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
General education: Students must complete the Campus General Education requirements including the campus general education language requirement.
Minimum required major and supporting course work: Normally equates to 44 hours including 32 hours of Sociology courses.
Twelve hours of 300- and 400-level in the major must be taken on this campus.
Minimum hours required for graduation: 120 hours.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SOC 100 | Introduction to Sociology | 4 |
| SOC 200 | Introduction to Sociological Theory | 3 |
| SOC 280 | Intro to Social Statistics 1 | 4 |
| SOC 380 | Social Research Methods | 4 |
| Select one of the following capstone experiences: | 3 | |
| Internships | ||
| Senior Capstone Seminar | ||
| Senior Honors Seminar | ||
| Students may select any sociology courses to fulfill the requirement of 32 hours in Sociology | 14 | |
| Supporting course work taken outside the Department of Sociology 2 | 12 | |
- 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 Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| Free elective course | 1 | SOC 280 | 4 |
| SOC 100 | 4 | SOC course | 3 |
| Comp I or General Education course | 3 | Comp I or General Education course | 3 |
| Language Other than English (3rd level) | 4 | Language Other than English (4th level) | 4 |
| Free elective course | 3 | Free elective course | 2 |
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| SOC 200 | 3 | SOC 380 | 4 |
| General Education course | 3 | SOC course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| Free elective course | 3 | Free elective course | 3 |
| Free elective course | 3 | Free elective course | 2 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| SOC course | 3 | SOC 300-400 level course | 3 |
| SOC 300-400 level course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | SOC course | 3 |
| Free elective course | 3 | Free elective course | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| Capstone course | 3 | SOC course | 3 |
| SOC 300-400 level course | 3 | SOC 300-400 level course | 3 |
| SOC course | 3 | Free elective course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | Free elective course | 3 |
| Free elective course | 3 | Free elective course | 2 |
| 15 | 14 | ||
| Total Hours 120 | |||
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences Major in Sociology
- Apply sociological theories to understand social phenomena.
- Critically evaluate explanations of human behavior and social phenomenon.
- Apply scientific principles to understand the social world.
- Evaluate the quality of social scientific methods and data.
- Rigorously analyze social scientific data.
- 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/