The Undergraduate Major in Sociology

The Department of Sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is one of the best and most highly-ranked in the country. Founded in 1920 by Howard W. Odum, this Department has played a prominent role in the development of sociology in the United States. Through its long and distinguished history, UNC's Sociology Department has counted among its members and alumni many eminent scholars, public servants, and business and community leaders. Its faculty and graduates over the years have done innovative work and influenced the formation of significant movements and policies for social change. Students who take courses in sociology at UNC will be taught by some of the leading scholars in the discipline of sociology.

A Liberal Arts Major

Sociology, like most majors in the College of Arts and Sciences, is a liberal arts major, designed to offer its students a broad education in critical thinking, analytical problem solving, reasoned judgment, and effective communication. Only a few majors go on to become professional sociologists with PhD's in the field. What matters as much about a sociology major as what you can ?do with it? is what it can do to you: it can help you to become a well-rounded person, equipped with the versatile skills and abilities of a liberal arts education, well prepared to negotiate the complexities of contemporary societies in order to pursue both a thoughtful, purposeful life and a variety of vocational callings and careers.

Degree Requirements

Please see the undergraduate bulletin.

Program Strengths

The undergraduate major in Sociology at UNC-CH provides students with theoretical and methodological tools and substantive insights for understanding human social life and institutions. The Department?s faculty is particularly strong in the areas of social inequality, marriage and family, the life course and aging, work and the economy, religion, formal organizations, sex and gender, social movements, population and human ecology, poverty and welfare, medical sociology, social networks, education, and political sociology. The emphases in courses range widely from the theoretical to the applied, and incorporate a broad array of methodological approaches?including historical, qualitative, and comparative?although the program?s primary specialization is in quantitative analysis.

A Flexible Major

The Department's major is designed to train students in sociological fundamentals, yet it is receptive to diverse perspectives and interdisciplinary approaches. Departmental majors commonly combine their interests in sociology with courses in other disciplines and programs, such as history, African-American studies, anthropology, political science, religious studies, and business. In addition, the Sociology Department is the primary home to UNC's new minor in Social and Economic Justice. Students interested in pursuing graduate studies in sociology after college may, with instructor permission, also enroll in graduate level courses at UNC. The UNC Sociology Department encourages its students to study issues from a variety of perspectives, and its curriculum is flexible enough to permit students to tailor their program to fit individual needs and interests. The major requirements (9 courses for the B.A.) allow students substantial flexibility in meeting their individual intellectual interests and goals.

Research, Service, & Careers

The undergraduate Sociology program is also structured to provide students with opportunities to put sociological ideas into practice through research by means of independent studies, honors theses, and community internships. The department also urges interested students to put their training to practical use in the service of others. Most broadly, the sociology major offers strong preparation in analytical skills and broad knowledge of human relations and social systems, providing many useful tools for the development of a variety of careers?including those in law, business and industry, public relations, public policy, social work, community and social justice organizing, religious ministry, international affairs and development, politics and government, social and market research, criminal justice, advertising, medicine and public health, and education.

Major and University Advising

Office hours for departmental advisors are listed on the bulletin board outside Hamilton 155. During pre-registration, sociology advisors keep extended hours, and a sign-up sheet is provided on the bulletin board for you to make appointments with advisors. Students should feel free to talk with advisors at any time during the semester, not just during registration periods; and to talk about anything on their minds, from course selection to career aspirations. The key is: you must take the initiative! This is a big university, in which it is easy to get lost in a variety of ways.  Help is available, but usually you have to seek it out. Finally, to be absolutely sure that you have sufficient credits and course distributions to graduate, obtain The Final Word from your Arts and Sciences advisor in Steele Building. It is these advisors who give the final stamp of approval and determine whether or not you will graduate, so it is crucial that you see your Arts and Sciences advisor at least once a year. For more information, see The Advising Webpage.