SociologySociologyConcentrationConcentration

Pre-Advising PowerPointPre-Advising PowerPoint

About SociologyAbout Sociology• Welcome to the sociology concentration at Towson Welcome to the sociology concentration at Towson

University. Broadly defined, sociologists study social University. Broadly defined, sociologists study social processes and interaction, social structures and processes and interaction, social structures and institutions, and social issues and problems. institutions, and social issues and problems.

• Sociology is a scientific discipline that looks beyond the Sociology is a scientific discipline that looks beyond the individual, to the way people are grouped and society is individual, to the way people are grouped and society is organized, and how this impacts patterns of living and organized, and how this impacts patterns of living and understanding. understanding.

• Current strengths among our sociology faculty include the Current strengths among our sociology faculty include the study of inequality and stratification, small groups and study of inequality and stratification, small groups and symbolic interaction, and social institutions such as the symbolic interaction, and social institutions such as the family, politics, health and medicine, sport, or the economy family, politics, health and medicine, sport, or the economy and work. and work.

• In addition, the department offers numerous courses on In addition, the department offers numerous courses on wide ranging topics including immigration, urban wide ranging topics including immigration, urban sociology, social movements, gender, formal organizations, sociology, social movements, gender, formal organizations, friendship and intimacy, and others. friendship and intimacy, and others.

The New Sociology The New Sociology CurriculumCurriculum

• For students beginning fall 2006 and For students beginning fall 2006 and beyond, the sociology concentration has beyond, the sociology concentration has been revised and is thus different from been revised and is thus different from previous years. previous years.

• Overall, students must complete a Overall, students must complete a minimum of 13 courses or 39 units of minimum of 13 courses or 39 units of study to finish the new sociology study to finish the new sociology concentration.concentration.

• Students in our new and revised sociology Students in our new and revised sociology concentration must complete courses in concentration must complete courses in five areas. five areas.

Completing Sociology:Completing Sociology:Lower Level Courses Lower Level Courses

• First, all sociology students complete three courses First, all sociology students complete three courses in the Sociology-Anthropology Common Core, in the Sociology-Anthropology Common Core, including introductory courses in sociology and including introductory courses in sociology and anthropology, and a statistics course. These anthropology, and a statistics course. These courses provide broad-based knowledge of society courses provide broad-based knowledge of society and culture, as well as an introduction to statistical and culture, as well as an introduction to statistical techniques used by sociologists to analyze data. techniques used by sociologists to analyze data.

• Second, the sociology concentration requires the Second, the sociology concentration requires the completion of two 200 level sociology elective completion of two 200 level sociology elective courses. These courses introduce specific courses. These courses introduce specific examples of the subject matter of sociology and examples of the subject matter of sociology and more closely examine the sociological perspective more closely examine the sociological perspective on society and the sociological imagination. on society and the sociological imagination.

Completing Sociology:Completing Sociology:Theory, Methods, Advanced Theory, Methods, Advanced

StudyStudy• Third, there are two required courses in sociological theory Third, there are two required courses in sociological theory

and research methods. These courses provide the and research methods. These courses provide the foundational understanding of sociology as a discipline and foundational understanding of sociology as a discipline and provide the knowledge and tools for both formulating and provide the knowledge and tools for both formulating and answering sociological questions. We strongly recommend answering sociological questions. We strongly recommend that all students take the theory course before the methods that all students take the theory course before the methods course, and that students avoid taking both courses during course, and that students avoid taking both courses during the same semester. the same semester.

• Fourth, students studying in sociology are required to Fourth, students studying in sociology are required to complete one course from the combined applications, complete one course from the combined applications, engagement, and advanced study area of the curriculum. engagement, and advanced study area of the curriculum. Our advanced study and applications courses involve the in-Our advanced study and applications courses involve the in-depth exploration of sociological concepts to understand and depth exploration of sociological concepts to understand and address contemporary issues in the social world. Here address contemporary issues in the social world. Here students pursue an additional applied data analysis or theory students pursue an additional applied data analysis or theory course, an external internship, a capstone seminar that course, an external internship, a capstone seminar that culminates in the writing and presentation of a scholarly culminates in the writing and presentation of a scholarly paper, independent research under the tutelage of a specific paper, independent research under the tutelage of a specific faculty member, or the first course leading to the Honors faculty member, or the first course leading to the Honors Thesis. Thesis.

Completing Sociology:Completing Sociology:Upper Level Elective Upper Level Elective

CoursesCourses• Fifth, all students in sociology must complete Fifth, all students in sociology must complete

five upper level sociology elective courses from five upper level sociology elective courses from three areas: social inequalities, social processes three areas: social inequalities, social processes or interaction, and social institutions or or interaction, and social institutions or contexts. These courses involve more specific contexts. These courses involve more specific study of a range of critical substantive areas study of a range of critical substantive areas within the discipline of sociology. There are within the discipline of sociology. There are many courses to choose from in this area, but many courses to choose from in this area, but the general rule is that you must complete one the general rule is that you must complete one course from each of the three areas. The course from each of the three areas. The remaining two courses can be any courses in remaining two courses can be any courses in this section of interest to you. this section of interest to you.

Career OpportunitiesCareer Opportunities• Sociology students often ask, what kind of jobs are Sociology students often ask, what kind of jobs are

available for students who major in sociology? It is available for students who major in sociology? It is important to think about sociology as a perspective, important to think about sociology as a perspective, that is as an approach to solving problems, analyzing that is as an approach to solving problems, analyzing data, and thinking critically. As such, sociology data, and thinking critically. As such, sociology students are well prepared for work in settings such students are well prepared for work in settings such as the corporate workplace, social services, research as the corporate workplace, social services, research institutes, government or politics, journalism or the institutes, government or politics, journalism or the mass media, or nonprofit and community mass media, or nonprofit and community organizations. Examples of career options (some organizations. Examples of career options (some requiring a graduate degree) include: survey requiring a graduate degree) include: survey researcher, policy analyst, population demographer, researcher, policy analyst, population demographer, public relations specialist, urban planner, community public relations specialist, urban planner, community organizer, lawyer, or university professor, among organizer, lawyer, or university professor, among many possibilities.many possibilities.

And finally…And finally…• In concluding your visit to this website today, In concluding your visit to this website today,

we would like you to complete a short survey we would like you to complete a short survey about your interests related to sociology. about your interests related to sociology.

• This survey should be answered, printed, and This survey should be answered, printed, and brought along with a copy of your unofficial brought along with a copy of your unofficial transcript to your first meeting with your transcript to your first meeting with your major advisor. major advisor.

• If you are transferring credits to Towson, If you are transferring credits to Towson, please bring your transfer evaluation form. please bring your transfer evaluation form.

• If there are courses that you believe will If there are courses that you believe will satisfy our requirements to complete the satisfy our requirements to complete the concentration, it would be helpful if you have concentration, it would be helpful if you have a syllabus and/or course description for the a syllabus and/or course description for the course.course.