Curriculum for the Sociology Major

Core Requirements

The following core courses are required of majors (approximately 20 units): 

  • SOC 170: Classics of Modern Social Theory  
    • OR SOC 1: Introduction to Sociology
  • SOC 180A: Foundations of Social Research
  • SOC 180B: Introduction to Data Analysis
  • SOC *202 OR 204: Capstone Research Seminar or Preparation for Honors Thesis. 
    • It is recommended that students take the Writing in the Major (WIM) requirement during Junior year or as early as possible during Senior year. Students pursuing the regular BA should take SOC 204. WIM course substitutions from other departments may be accepted.
    • *Students considering honors are encouraged to enroll in SOC 202, instead of SOC 204. Sociology Honors program.

Please note that the Sociology major will require a capstone sequence for students beginning with the Class of 2025.

  • For students completing an honors thesis, students should take SOC 202 in their junior year and the thesis will fulfill the capstone.
  • For seniors not completing an honors thesis, the capstone project will be completed over a three-course sequence: SOC 204A, SOC 204B, and SOC 204C. The project will be designed in SOC 204A in the fall, and work will be accomplished with guidance through SOC 204B in the winter, and SOC 204C in the spring, culminating in a presentation at the end of the Spring Quarter. A wide variety of capstone projects will be allowed, including team projects. In this case, students would not take SOC 202 and instead, only enroll in SOC 204A/B/C. 

Foundation Courses

Arches of the Main Quad
Photo Credit: Andrew Brodhead

In addition to core courses, students must complete at least three foundation courses (for 12-15 units). It is recommended to take three different courses in three different areas of study, but it is not required. For detailed information, see Areas of Study. Foundation courses, classified by area of study, are as follows:

  • Organizations, Business, and the Economy: SOC 114, SOC 160, SOC 162, or SOC 187
  • Social Movements, Comparative Politics, and Social Change: SOC 118, SOC 119, SOC 130, or SOC 176
  • Social Psychology and Interpersonal Processes: SOC 2, SOC 8, SOC 120, SOC 121, or SOC 127
  • Social Stratification and Inequality: SOC 3, SOC 135, SOC 140, SOC 141, SOC 144, SOC 149, SOC 152, SOC 156A, or SOC 179A
  • Race, Gender, Immigration, Identity, and Policy: SOC 142, SOC 145, SOC 147, SOC 150, SOC 155, or SOC 189

Elective Courses

Four Social Science electives (20 units) are required for the major. You may take all four courses in Sociology if you wish. Students may choose their elective courses according to personal interest. Non-Sociology courses must be approved by the director of undergraduate studies. A maximum of 10 units taken in other Social Science departments (Anthropology, Communication, Economics, Political Science, Psychology) may be counted towards the 60 units required for the Sociology B.A.

Statistics Course

Any one additional methodology or research methods class, quantitative or qualitative, statistics, computer science, field research methods, etc are all allowed.