Honors

The University of Iowa Honors Program provides a stimulating and integrative educational experience for undergraduate majors who perform at a high level.  Membership in the honors program requires that students maintain a cumulative University of Iowa G.P.A. of at least 3.33 (contact the University of Iowa Honors Program for additional information).

To qualify for the honors program in Sociology, a student must have a cumulative University of Iowa G.P.A. of at least 3.33 and a G.P.A. of at least 3.33 in sociology courses.

Designation of Honors in Sociology

To earn a degree with the designation of honors in Sociology, students must complete the following requirements:

1. 034:100 Honors Proseminar in the spring semester of their junior year,

1. At least one advance undergraduate course (greater than 34:100) or a graduate course. Course instructor’s permission to enroll for honors designation is required.

1. Senior honor thesis under faculty supervision. The honors project gives students an opportunity to conduct sociological research in close consultation with a faculty member of the student’s choice.

Forms relating to the honors program are available by clicking here.

The Department of Sociology at Iowa is also proud to have an active chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta (AKD), the national honor society for students of Sociology. Membership in AKD has a number of benefits, including providing opportunities for undergraduate students to get better acquainted with faculty and meet other honor students. AKD also sponsors several seminars throughout the semester that provide students with information about scholarship and fellowship opportunities, as well as advice about applying to graduate schools and pursuing careers in sociology. For more information about the Iowa chapter of AKD, contact Professor Jennifer Glanville.

Internships

The Sociology Department works closely with the Career Center in order to place students in internships that provide valuable experience for graduate school and professional careers. Students may accumulate up to 3 semester hours in sociology through our internship program. Interested students should contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Professor Rob Baller .

The Washington Center

The Washington Center (TWC) works with University of Iowa students enabling them to earn 6 to 12 hours credit for internships in Washington, DC. Students are given the opportunity to live and work in one of the most important cities of the world and to experience the professional arena of the nation's capital as well as its cultural diversity. Career Services facilitates the application procedure for The University of Iowa. Students interested in participating in this program can contact Career Services for more information about TWC and additional internship/career possibilities within the field of Sociology. Students also may visit The Washington Center homepage.

Teaching Internship

In addition to external internships offered through the Department and Career Development Services, the Sociology Department offers internship positions for students interested in teaching. The Undergraduate Teaching Assistantship (UTA) program offers senior sociology majors the opportunity to assist professors and instructors in the classroom. Students are required to attend the course that they TA for and hold office hours in order to assist students enrolled in the class. This program presents an opportunity for talented senior sociology majors to gain insight and experience to the teaching role, as well as adding valuable experience to their resume. Students can learn more about this program by contacting Professor Rob Baller .

Communication Networks

International Networking

The Department emphasizes international experiences in its curricula. One particular project initiated is a network of countries where our undergraduate students do collaborative research with students in other countries. This "Global Village Green Project" links our department with Iceland and Romania, among other countries. Students at the various sites design and conduct research together, and plan projects and discuss results using the Web, e-mail, and live teleconferencing.

The Department further demonstrates its commitment to internationalization for undergraduates through work on the The University of Iowa/University of Iceland Linkage Program. Faculty in the Department are the focal contact persons for this program, which provides information on cross-cultural opportunities involving the two countries, sustains a student exchange, sponsors faculty research, and provides programs uniting university faculty and students interested in Iceland with an organization of Icelanders living in Iowa City. Students can access information about this program through the following web page: http://www.uiowa.edu/~iceland

Our Writing Emphasis

The University of Iowa continues its strong historical emphasis of enhancing student writing skills. The Department of Sociology reflects this priority in sustaining a special writing program: "Strategic Reporting of Social Science Research." Instructional resources are invested in providing concentrated writing training and experiences at several points in the curricula. These opportunities enhance written communication skills in high demand by all employers and advanced education settings where students proceed after their B.A. or B.S. The Department sustains a special collection of writing resources, including an annotated bibliography describing some of these materials available here.

Careers

A common question of sociology undergraduates is "what can I do with a degree in sociology?" Graduating with a major in sociology provides students with a broad liberal arts background and specialized understanding of human social behavior. Although some students decide to go on to graduate school and become professional sociologists, there are a number of jobs and careers that undergraduates can pursue with a BA or BS in sociology. A degree in sociology prepares students to pursue careers in virtually any field that requires an understanding of human behavior in social settings, analytical tools and strong communication skills. As a result, sociology majors are found in a variety of occupational settings, including: journalism, the criminal justice system, politics, human resources, public relations, community and social services, marketing, and education.

There are a number of sources that students can turn to for information about careers in sociology. They can speak to advisors and professors, as well as contact sources on campus and the World Wide Web in order to discover what can be accomplished with a degree in sociology. On-campus resources may be obtained at the Career Center:

Career Center
24 Phillips Hall (319) 335-1023
http://www.uiowa.edu/~careers

In addition to on-campus resources, the American Sociological Association publishes several documents that give detailed descriptions of careers available to sociologists at all degree levels. These publications include: Careers in Sociology, Embarking Upon a Career with an Undergraduate Degree in Sociology, and Mastering the Job Market with a Graduate Degree in Sociology. Students interested in pursuing a graduate degree may also want look into the Guide to Graduate Departments, with contact information for graduate departments and a wealth of information on faculty areas of interest, concentrations offered at each institution, standardized test requirements, degree(s) offered, and the organizational breakdown of departments. For more information about these documents, as well as student membership in the ASA, students can visit the ASA web site at http://www.asanet.org.

Professional Associations

Iowa Sociological Association

The Iowa Sociological Association, whose membership consists of area colleges, four year colleges and universities, holds one meeting per year at locations rotating among the member schools. The annual meeting is organized to simulate professional academic meetings. Student present papers, written in conjunction with their course work, before an audience of faculty and students. Student discussants evaluate each paper. Competitions are held for the best paper written by an underclass person, an upper-class person, and on a criminal justice topic. The meeting encompasses one day and includes in addition to the student presentations, a lunch and an address by a notable sociologist. The Department of Sociology at UI is an active participant in the Association and Iowa students regularly present papers and critiques.

Midwest Sociological Society

The Midwest Sociological Society is a vigorous regional association to which The University of Iowa faculty members, graduate students, and undergraduate students belong. The Society publishes The Sociological Quarterly, hosts a yearly meeting, and sustains many opportunities for members. Undergraduate students receive special membership discounts (which includes subscription to The Sociological Quarterly), can apply for special fellowships, and can compete in yearly research paper competitions.

American Sociological Association

Undergraduate sociology majors may also become members of the American Sociological Association (ASA). Membership in the ASA has many benefits for students, including discounts on professional journals, discounts on publications informing students about careers and graduate programs in sociology, and opportunities to attend professional meetings where students can form networks and learn more about the field of sociology. The ASA also has an Honors Program for advanced undergraduate sociology majors. For more information about the ASA, students can visit the ASA web site.