Sociology, BALAS

for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences Major in Sociology

Large-scale societal change begins with individuals like you -- hungry for knowledge and ready to make a real difference; in the Department of Sociology you will study the inner workings of society with a focus on either Inequalities or Global Sociology.

Sociologists explore human social life at every level, from personal relationships to global society. Major topics of study include inequality, social movements, criminology, race and class relations, gender, social institutions such as religion and education, and fundamental population processes like immigration and mortality. Sociologists use a range of methods and theories to develop and evaluate ideas about social life.

As a student of Sociology, you will train in research methods and become fluent in social statistics while understanding the complexity of societal diversity and social change. These skills are usable in a wide variety of work settings and are skills that employers value.

Recent graduates have pursued careers with the FBI, as Human Resource Specialists, with non-profit organizations, as policy officers, and have earned advanced degrees in Social Work, Sociology, Law, Medicine, and more. The career paths of Sociology alumni are as diverse as our student population -- who represent the best and the brightest from a variety of backgrounds.

In the Department of Sociology you can choose the major in Sociology, the minor in Sociology, or the minor in Criminology, Law and Society (CLS). Whereas the major and minor in Sociology provide an overview into the broader disciplines of Sociology, the minor in CLS is a more specialized approach for those students intersted in law and justice related careers and occupations.

Each student should see a Sociology departmental advisor at least once a year to choose sociology courses and to monitor their progress.

for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences Major in Sociology

A Major Plan of Study Form must be completed and submitted to the LAS Student Academic Affairs Office before the end of the fifth semester (60-75 hours). Please see your adviser.

Departmental distinction: In order to achieve distinction, high distinction, or highest distinction, a sociology major must meet the following requirements:

  • Have completed SOC 490 or SOC 495
  • Attain a UIUC GPA of 3.25 or higher
  • If both these requirements are met, then the MAJOR GPA distributes as follows:
    • 3.25 – Distinction
    • 3.50 – High Distinction
    • 3.75 – Highest Distinction

Graduation Requirements

Minimum hours required for graduation: 120 hours.

Minimum hours required major and supporting course work: normally equates to 44 hours including 32 hours of Sociology courses. Twelve hours of 300- and 400-level courses in the major must be taken on this campus.

University Requirements

The university and residency requirements can be found in the Student Code (§ 3-801) and in the Academic Catalog.

General Education Requirements

Follows the campus General Education (Gen Ed) requirements. Some Gen Ed requirements may be met by courses required and/or electives in the program.

Composition I4-6
Advanced Composition3
Humanities & the Arts (6 hours)6
Natural Sciences & Technology (6 hours)6
Social & Behavioral Sciences (6 hours)6
fulfilled by SOC 100 and any other course approved as Social & Behavioral Sciences
Cultural Studies: Non-Western Cultures (1 course)3
Cultural Studies: US Minority Cultures (1 course)3
Cultural Studies: Western/Comparative Cultures (1 course) 3
Quantitative Reasoning (2 courses, at least one course must be Quantitative Reasoning I)6-10
fulfilled by SOC 280 and SOC 380
Language Requirement (Completion of the fourth semester or equivalent of a language other than English, or completion of the third semester in two different languages other than English is required)0-20

Major Requirements

SOC 100Introduction to Sociology4
SOC 200Introduction to Sociological Theory3
SOC 280Intro to Social Statistics 14
SOC 380Social Research Methods4
Select one of the following capstone experiences:3
SOC 400
Internships
SOC 450
Senior Capstone Seminar
SOC 495
Senior Honors Seminar
Students may select any sociology courses to fulfill the requirement of 32 hours in Sociology14
Supporting course work taken outside the Department of Sociology 212
1

If a statistics course is taken outside the Department of Sociology to fulfill this requirement, that course does not count toward the 32 hours of Sociology courses.

2

Supporting course work is designed to expand the student’s education, and should be taken outside of Sociology. A student may take supporting course work from one department, such as psychology, economics, history, or statistics, or from a cohesive selection of courses in various units. With an advisor’s approval, departmental or interdisciplinary minors, or a double major, may be used to fulfill the requirements of supporting course work.

for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences Major in Sociology

Sample Sequence

This sample sequence is intended to be used only as a guide for degree completion. All students should work individually with their academic advisors to decide the actual course selection and sequence that works best for them based on their academic preparation and goals. Enrichment programming such as study abroad, minors, internships, and so on may impact the structure of this four-year plan. Course availability is not guaranteed during the semester indicated in the sample sequence.

Students must fulfill their Language Other Than English requirement by successfully completing a fourth level of a language other than English. For more information, see the corresponding section on the Degree General and Education Requirements page.

First Year
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
Free elective course1SOC 2804
SOC 1004SOC course3
Comp I or General Education course3Comp I or General Education course3
Language Other than English (3rd level)4Language Other than English (4th level)4
Free elective course3Free elective course2
 15 16
Second Year
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
SOC 2003SOC 3804
General Education course3SOC course3
General Education course3General Education course3
Free elective course3Free elective course3
Free elective course3Free elective course2
 15 15
Third Year
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
SOC course3SOC 300-400 level course3
SOC 300-400 level course3General Education course3
General Education course3General Education course3
General Education course3SOC course3
Free elective course3Free elective course3
 15 15
Fourth Year
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
Capstone course3SOC course3
SOC 300-400 level course3SOC 300-400 level course3
SOC course3Free elective course3
General Education course3Free elective course3
Free elective course3Free elective course2
 15 14
Total Hours 120

for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences Major in Sociology

  1. Apply sociological theories to understand social phenomena.
  2. Critically evaluate explanations of human behavior and social phenomenon.
  3. Apply scientific principles to understand the social world.
  4. Evaluate the quality of social scientific methods and data.
  5. Rigorously analyze social scientific data.
  6. Use sociological knowledge to inform policy debates and promote public understanding.

for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences Major in Sociology

department website: https://sociology.illinois.edu/
department faculty: Sociology Faculty
advising: Sociology advising

overview of college admissions & requirements: Liberal Arts & Sciences
college website: https://las.illinois.edu/