SOCIOLOGY

Office:

Craven Hall, Sixth Floor

Telephone:

(760) 750-4117

Department Chair:

Richard T. Serpe, Ph.D.

Faculty:

Therese L. Baker, Ph.D.

Donald Barrett, Ph.D.

Kristin Bates, Ph.D.

Valerie J. Callahan, Ph.D.

Sharon Elise, Ph.D.

Alicia M. Gonzales, Ph.D.

Darlene Piña, Ph.D.

Robert E.L. Roberts, Ph.D.

Garry Rolison, Ph.D.

Richard T. Serpe, Ph.D.

Linda Shaw, Ph.D.

Sheldon X. Zhang, Ph.D.

Programs Offered:

• Bachelor of Arts in Sociology

• Minor in Sociology

• Master of Arts in Sociological Practice

Sociology is the study of human societies; of the institutions, organizations, and groups that compose them; and of the way individuals and groups relate to one another. One of the discipline’s special emphases will be to offer comparative, cross-national, and cross-cultural perspectives throughout the curriculum. Sociological knowledge is vital to the understanding of contemporary problems such as crime, poverty, overpopulation, mental illness, and aging. Studying this field is highly relevant to careers in human services, research, and government which try to address these problems.

To study the broad subject of sociology, a student needs to acquire information (what we know), methodology (how we know), and theory (how we explain). A major in sociology will require students to develop background and strength in each of these domains. Students may choose to concentrate more fully in a particular content area of sociology, such as health, welfare and education; crime and deviance; socialization, aging, and the life course; social structure, mobility, inequality; or gender and ethnicity by selecting a set of courses which focus in related fields.

An undergraduate degree in sociology may lead to careers in advertising and market research, public-opinion polling, law enforcement and criminal justice, city planning, real estate, social work, community relations, and a variety of other occupations in the public and private sectors. In order to facilitate the understanding of how sociology can be applied in real social organizations, students are required to take an internship in an organization or agency serving the community or in a social-research setting. Students may want to continue the study of sociology at the graduate level for careers in human service, research, or teaching.

Students who wish to learn more about the Sociology Department are invited to speak with the sociology faculty.

Preparation

A maximum of nine (9) lower-division semester units of sociology courses may be applied to the sociology major. Six (6) of these nine (9) units must include one course in introductory sociology and a second in elementary statistics. Statistics courses offered by departments other than sociology will generally be accepted. Three (3) additional lower-division units taken in sociology and approved by the University may be used as an elective for the major.

Requirements for Courses Leading to a Major in Sociology, Minor in Sociology

Each course counted towards the major or of the minor must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or better. A minimum of eighteen (18) units in sociology must be completed at CSUSM.

The Sociology Department also offers a minor in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Please see the separate catalog entry for this minor.

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN SOCIOLOGY

Units

General Education 51 units

Preparation for the Major 6 units

Major Requirements 22 units

Concentration Requirements 12 units

General Electives 33 units

Total Required 124 units

Preparation for the Major

Lower-division (6 units)

Units

SOC 101 3 units

SOC 201 3 units

Major Requirements

Upper-division (22 units)

Units

SOC 320 3 units

SOC 360 4 units

SOC 480 3 units

SOC 495 or 496 3-6 units

Upper-division electives in sociology* 6-9 units

*Students taking SOC 495 or 496 need 9 units of major electives. Students who take SOC 497 need 6 units of major electives.

Concentrations

The Sociology major offers four different concentrations: (1) Aging and Life Course, (2) Children, Youth and Families, (3) Health and Mental Health, and (4) Standard. Concentrations require 12 units.

Six (6) units of 400-level courses must be taken in the concentration.

Requirements for Standard Concentration

Any four upper-division elective courses in sociology (including six units at the 400-level) to be selected by students in consultation with their academic advisor 12

Requirements for Aging and Life Course Concentration

Upper-division (3 units)

Units

SOC 309 3 units

Lower- or upper-division

[including six units at the

400-level] (9 units) 9 units

Selected from:

SOC 204 SOC 429

SOC 427 SOC 487

Total Units 12 units

Requirements for Children, Youth and Families Concentration

Upper-division (3 units)

Units

SOC 303 3 units

Lower- or upper-division

[including six units at the

400-level] (9 units) 9 units

Selected from:

SOC 203 SOC 415

SOC 204 SOC 417

SOC 317 SOC 486

SOC 319

Total Units 12 units

Requirements for Health and Mental Health Concentration

Upper-division (3 units)

Units

SOC 314 or SOC 316 3 units

Upper-division [including six

units at the 400-level] (9 units) 9 units

Selected from:

SOC 324 SOC 424

SOC 419 SOC 426

SOC 420 SOC 488

SOC 423

Total Units 12 units

MINOR IN SOCIOLOGY

Lower-division (3 units)

Units

SOC 101 3 units

Upper-division (18-19 units)

One of the following 3-4 units

SOC 320 SOC 360*

One of the following 3 units

SOC 311 SOC 411

Twelve (12) units of upper-division

sociology electives 12 units

[or nine (9) units if the prerequisite

statistics course has been taken]

Total Units 21-22 units

*If SOC 360 is selected, an elementary statistics course is a prerequisite and it will count as a course in the minor.