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Sociology

Major: Sociology
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Total Credit Hours: 180.0
Co-op Options: Three Co-op (Five years); One Co-op (Four years); No Co-op (Four years)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 45.1101
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 19-3041

About the Program

The sociology major at Drexel University has three components: theory, methods, and substantive coursework. It also features specialized coursework relating to social justice issues.

Sociology is the systematic study of societies. Society is the sum total of individual and group interactions and relations, from small groups and families to global networks and complex social organizations. The discipline covers a wide variety of fields of inquiry. Sociologists examine structural relations and are committed to developing a critical understanding of these relationships. Thus, the sociology major stresses theory, research methods, and quantitative and qualitative data analysis. These are then applied to a wide variety of substantive areas including, but not limited to, social inequality, political power, gender, sexuality, class, race, ethnicity, family, health, cities and neighborhoods, technology and environmental change, as well as social and political movements connected with social change. The stress on critical understanding means that sociology majors will strive not only to develop strong analytic abilities but an intellectual and ethical engagement reflected in sociologically informed thinking and action.The research and analytical skills developed in our program are sought after by a wide variety of professions.

Specialized social justice coursework is typically carried out in connection with community groups and organizations. It is a way the Sociology Program and Drexel University as a whole seek to become practically engaged with the wider community while promoting social justice.

For more information about the sociology major, visit the Department of Sociology web page.

Degree Requirements

General Requirements
CIVC 101	Introduction to Civic Engagement	1.0
COOP 101	Career Management and Professional Development	1.0
ENGL 101	Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research	3.0
or ENGL 111	English Composition I
ENGL 102	Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing	3.0
or ENGL 112	English Composition II
ENGL 103	Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres	3.0
or ENGL 113	English Composition III
UNIV H101	The Drexel Experience	1.0
UNIV H201	Looking Forward: Academics and Careers	1.0
Four Humanities/Fine Arts Courses		12.0
Two Mathematics Courses		6.0
Two Science Courses		6.0
Two Consecutive Foreign Language Courses ^*		8.0
Social and Behavioral Sciences		12.0
SOC 101	Introduction to Sociology
Social and Behavioral Sciences Electives (9.0 credits)
International Studies		6.0
Two International Studies Courses
Studies in Diversity		6.0
Two Studies in Diversity Courses
Sociology Core Requirements
Required Major Capstone		4.0
SOC 450	Capstone in Sociology
Theory Sequence		8.0
SOC 355 [WI]	Classical Social Theory
SOC 356 [WI]	Contemporary Social Theory
Methods Sequence		8.0
SOC 241	Research Design: Qualitative Methods
SOC 242	Research Design: Quantitative Methods
Required Sociology Electives		40.0
Select at least 10 of the following: (At least four must be at the 300 or 400 level; and at least one must be at the 400-level.)
SOC 115	Social Problems
SOC 210	Race, Ethnicity and Social Inequality
SOC 215	Sociology of Work
SOC 220	Wealth and Power
SOC 221	Sociology of the Family
SOC 222	Sex and Society
SOC 230	Gender and Society
SOC 235	Sociology of Health and Illness
SOC 238	Sociology of Health Professions
SOC 240	Urban Sociology
SOC 244	Sociology of the Environment
SOC 268	Sociology of Sport
SOC 271	Sociology of Aging
SOC 276	Global Climate Change
SOC 313	Sociology of Global Health
SOC 315	HIV/AIDS and Africa
SOC 318	Social Networks and Health
SOC 320	Sociology of Deviance
SOC 330	Development and Underdevelopment in the Global South
SOC 340	Globalization
SOC 341	Global Environmental Movements
SOC 346	Environmental Justice
SOC 349	Sociology of Disasters
SOC 370	Practicum in Applied and Community Sociology
SOC 405	Medicine, Technology and Science
SOC 406	Housing and Homelessness
SOC 410	Imagining Multiple Democracies
SOC 420	Love, Rage & Debt: The Debt Society
SOC 430	Politics of Life
SOC 444	Social Movements
SOC 490	Sociology Research Seminar I: Research Design
SOC 491	Sociology Research Seminar II: Data Acquisition and Analysis
SOC 492	Sociology Research Seminar III: Practicum in Sociological Research
SOC T380	Special Topics in SOC
Free Electives ^**		51.0
Total Credits		180.0

At least one foreign language course must be at the 200-level. In addition, the department recommends students take 2 additional foreign language courses as free electives.

Students not participating in co-op (NCOP) will not take COOP 101 and will need 52.0 free elective credits.

Writing-Intensive Course Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.

A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program . Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.

