Professors—Barbosa, Dumont, LeBlanc, Wiley
Associate Professors—Bettinger, Carrington, Fields, Hossfeld, McCaughan
Assistant Professors—Clay, Martinez, Sears
B.A. in Sociology
Minor in Sociology
Sociology examines the social aspects and dimensions of most everything human beings do in the realm of politics, economics, culture, technology, relationships, and identity. Studying sociology provides students critical and reflexive perspectives with which to understand the world. It pushes students to develop the analytical, research, and compositional skills necessary to investigate, understand, analyze, explain, and improve the world around them. Courses cover a broad range of topics including: the study of individuals as social actors; the analysis of social processes such as social interaction and deviance and conformity; the study of institutions such as law, family, media, popular culture, medicine, education, and religion; and the investigation of the social organization of entire societies in the global context. The department offers a variety of courses of interest to non-majors as well as to majors.
Upon completion of a B.A. in Sociology, students can continue their education with graduate work in either sociology or in some related field such as social work, public administration, or law. For students who choose to pursue employment with their bachelor's degree, sociology provides an excellent liberal arts foundation for a range of career paths that utilize their sociological insights as well as the conceptual and methodological skills they have acquired. Training in sociology can open a variety of doors in human services and in business. Those who enter human services may work with youths at risk, the elderly, or people experiencing problems related to poverty, substance abuse, or the justice system. Some find employment in agencies that work for social change including various organizations concerned with human rights issues or the environment. Sociology majors who enter the business world work in sales, marketing, customer relations, or human resources.
In addition, the sociology major has a competitive advantage in today's information society. The solid base received in research design, data analysis, statistics, and sociological concepts enables them to compete for support positions in research, social planning, policy analysis, program evaluation, and other social science endeavors.
All courses numbered 300 and above require upper-division standing and completion of Segment I G.E. requirements including ENG 214 or equivalent. SOC 370, SOC 371 and 392 require passing of JEPET or concurrent enrollment in ENG 414. Students are allowed to take one course toward the major as credit/no credit (CR/NC). This course cannot be used as one of the Required Courses or to satisfy Areas 1 and 2. Students are also allowed to count 3-4 upper-division units outside Sociology toward the major upon approval of a Sociology advisor. A total of 12 lower-division units, including SOC 105, SOC 110, SOC 200, SOC 245 and those courses taken at community colleges, automatically apply toward the 23-24 units of electives required for the degree. A total of 30 Sociology units must be upper-division. University regulation requires 12 units toward the major must be completed in residence.
Please note that the department strongly encourages students to meet with an advisor early during their first semester at SFSU regardless of academic rank. All students are required to have met with a Sociology advisor at least once by the time they have completed SOC 300.Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated. On-line course descriptions are available.
| Required Courses | Units | |
| SOC 300 | Sociological Analysis (SOC 300 is a prerequisite for all other required courses in the major) | 4 |
| SOC 370 | Classical Theories of Society or | 4 |
| SOC 371 | Contemporary Theories of Society | |
| SOC 392 | Introduction to Research Methods | 4 |
| SOC 393 | Quantitative Analysis of Social Data or | 4 |
| SOC 394 | Sociological Field Methods | |
| SOC 500 | Senior Seminar or | 3 |
| SOC 501 | Internship: Applied Sociology (2) and | |
| SOC 502 | Internship Seminar: Applied Sociology (1) | |
| Total Required Courses | 19 | |
| Sociology Electives (In fufilling the elective requirements students must complete at least one course from each of the following two areas*) | 23-24 | |
| Area 1: Inequalities in the United States | ||
| SOC 272 | Social Inequality: Poverty Wealth, and Privilege (4) | |
| SOC 330 | Comparative Race and Ethnicity in the US: Class Gender, and Nation | |
| SOC 362 | The Social Construction of Deviance and Conformity (4) | |
| SOC 400 | Variations in Human Sexuality | |
| SOC 455 | Punishment and Social Control | |
| SOC 467 | Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Cultures and Society (4) | |
| SOC 468 | Social Aspects of Human Sexuality (4) | |
| SOC 469 | Gender and Society (4) | |
| SOC 490 | Sociology of Popular Culture (4) | |
| Area 2: Global Inequalities | ||
| SOC 461 | Ethnic Relations: International Comparisons (4) | |
| SOC 471 | Societal Change and Development (4) | |
| SOC 477 | Environmental Sociology (4) | |
| SOC 480 | City in a Global Society (4) | |
| SOC 482 | Global Immigration and Immigrants | |
| SOC 483 | Global Sociology (4) | |
| SOC 645 | Identities, Inequalities & Struggles in Latin America | |
| *The remaining units may include additional courses from these areas, 3-4 upper-division units outside sociology upon approval of a sociology advisor and any other course with a sociology prefix including SOC 105, SOC110, SOC 200, SOC 245 and courses taken at other institutions. | ||
| Total Electives | 23-24 | |
| Total for major | 42-43 | |
The department strongly encourages students interested in pursuing an MA or PhD in Sociology to take both SOC 370 and 371 and all three methods courses (SOC 392, 393, and 394).
At least half the units making up the minor (12 units) must be taken in residence and at least half must be upper division. Students must be assigned letter grades for all courses taken toward the minor.
Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated. On-line course descriptions are available.
| Required Courses | Units | |
| SOC 300 | Sociological Analysis (SOC 300 is a prerequisite for all other required courses in the minor) | 4 |
| SOC 370 | Classical Theories of Society or | 4 |
| SOC 371 | Contemporary Theories of Society | |
| SOC 392 | Introduction to Research Methods | 4 |
| Total Required Courses | 12 | |
| Sociology Electives (Select one course from either of the following two areas*): | 6-8 | |
| Area 1: Inequalities in the United States | ||
| SOC 272 | Social Inequality: Poverty Wealth, and Privilege (4) | |
| SOC 330 | Comparative Race and Ethnicity in the US: Class Gender, and Nation | |
| SOC 362 | The Social Construction of Deviance and Conformity (4) | |
| SOC 400 | Variations in Human Sexuality | |
| SOC 455 | Punishment and Social Control | |
| SOC 467 | Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Cultures and Society (4) | |
| SOC 468 | Social Aspects of Human Sexuality (4) | |
| SOC 469 | Gender and Society (4) | |
| SOC 490 | Sociology of Popular Culture (4) | |
| Area 2: Global Inequalities | ||
| SOC 461 | Ethnic Relations: International Comparisons (4) | |
| SOC 471 | Societal Change and Development (4) | |
| SOC 477 | Environmental Sociology (4) | |
| SOC 480 | City in a Global Society (4) | |
| SOC 482 | Global Immigration and Immigrants | |
| SOC 483 | Global Sociology (4) | |
| SOC 645 | Identities, Inequalities & Struggles in Latin America | |
| *The remaining units toward the 18-20 units may include additional courses from these areas or any other course with a sociology prefix including SOC 105, SOC 110, SOC 200, SOC 245 and courses taken at other institutions. | ||
| Total for Minor | 18-20 | |