Degree Requirements

Departmental Requirements

• SOCI 101

• SOCI 250, 251, and 252

• Three SOCI electives numbered above 400. With permission of the director of undergraduate studies, one of these courses may be 691H, 692H, 396 or 290.

• Two other SOCI courses

Majors are required to take SOCI 101 as the introductory course. If possible, it should be taken by the end of the sophomore year. This course, in which a C grade or higher must be earned, can be used to satisfy a General Education social and behavioral sciences requirement.

The major thus consists of nine total sociology courses which include the introductory course SOCI 101, and three specific required courses, SOCI 250 and 251–252 (a two-course sequence). SOCI 250, 251 and 252 should be taken, if possible, during the junior year. Students also take three 400-level courses and two other sociology courses.

Students who wish to complete major requirements at another institution (such as summer transfer courses or study abroad experiences) should contact Rene Iwo at rene.iwo@unc.edu prior to enrolling in those courses. Students will not be guaranteed major credit for any courses taken elsewhere if they have not previously received approval from the department.

Additional Notes for Majors

With the approval of the director of undergraduate studies, students may use credit for one of SOCI 691H, 692H, 396 or 290 as one of the 400-level courses. A student writing an honors thesis may count one of Sociology 691H or Sociology 692H as a 400 level course and may use the other course as one of the two general sociology electives required for the major.

Students double majoring in Psychology may take PSYC 210 or PSYC 215 instead of SOCI 252. However, students that choose this option must take an additional 400 level Sociology course (4 total). Students who wish to substitute another course for SOCI 252 (e.g. PLCY 460) should contact the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies, Rene Iwo at rene.iwo@unc.edu.

First-year seminars in sociology can count toward the major but may be taken only by first-year students.

Students must earn grades of C or better in SOCI 101 and at least 18 additional hours in the major. No more than two online courses may count toward the major in Sociology.

Students who double major in Sociology and Management and Society can count SOCI 101, SOCI 252 and up to two additional Sociology courses toward both majors. Students who combine a Sociology major with a Health and Society minor or a Social and Economic Justice minor will also need to follow the policy of the university that more than 50% of courses in each major and minor must be unique to that program. For more information, contact the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies.

Courses in Career Areas

The Department of Sociology does not offer concentrations in specific fields. However, the department does offer courses especially relevant to the following career areas:

• Business and Industry: SOCI 131, 251, 252, 410, 415, 427

• International Affairs and Development: SOCI 380, 420, 439, 450, 453

• Education: SOCI 380, 412, 423

• Law: SOCI 122, 123, 133, 273, 420, 424, 442

• Public Policy: SOCI 133, 251, 252, 273, 412, 414, 415, 420, 422, 424, 429, 431, 468

• Community Service, Organizing, and Advocacy: SOCI 133, 273, 411, 412, 427, 429, 468

• Medicine and Public Health: SOCI 251, 252, 422, 431, 468, 469