 404 and 405. In such cases the second advanced methodology course may count toward the four-course requirements listed above (see item 9).
  10. Complete two capstone courses from the following:
    Soc 420: Understanding Modern Societies (3:3:0)
    Soc 421: Complex Organizations (3:3:0)
    Soc 422: Social Stratification (3:3:0)
    Soc 424: Political Sociology (3:3:0)
    Soc 425: Markets and Society (3:3:0)
    Soc 426: Sociology of Work and Occupations (3:3:0)
    Soc 429: Theory of Social Change and Modernization (3:3:0)
    Soc 450: The Family and Social Change (3:3:0)
    Soc 460: Issues in Family Sociology (3:3:0)
    Soc 470: Sociology of Law (3:3:0)
    Soc 481: Crime, Justice, and Corrections (3:3:0)
    Soc 490R: Special Topics in Sociology (1-3:3:0)
  11. Complete four additional courses from the following. Students are encouraged to enroll in courses that meet their academic and professional interests and needs.  Courses taken to fulfill other major requirements may not be used to meet this requirement:
    1. Substantive courses:
      Soc 318: (Soc-SFL 333) Adolescent Development in the Family and Other Social Contexts (3:3:0)
      Soc 322: Class Inequality (3:3:0)
      Soc 323: Racial and Minority-Group Relations (3:3:0)
      Soc 325: Introduction to the Sociology of Religion (3:3:0)
      Soc 326: Sociology of Education (3:3:0)
      Soc 327: Sociology of the LDS Church and Its People (3:3:0)
      Soc 328: Sociology of Sport (3:3:0)
      Soc 329: Medical Sociology (3:3:0)
      Soc 330: Cultural Sociology (3:3:0)
      Soc 335: Social Change and Modernization in Latin America (3:3:0)
      Soc 345: World Populations (3:3:0)
      Soc 360: Introduction to Family Sociology (3:3:0)
      Soc 365: Sociology of Aging (3:3:0)
      Soc 367: Sociology of Gender (3:3:0)
      Soc 370: The Sociology of Urban Life (3:3:0)
      Soc 380: Deviant Behavior and Social Control (3:3:0)
      Soc 383: Juvenile Delinquency (3:3:0)
      Soc 390R: Special Topics in Contemporary Sociology (.5-3:3:0)
    2. Advanced methodological courses:
      Soc 404: Qualitative Research Methods (3:3:0)
      Soc 405: Multiple Regression Analysis and Social Science Computing (3:3:0)
      Soc 406: Intermediate Applied Social Statistics (3:3:0)
      Soc 408: Survey Research and Social Measurement (3:3:0)
    3. Senior-level sociology courses:
      Soc 420: Understanding Modern Societies (3:3:0)
      Soc 421: Complex Organizations (3:3:0)
      Soc 422: Social Stratification (3:3:0)
      Soc 424: Political Sociology (3:3:0)
      Soc 425: Markets and Society (3:3:0)
      Soc 426: Sociology of Work and Occupations (3:3:0)
      Soc 429: Theory of Social Change and Modernization (3:3:0)
      Soc 450: The Family and Social Change (3:3:0)
      Soc 460: Issues in Family Sociology (3:3:0)
      Soc 470: Sociology of Law (3:3:0)
      Soc 481: Crime, Justice, and Corrections (3:3:0)
      Soc 490R: Special Topics in Sociology (1-3:3:0)
    4. Students are strongly encouraged to participate in a semester-long (3 credit hours) professional or research internship (Soc 399R) or a directed research project with a faculty member (Soc 497R). No more than 3 hours of Soc 399R and no more than 3 hours of Soc 497R may be used to meet this requirement.

*Hours include courses that may fulfill university core requirements.
†Soc 113 does not count towards major requirements.  It is designed to fulfill the Global and Cultural Awareness GE requirement.

Sociology Minor (15 hours*)

Minor Requirements

  1. Complete the following:
    Soc 111.
  2. Complete at least one course from the following social diversity and inequality courses:
    Soc 322: Class Inequality (3:3:0)
    Soc 323: Racial and Minority-Group Relations (3:3:0)
    Soc 367: Sociology of Gender (3:3:0)
  3. Complete an additional 9 credit hours of course work.  Students may select among the electives listed in the major (see item 11 listed under major requirements).
    Note: Students interested in a sociology minor that emphasizes the research and analysis component of the major may select among the following courses as electives: Soc 300, 307, 404, or 405. Students are cautioned that Soc 404 and 405 have several prerequisites, which will require additional courses beyond the 15 hour minimum for a minor. Soc 307 is currently open only to majors; students interested in the sociology minor may add the course with the instructor's consent.

*Hours include courses that may fulfill university core requirements.

All information above is taken from the 2008-2009 Undergraduate Catalog.