Sample Plan of Study

4 year, no co-op

First Year
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits	Summer	Credits
ENGL 101 or 111	3.0	CIVC 101	1.0	ENGL 103 or 113	3.0	VACATION
SOC 101	3.0	ENGL 102 or 112	3.0	Diversity Studies elective	3.0
UNIV H101	1.0	Foreign Language course	4.0	Free electives	7.0
Foreign Language course	4.0	Social and Behavioral Science elective	3.0
Mathematics course	3.0	Sociology required elective	4.0
	14		15		13		0
Second Year
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits	Summer	Credits
SOC 241	4.0	SOC 242	4.0	SOC 355	4.0	VACATION
Mathematics course	3.0	Humanities/Fine Arts elective	3.0	Diversity Studies elective	3.0
Sociology required electives	8.0	Science course^*	3.0	Free electives	6.0
		Sociology required elective	4.0	Social and Behavioral Sciences elective	3.0
	15		14		16		0
Third Year
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits	Summer	Credits
SOC 356	4.0	UNIV H201	1.0	Free electives	6.0	VACATION
Free electives	6.0	Free electives	6.0	Humanities/Fine Arts elective	3.0
Social and Behavioral Sciences elective	3.0	Sociology required elective	4.0	International Studies elective	3.0
Sociology required elective (300-level)	4.0	Sociology required elective (300-level)	4.0	Sociology required elective (300-level)	4.0
	17		15		16		0
Fourth Year
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits
Free electives	6.0	Free electives	6.0	SOC 450	4.0
Humanities/Fine Arts elective	3.0	Humanities/Fine Arts elective	3.0	Free elective	3.0
Science course^*	3.0	Sociology required elective (400-level)	4.0	Humanities/Fine Arts electives	6.0
Sociology required elective	4.0			International Studies elective	3.0
	16		13		16
Total Credits 180

See degree requirements.

4 year, 1 co-op

First Year
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits	Summer	Credits
ENGL 101 or 111	3.0	CIVC 101	1.0	COOP 101^*	1.0	VACATION
SOC 101	3.0	ENGL 102 or 112	3.0	ENGL 103 or 113	3.0
UNIV H101	1.0	Foreign Language course	4.0	Diversity Studies elective	3.0
Mathematics course	3.0	Social and Behavioral Science elective	3.0	Free electives	6.0
Foreign Language course	4.0	Sociology required elective	4.0
	14		15		13		0
Second Year
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits	Summer	Credits
SOC 341	4.0	SOC 242	4.0	SOC 355	4.0	SOC 356	4.0
Mathematics course	3.0	Humanities/Fine Arts elective	3.0	Free electives	6.0	Free electives	6.0
Sociology required electives	8.0	Science course^**	3.0	Diversity Studies elective	3.0	Social and Behavioral Sciences elective	3.0
		Sociology required elective	4.0	Social and Behavioral Sciences elective	3.0	Sociology required elective (300-level)	4.0
	15		14		16		17
Third Year
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits	Summer	Credits
UNIV H201	1.0	Free electives	6.0	COOP EXPERIENCE		COOP EXPERIENCE
Free electives	6.0	Humanities/Fine Arts elective	3.0
Sociology required elective	4.0	International Studies elective	3.0
Sociology required elective (300-level)	4.0	Sociology required elective (300-level)	4.0
	15		16		0		0
Fourth Year
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits
Free electives	6.0	Free electives	6.0	SOC 450	4.0
Humanities/Fine Arts elective	3.0	Humanities/Fine Arts elective	3.0	Free elective	3.0
Science course^**	3.0	Sociology Required elective (400-level)	4.0	Humanities/Fine Arts electives	6.0
Sociology required elective	4.0			International Studied elective	3.0
	16		13		16
Total Credits 180

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major.

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

See degree requirements.

5 year, 3 co-ops

First Year
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits	Summer	Credits
ENGL 101 or 111	3.0	CIVC 101	1.0	COOP 101^*	1.0	VACATION
SOC 101	3.0	ENGL 102 or 112	3.0	ENGL 103 or 113	3.0
UNIV H101	1.0	Foreign Language course	4.0	Free electives	6.0
Mathematics course	3.0	Social and Behavioral Science elective	3.0	Diversity Studies elective	3.0
Foreign Language course	4.0	Sociology required elective	4.0
	14		15		13		0
Second Year
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits	Summer	Credits
SOC 241	4.0	SOC 242	4.0	COOP EXPERIENCE		COOP EXPERIENCE
Mathematics course	3.0	Humanities/Fine Arts elective	3.0
Sociology required electives	8.0	Science course^**	3.0
		Sociology required elective	4.0
	15		14		0		0
Third Year
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits	Summer	Credits
SOC 355	4.0	SOC 356	4.0	COOP EXPERIENCE		COOP EXPERIENCE
Diversity Studies elective	3.0	Free electives	6.0
Free electives	6.0	Social and Behavioral Sciences elective	3.0
Social and Behavioral Sciences elective	3.0	Sociology required elective (300-level)	4.0
	16		17		0		0
Fourth Year
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits	Summer	Credits
UNIV H201	1.0	Free electives	6.0	COOP EXPERIENCE		COOP EXPERIENCE
Free electives	6.0	Humanities/Fine Arts elective	3.0
Sociology required elective	4.0	International Studies elective	3.0
Sociology required elective (300-level)	4.0	Sociology required elective (300-level)	4.0
	15		16		0		0
Fifth Year
Fall	Credits	Winter	Credits	Spring	Credits
Free electives	6.0	Free electives	6.0	SOC 450	4.0
Humanites/Fine Arts elective	3.0	Humanities/Fine Arts elective	3.0	Free elective	3.0
Science course^**	3.0	Sociology required elective (400-level)	4.0	Humanities/Fine Arts electives	6.0
Sociology required elective	4.0			International Studies elective	3.0
	16		13		16
Total Credits 180

