Program: B.A., Sociology
Program Description
The B.A. in Sociology provides a liberal arts background, which teaches students to think critically; conceptualize problems; apply theories and concepts to real-world issues; collect, analyze and interpret data; carry out research projects; and understand issues of diversity. These skills prepare students for a wide variety of careers in fields such as social and human services, research and data analysis, nonprofit and public sector management, social work, education, labor relations, program evaluation, policy analysis, human resources, market research and community organizing. It also provides a foundation for students to pursue graduate education in sociology and related fields. If students choose, they can focus their studies in one of the following concentrations: Social Welfare and Social Justice, Inequality and Diversity, or Social Movements and Political Sociology.
Program Requirements
1. Lower Division Required Courses (7 units)
MATH 140 Introductory Statistics (4)
SOC 150 Introductory Sociology (3)
2. Core Courses (16 units)
Take all of the following courses:
SOC 424/L Statistical Techniques in Social Research and Lab (3/1)
SOC 430 Theory I – Classical Sociological Theory (4)
SOC 468 Theory II – Contemporary Sociological Theory (4)
SOC 497/L Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods and Lab (3/1)
3. Electives (21 units)
Select 21 units of electives from 200 to 400-level sociology courses. No more than 3 elective units can be taken at the 200-level. Students may concentrate in one of the areas below, but they are not required to do so for the B.A. in Sociology. Those students who wish to complete a concentration should take 9 of the 21 units in one of the concentrations below. Students who do not want to complete a concentration should take 21 units of electives from 200 to 400-level sociology courses.
Concentration (9 units)
Students may complete a 9-unit concentration from the list of three possible concentration areas below.
a. Social Welfare and Social Justice (9 units)
SOC 357 Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice (3)
SOC 490S/F Supervised Field Seminar and Fieldwork (1/2)
Plus one course from the following:
SOC 356 Social Welfare Institutions (3)
SOC 420CSL Mentoring to Overcome Struggles and Inspire Courage (MOSAIC) (3)
SOC 426 Social Legislation and Social Policy (3)
SOC 484 Progressive Community Organizing (3)
SOC 490S/F Supervised Field Seminar and Fieldwork (1/2)
SOC 492 Human Behavior in the Social Environment (3)
SOC 493 Diversity and Social Justice (3)
b. Inequality and Diversity (9 units)
SOC 401 Class, Status and Power (3)
Plus two courses from the following:
SOC 307 Ethnic Diversity in America (3)
SOC 324 Sociology of Sex and Gender (3)
SOC 335 Jewish Identity in the U.S. (3)
SOC 452 Sociology of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Communities (3)
SOC 461 Sociology of Immigration (3)
c. Social Movements and Political Sociology (9 units)
SOC 370 Political Sociology (3)
or SOC 476 Social Movements (3)
Plus two courses from the following:
SOC 370 Political Sociology (3)
SOC 433 Sociology of Globalization (3)
or POLS 480 The Politics of Globalization (3)
4. General Education (48 units)
Undergraduate students must complete 48 units of General Education as described in this Catalog.
9 units are satisfied by the following courses in the major: MATH 140 satisfies B4 Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning; SOC 424/L satisfies B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning; and SOC 150 satisfies 3 units of D1 Social Sciences.
If taken, SOC 200, SOC 305 or SOC 324 satisfies 3 units of D1 Social Sciences; and SOC 306, SOC 307 and/or SOC 335 satisfies 3-6 units of upper division F Comparative Cultural Studies.
Total Units in Major: 44
General Education Units: 39
Additional Units: 37
Total Units Required for the B.A. Degree: 120
Contact
Department of Sociology
Chair: Karen Morgaine
Santa Susana Hall (SN) 321
(818) 677-3591
Student Learning Outcomes
Goal 1: Demonstrate a basic knowledge of the field of sociology by showing competence in sociological theory, research methods and statistics.
- SLO1: Students will show competence in understanding and applying classical and contemporary theories to understand the operation and organization of individuals, groups, institutions and broader society.
- SLO2: Students will show competence in employing qualitative and quantitative research methods for collecting, analyzing and interpreting data commonly used by sociologists in empirical research.
- SLO3: Students will be able to understand and perform basic statistical techniques commonly employed in sociological research and use that knowledge to interpret scholarship in the field of sociology.
Goal 2: Demonstrate a basic knowledge of general sociology and/or one (or more) of the following concentration areas: social welfare and social justice, inequality and diversity, social movements and political sociology.
- SLO1: Students will be able to recall and comprehend concepts, principles, theories and knowledge in the field of sociology and (if applicable) their particular concentration.
- SLO2: Students will have an understanding of the chronological and historical development of the field of sociology and (if applicable) their particular concentration.
Goal 3: Develop a global perspective for interpreting and understanding social issues and processes.
- SLO 1: Students will demonstrate the ability to apply relevant sociological theories and perspectives to comprehend and contextualize current social issues and be able to recognize general social patterns in individuals, groups and institutions.
- SLO 2: Students will show an understanding of how micro and macro level social processes relate to a variety of phenomena, including social stability and change, the behavior of groups and individuals and institutional dynamics (e.g. family, politics, economy, religion, education, law).
- SLO 3: Students will demonstrate the ability to comprehend events in terms of their historical relevance and be able to understand connections between individuals’ biographies and the broader historical context in which they are embedded.
Goal 4: Develop sound critical thinking ability and effective oral and written communication skills.
- SLO 1: Students will demonstrate the ability to think critically by evaluating the theories, perspectives, methods and analyses of scholars in the field of sociology.
- SLO 2: Students will demonstrate competence in oral and written communication and be able to convey information in a manner commonly employed by academics in the field of sociology.