Sociology, BA

Department of Anthropology, Sociology and Social Work
Jodi O’Brien, PhD, Chair

Objectives

Sociologists are fascinated by the fundamental question: why do people do what they do? Sociologists describe and explain the ecological foundations of society, major institutions and the ways in which people interact, organize their lives together and bestow meaning on the world. In so doing we seek a wider cross-cultural and multi-cultural understanding, striving to make people’s lives intelligible across the boundaries of culture, class, race, and gender.

Students are invited to develop their abilities to apply the sociological perspective to the study of social life. We seek to build a learning environment which will bring each student to a level of understanding and skill needed to apply that knowledge to furthering one’s career and bettering one’s life and society. We help prepare students for careers in human services, for graduate study in sociology, education and law. Internships match theory with practice by providing opportunities for on-the-job training.

We strive to help students make sense of their own lives and the world in which they live. We also want to empower them to see the possibilities and limits of social change and of service to others.

Requirements

In order to earn the bachelor of arts degree with a major in sociology, students must complete a minimum of 180 credits with a cumulative and major/program grade point average of 2.00, including the following:

I. Core Curriculum Requirements

ENGL 110 - College Writing: Inquiry and Argument 5
PHIL 110 - Introduction to Philosophy and Critical Thinking 5
HIST 120 - Origins of Western Civilization 5
ENGL 120 - Introduction to Literature 5
MATH 107 or MATH 110 or above 5
Lab Science 5
Fine Arts (one approved 5-credit course) 5
PHIL 220 - Philosophy of the Human Person 5
Social Science I (not sociology) 5
Social Science II (not sociology and different discipline from Social Science I) 5
Theology and Religious Studies Phase II (200-299 ) 5
Ethics (upper division) 5
Theology and Religious Studies Phase III (300-399 ) 5
Interdisciplinary 3 to 5
Senior Synthesis 3

II. College of Arts and Sciences Requirements

Modern Language 115, 125, 135, or equivalent (15)

NOTE:

All students with a major in the College of Arts and Sciences must demonstrate competency through the level of 135 in a language other than English. This competency is ordinarily achieved by successful completion of the three-course sequence: 115, 125, and 135. Because these courses are a college requirement, no course in the sequence may be taken on a pass/fail, correspondence, or audit basis. Placement into other than the beginning course of the sequence is achieved by acceptable performance on the Modern Language Competency Examination. See the Modern Languages Department for details on the examinations. Courses used to satisfy the College of Arts and Sciences modern language requirement may not be used to fulfill sociology major requirements.

Choose one of the following two courses:

III. Major Requirements

55 credits in sociology, social work, and anthropology, including:

SOCL 301 - Approaches to Sociological Reasoning 5
SOCL 302 - Sociological Methods 5 (Prerequisite SOCL 301 )
SOCL 402 - Sociological Theory 5 (Prerequisites SOCL 301 , SOCL 302 )

Area I: Power and Stratification

Choose one from the following three courses: (5)

Area II: Self and Society

Choose one from the following two courses: (5)

SOCL 222 - Society and Behavior 5
ANTH 323 - Culture and Personality 5
Choose electives from ANTH, SOCL and SOCW courses: (30)

NOTE:

A minimum of 30 upper-division credits in sociology, social work, and anthropology will be required for graduation.
Transfer students must complete a minimum of 25 credits in sociology, social work, and/or anthropology at Seattle University.
Several courses in the sociology major have been identified as satisfying the senior synthesis and the core interdisciplinary requirements. Those courses may be used to fill major requirements or major electives while also fulfilling university core requirements. The credit for each course completed is included in totals only once.

Departmental Honors

Sociology Major with Departmental Honors