Undergraduate DegreeS
	BA, BS in Sociology from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Minor
	Sociology
Four-year Graduation Plan
	Yes
Teaching Licensure
	Yes
Links
	Web Site Courses General Catalog

Sociology studies principles of social-psychology, stratification, and criminology in small groups, private and public organizations, neighborhoods, communities, and entire societies, with recent efforts focused on globalization.
Sociology majors acquire both “soft” and “hard” skills that are in demand in today’s labor market.

Soft skills include the abilities to think critically and creatively, communicate, lead, and work with people from diverse backgrounds. Hard skills include the ability to statistically analyze data (e.g., survey and census data), do program evaluation, and communicate statistical results to policymakers.

• Why Study Sociology at Iowa?
• Course Work
• Minor
• Double Major
• Honors
• Student Activities
• Internships
• Careers
• Scholarships

Why Study Sociology at Iowa?
U.S. News & World Report ranks the sociology department’s social psychology program No. 3 in the nation, and the PhD program in sociology ranks in the top 40.

The sociology faculty at Iowa are strong in the areas of social psychology, criminology, inequality, organizations, and family/gender studies, and are focused on maintaining high-quality undergraduate education.

In the past few years, the department has developed four special programs for undergraduates. A continuing grant from the provost’s office focuses on strengthening writing skills. The University also has been investing considerable resources for internationalization of courses at the undergraduate level. Internships in the criminal justice and human services areas allow students to earn course credit while gaining work experience. Finally, the department offers a capstone course that provides special preparation for the school-to-work transition, and transitions to graduate school and law school.

Course Work
The Department of Sociology has a strong program focused on an academically outstanding curriculum and comprehensive career preparation efforts, including careful advising by a faculty member. Course work ranges from introductory-level courses to electives and preparation of a writing/research portfolio that will assist with graduate school applications and job searches.

Core courses, to be taken in the following order, include Introduction to Sociology: Principles; Sociological Theory; Quantitative Data Analysis; Research Methods; and the Sociology Capstone Course.

Although the department does not offer specialized degrees within sociology, students who have specific career plans may concentrate on particular areas when choosing their elective courses. These areas include:

• Crime, law, and social control
• Gender and family
• Social psychology
• Social stratification and organizations
• Political sociology and social change

BA in Sociology
The BA degree requires 34-35 semester hours (s.h.) of course work. Five electives are required, in addition to the core courses. Three may be taken at any time and may be at any level. An additional two electives in sociology must be taken after completing Research Methods. The Capstone Course in Sociology completes the major.

Before taking Theory, Research, and Statistics, students must complete a college-level mathematics course (e.g., calculus, finite mathematics, or elementary functions).

BS in Sociology
Many undergraduate sociology majors go on to graduate or law school. These students may find it beneficial to obtain a BS degree. Additionally, some careers require more experience in mathematics and/or philosophy than is required by a BA degree.

The BS program requires 30 s.h. in sociology and 15 s.h. in mathematics and science.

Five electives and the Capstone Course in Sociology are required, as well as the following additional courses: Calculus I and II; Probability and Statistics; and Introduction to Symbolic Logic or Introduction to Philosophy of Science.

Minor
A minor in sociology requires 15 s.h. of course work and must include Sociological Theory.

Double Major
Students might be interested in pursuing a double major if they have multiple interests, are pursuing careers that emphasize training in more than one field, or are interested in combining areas in their own academic endeavors.

Sociology is an excellent major to combine with such fields as psychology, social work, anthropology, business, or health and sport studies.

Honors
In order to graduate with honors in sociology, you must be a member of the University of Iowa Honors Program. In addition, students in sociology must complete additional work beyond the major requirements, including successful completion of a seminar, an honors course numbered above 100, and a thesis.

Outstanding students may join the campus chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta, the national honor society for sociology students.

Student Activities
The Undergraduate Sociological Association, a club for majors, sponsors guest speakers who talk about their careers and volunteer opportunities.

Undergraduate sociology majors may become members of the American Sociological Association and the Midwest Sociological Society. Membership benefits include discounts on professional journals and publications informing students about careers and graduate programs. Also, members attend professional meetings to network with others in the field.

The Iowa Sociological Association holds an annual meeting to simulate professional academic meetings. Students present papers to an audience of faculty and students as part of a competition.

Internships
The department works closely with the Pomerantz Career Center to place students in internships providing valuable experience for graduate school and professional careers. Students may accumulate up to 3 s.h. in sociology through the internship program.

The Washington Center offers University of Iowa students 6 to 12 s.h. of credit for internships in Washington, D.C. Students live and work in one of the most important cities of the world and experience the professional arena of the nation’s capital as well as its cultural diversity.

Students may take advantage of several opportunities to gain hands-on experience in the field. Students interested in criminology or criminal justice enroll in a University internship program that puts them to work in a variety of local criminal justice settings. A similar program is available for internships in the human services area.

Independent study or field experience hours provide ways to work in the community. Students interested in areas such as child development, mental health, and the sociology of sport can work with noted faculty, gaining experience and credit hours.

Many internships are available for students interested in teaching. The Undergraduate Teaching Assistantship offers senior sociology majors the opportunity to gain insight into and experience in teaching as well as adding valuable experience to their résumés. They are required to attend the course they assist with and hold office hours in order to help enrolled students.

Careers
An undergraduate degree in sociology provides background for a wide range of careers, including those in social service, criminal justice, corrections, business, human resources management, applied social research, and secondary education. The major provides an integrated package of courses, research training, writing enhancement, internationalization, and internships that creates graduates with impressive credentials.

The degree also prepares students for graduate or professional study in such areas as social work, urban planning, law, criminal justice, and social policy. Teaching positions in colleges or universities and research positions in academic, private, and governmental organizations often require advanced degrees in sociology.

Scholarships
Consult multiple sources for scholarship information, including the Office of Admissions, the Office of Student Financial Aid, and departmental web sites.