Department of Sociology
Bachelor of Arts in Sociology
Students on Summer 2019, Fall 2019, or Spring 2020 requirements SOCBA
Requirements
The major requires at least 30 credit hours, including the requirements listed below.
- Introductory course. One (1) course:
- SOC-S 100 Introduction to Sociology
SOC-S 100 Introduction to Sociology
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Introduction to the concepts and methods of sociology with an emphasis on understanding of contemporary American society.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
- Introductory Elective. One (1) course:
- SOC-S 101 Social Problems and Policies
- SOC-S 105 Sociology Laboratory
- SOC-S 110 Charts, Graphs, and Tables
- SOC-S 122 Envisioning the City
- SOC-S 201 Social Problems
- SOC-S 210 Economic Sociology
- SOC-S 215 Social Change
- SOC-S 217 Social Inequality
- SOC-S 220 Culture and Society
- SOC-S 230 Society and the Individual
SOC-S 101 Social Problems and Policies
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Introduces sociology through in-depth study of a major social problem; examines research on the problem; and explores alternative policies. Problems treated vary by section. Examples include the environment; women, men, and work; medicine in America; the sociology of sport; alcohol and drug use.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with different topics for a maximum of 15 credit hours. May be counted only once in the major toward departmental requirements.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
SOC-S 105 Sociology Laboratory
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- By combining traditional classroom learning with engagement in community organizations and/or sociological research, this course offers the unique opportunity to acquire both academic and experiential knowledge of the social world.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
SOC-S 110 Charts, Graphs, and Tables
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Develops students' skills as consumers and producers of charts, graphs, and tables. Students learn to use data to depict social trends; assess political programs; and test social science theories. Students learn how to find, read, interpret, and evaluate graphical information, and how to present results in engaging formats.
- Spring 2025CASE NMcourseFall 2024CASE NMcourse
SOC-S 122 Envisioning the City
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Students conduct field research in a city in order to understand the relationship between the built environment and social problems such as obesity and residential segregation. Addresses approaches to resolving these problems through community action.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
SOC-S 201 Social Problems
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Social problems analyzed from the perspective of major sociological theories. Specific problems include poverty and inequality; crime, violence, and law enforcement; institutional problems (education, economy, family, health); globalization in the twenty-first century.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
SOC-S 210 Economic Sociology
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Introduction to the sociological study of economic action. Provides an overview of the sociological perspective of the economy on all levels--from the actions of individuals in economic situations, to organizational behavior, to the dynamics of markets and global capitalism.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
SOC-S 215 Social Change
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Introduction to theoretical and empirical studies of social change. Explores issues such as modernization; rationalization; demographic, economic, and religious causes of change; and reform and revolution.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
SOC-S 217 Social Inequality
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Why are income, wealth, and status distributed unequally? Is social inequality good for society? Explores the economic basis of social class, education, and culture; social mobility; social inequality in comparative and historical perspective.
- Spring 2025CASE DUScourseFall 2024CASE DUScourse
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
SOC-S 220 Culture and Society
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Explores changing beliefs about the role of ideas, values, and symbols in society. Considers recent public debates over the content and practices of science, morality, art, and popular culture.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
SOC-S 230 Society and the Individual
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Personality and its development; relationship to culture and communication and to social settings; deviant types.
- Repeatability
- Credit not given for both SOC-H 230 and SOC-S 230.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
- Social Theory. One (1) course:
- SOC-S 340 Social Theory
SOC-S 340 Social Theory
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Sociological theory, with focus on content, form, and historical development. Relationships between theories, data, and sociological explanation.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
- Research Methods in Sociology. One (1) course:
- SOC-S 370 Research Methods in Sociology
SOC-S 370 Research Methods in Sociology
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- The logic of scientific work in sociology; theory construction; major research designs, including experiments, sample surveys, and ethnographic field studies. Methods of sampling; measurement of variables; and descriptive statistics. Commonly used rates and indices in social research; using software to produce graphical displays and descriptive statistics.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
- Statistics in Sociology. One (1) course:
- SOC-S 371 Statistics in Sociology
SOC-S 371 Statistics in Sociology
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Introduces the logic of statistical inference. Students will learn how to use sample data to reach conclusions about a population of interest by calculating confidence intervals and significance tests. Estimating the effects of multiple independent variables using cross-tabulations and/or regression.
- Repeatability
- Credit given for only one of ANTH-A 306, CJUS-K 300, ECON-E 370, ECON-S 370, MATH-K 300, MATH-K 310, POLS-Y 395, PSY-K 300, PSY-K 310, SOC-S 371, SPEA-K 300, SPH-Q 381, STAT-K 310, STAT-S 300, STAT-S 301, or STAT-S 303.
- Spring 2025CASE NMcourseFall 2024CASE NMcourse
- Capstone. One (1) course:
- Any SOC-S 400–499 except SOC-S 413; SOC-S 419; SOC-S 422; SOC-S 450; SOC-S 493
- Advanced Electives. Nine (9) additional credit hours from the Advanced Electives list.
- Any SOC-S 300–399 except SOC-S 340; SOC-S 370; SOC-S 371
- Any SOC-S 400–499
- Any SOC-X 300–399
- Any SOC-X 400–499
- Additional Elective(s). Additional courses, as needed, to fulfill remaining requirements.
- Major GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
- At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
- At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed at the 300–499 level.
- Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the major.
- A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the major—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
- Exceptions to major requirements may be made with the approval of the department's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.
The Bachelor of Arts degree requires at least 120 credit hours, to include the following:
- College of Arts and Sciences Credit Hours. At least 100 credit hours must come from College of Arts and Sciences disciplines.
- Upper Division Courses. At least 42 credit hours (of the 120) must be at the 300–499 level.
- College Residency. Following completion of the 60th credit hour toward degree, at least 36 credit hours of College of Arts and Sciences coursework must be completed through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
- College GPA. A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.000 is required for all courses taken at Indiana University.
- CASE Requirements. The following College of Arts and Sciences Education (CASE) requirements must be completed:
- CASE Foundations
- CASE Breadth of Inquiry
- CASE Culture Studies
- CASE Critical Approaches: 1 course
- CASE Foreign Language: Proficiency in a single foreign language through the second semester of the second year of college-level coursework
- CASE Intensive Writing: 1 course
- CASE Public Oral Communication: 1 course
- Major. Completion of the major as outlined in the Major Requirements section above.
Most students must also successfully complete the Indiana University Bloomington General Education program.