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Sociology studies principles of social psychology, stratification, and criminology in small groups, private and public organizations, neighborhoods, communities, entire societies, and worldwide.
Why
Study Sociology at Iowa?
The Department of Sociology has a strong undergraduate program with outstanding academics and comprehensive career preparation, including careful advising by faculty members. Your work for the sociology major will culminate in a writing/research portfolio that will help you search for a job and apply to graduate school.
As a sociology student, you'll 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 analyze data statistically (e.g., survey and census data), evaluate programs, and communicate statistical results to policymakers.
The Department of Sociology’s faculty is especially strong in social psychology, criminology, inequality, organizations, and family/gender studies. U.S. News & World Report ranks the department’s social psychology program No. 3 in the nation.
The department has developed four special programs for undergraduates. One focuses on writing skills, another on strengthening international aspects of course work. A third program involves internships in the criminal justice and human services areas, in which you'll earn course credit while gaining work experience. Finally, the major's capstone course will help you prepare to transition from college to work, graduate school, or law school.
Course
Work
Students majoring in sociology earn a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree. Both degrees require a minimum of 120 semester hours (s.h.), including work for the major: at least 33 s.h. for BA students and at least 45 s.h. for BS students.
You'll be encouraged to begin with the introductory and mathematics courses, since they provide a foundation for the rest of the major.
BA and BS students take these courses:
- Introduction to Sociology Principles
- Mathematics (BA students take a statistics course, BS students take Calculus I–II)
- Sociological theory and research methods (BA students take three courses, BS students take five)
- Five or more elective courses in sociology
- Sociology capstone course
You'll also be required to maintain a portfolio that chronicles your progress through the major and your accomplishments in sociology. You'll submit the portfolio to the department before you graduate, but it will be returned to you so that you can use it when you search for a job or apply to graduate school.
In addition to your requirements for the major, you'll be advised to complete two courses in at least one of these subjects: anthropology, economics, geography, political science, or psychology. You also might consider expanding your prospects for employment or graduate school by earning a second major. Anthropology, business, health-related majors, psychology, social work, and sport studies combine well with the sociology major.
Concentrations, Criminology Track
The major doesn't offer formal concentrations, but you'll be able to use your sociology elective courses to focus on one of several areas:
- Crime, law, and social control
- Gender and family
- Social psychology
- Social stratification and organizations
- Political sociology and social change
If you're particularly interested in issues related to crime, you may opt to use your elective courses to complete the department's criminology track. You'll choose at least five courses on subjects such as criminal justice and corrections, criminal punishment, deviance and control, gender and violence, global criminology, juvenile delinquency, the legal system, and philanthropy.
For More Details
See Sociology in the UI General Catalog to learn more about the major and for information about graduating with honors or earning a minor in sociology.
Ethics and Public Policy Major
The Departments of Economics, Philosophy, and Sociology collaborate to offer the University’s interdisciplinary major in Ethics and Public Policy. The major deals with issues that connect the study of economics, law, philosophy, and sociology. All of these disciplines focus on practical questions about how individuals ought to behave and how they ought to regulate the behavior of others—questions whose answers often involve perspectives from more than one discipline.
The ethics and public policy major provides an ideal background for law school and is a natural choice for economics, philosophy, and sociology students who want to earn a second major. It also prepares students to bring a sophisticated, cross-disciplinary perspective to diverse fields such as government, urban and regional planning, social work, and business.
Student
Activities
If you join the Undergraduate Sociological Association, a club for majors, you'll have opportunities to volunteer and to hear guest speakers talk about their careers.
The Iowa Sociological Association holds an annual meeting that simulates professional academic meetings. Students present papers to an audience of faculty and other students as part of a competition.
You also may join the American Sociological Association and the Midwest Sociological Society. Your membership benefits will include discounts on professional journals, and you'll receive publications about careers and graduate programs. You'll also be able to attend professional meetings, where members network with others in the field.
If you're an outstanding student, you might join the campus chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta, the national honor society for sociology students.
Internships
The department works closely with the Pomerantz Career Center to place students in internships, which provide valuable preparation for graduate school and professional careers. You may earn sociology credit through the internship program.
Internships give you numerous opportunities to gain hands-on experience. If you're interested in criminology, you may enroll in an internship that will put you to work in a local criminal justice setting. A similar program is available in the human services area.
Independent study or field experience hours provide opportunities for community work. Students interested in areas such as child development, mental health, and the sociology of sport may work with faculty members, gaining experience and earning academic credit.
Many internships are available for students interested in teaching. The Undergraduate Teaching Assistantship provides seniors with experience in college-level teaching, which they may add to their résumés. They attend the course and hold office hours in order to help enrolled students.
The Washington Center offers students credit for internships in Washington, D.C., where they experience professional life in the nation’s capital.
Careers
An undergraduate degree in sociology prepares students for a wide range of careers, including social service, criminal justice, corrections, business, human resources management, applied social research, and secondary education. The major offers an integrated package of courses, research training, writing enhancement, international perspective, and internships, providing graduates with impressive credentials.
The degree also prepares students for graduate or professional study in areas such as social work, urban and regional 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.
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