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major.

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 101 in place of COOP 101.

See degree requirements.

Co-op/Career Opportunities

An undergraduate degree in sociology is excellent preparation for law school, medical school, or for graduate work in such fields as sociology, history, gerontology, or political science.

Outside of academics, sociologists work in a wide variety of settings. Some serve as statistical analysts for market research firms, health care agencies, and government. Others are involved in urban planning, survey research, public relations, agency management, trend analysis, or criminal justice. There are sociologists of religion working for national church organizations, and sociologists specializing in gerontology who are engaged in research or administration for agencies concerned with the aged.

Co-op Experiences

Some recent co-op positions held by sociology students include the following:

Human Resources Assistant, National Board of Medical Examiners
Giving Corps Intern, Cradles to Crayons
Organizing Internship, Food & Water Watch
Marketing Intern, Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP
Small Business Outreach Co-op, The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians

Visit the Drexel Steinbright Career Development Center page for more detailed information on co-op and post-graduate opportunities.

Sociology Faculty

Susan Bell, PhD (Brandeis University) Department Head, Sociology. Professor. The interaction between patient cultures and embodied health movements; changing culture and structure of biomedicine; the experience of illness, women's health, and narrative representations of the politics of cancer, medicine, and women's bodies.

Robert J. Brulle, PhD (George Washington University). Professor. Environmental policy and politics, critical theory, marine risk, social movements, environmental sociology.

Mary Ebeling, PhD (University of Surrey) Director, Women's and Gender Studies. Associate Professor. Science and technology studies; emerging technologies and biocapital; media and democratic cultures; radical social movements; sociology of markets; political sociology; and ethnographic methodologies.

Julia Hall, PhD (University of Pennsylvania). Professor. Criminal justice and juvenile justice reform, including community based alternatives to incarceration, correctional education and programming, reentry and reintegration, restorative justice, and issues relating to special needs offenders, including the el

Kelly Joyce, PhD (Boston College) Director, Master's Program in Science Technology & Society. Professor. Science, medicine and technology; aging and technology; qualitative social science methods; healthcare and medicine.

Emmanuel F. Koku, PhD (University of Toronto). Associate Professor. Social network analysis; qualitative/quantitative research; medical sociology; social epidemiology; social demography; sociology of development; communication and information technology; community and urban sociology.

Diamantino Machado, PhD (Temple University). Teaching Professor. Globalization, political economy, political sociology, philosophy of social science, postmodernism and social reflection.

Elizabeth McGhee Hassrick, PhD (University of Chicago). Assistant Research Professor. Social network interventions that promote positive outcomes for people with ASD, their families and communities

Kevin Mobey, PhD (University of California-San Diego). Assistant Teaching Professor. The social and cultural studies of biomedicine/health, particularly as those domains intersect with and through the institutions of race/sexuality/gender, social movements/community advocacy, HIV/AIDS, racial health disparities, science and technological studies, and Black Studies

David Ridgway, MS (St. Joseph's University) Faculty fellow of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Instructor. The correlations between poverty and public welfare, especially theories of the perpetuation of poverty; Sociology of crime; police practices and police procedure

Mimi Sheller, PhD (New School for Social Research) Director, Center for Mobilities Research and Policy. Professor. Sustainable mobility and mobility justice: new cultures and infrastructures of travel, transport, mobile communication, and urbanism; Caribbean Studies: history, culture and political theory of the region, including intersections of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality and class.

Diane Sicotte, PhD (Arizona State University). Associate Professor. Sociology of environmental injustice: inequalities in the citing of environmental hazards; community-based research in neighborhoods dealing with industrial hazards; sociology of the environment; urban sociology; social inequalities.

LEARN MORE

Sociology

About the Program

Degree Requirements

Writing-Intensive Course Requirements

Sample Plan of Study

4 year, no co-op

4 year, 1 co-op

5 year, 3 co-ops

Co-op/Career Opportunities

Co-op Experiences

Sociology Faculty

Writing-intensive Requirements