Sociology

Department Chair: Nielan Barnes

Department Office: Psychology Building, Room 145
Telephone: (562) 985‑4602
Website: Sociology Department

Faculty: Sabrina Alimahomed-Wilson, Nielan Barnes, Carole Campbell, Robert Chlala, Jeffrey Davis, Shelley T. Eriksen, Jordan Foster, Martha Franco, Jan Haldipur, Claudia Lopez, Nancy Martin, Shaeleya Miller, Janet Muñz, Chantrey J. Murphy, Leakhena Nou, Roberto J. Ortiz, Steven Osuna, Varisa Patrapon, Esa Syeed, Oliver Wang, Jake Wilson, Kerry Woodward, Kristine M. Zentgraf

Administrative Support Coordinators: Kim Glick, Jacqueline Southern

Students desiring information should refer to the department website or contact the department office for referral to faculty advisor:

Undergraduate Advisors: Claudia Lopez, Steven Osuna, Esa Syeed

College: College of Liberal Arts  

Courses: SOC  

Career Possibilities

Sociologist • Social Worker • Health Care Administrator • Community Organizer • School Counselor • Urban Planner • Personnel Manager • Statistician • Public Health Worker • College Student Service Worker • Lawyer • Lobbyist • City Planning Aide • Adoption Counselor • Market Researcher • Employment Interviewer • Management Trainee (Some of these, and other careers, require additional education or experience. For more information, see the Career Development Center website.)

Introduction

Sociology courses are suitable for fulfilling general education or elective requirements for students of other majors.

Honors in Sociology

Students may apply to Sociology Honors program (an option of the University Honors Program) in the spring semester when they have:

1. A minimum of two full semesters remaining before graduation;
2. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 (see the Honors Advisor to discuss exceptions);
3. Completed or are finishing the lower division courses required for the major (SOC 100 , SOC 142 , SOC 170  and especially, SOC 270 ) 

To apply, Sociology majors must submit an application during the open period in spring. The application must include a research proposal and the name of at least one sociology faculty member who will recommend them. 

To graduate with Honors in Sociology a student must:

1. Complete all regular requirements for the major in Sociology;
2. Complete SOC 488H  and SOC 489H  with a B or better. These required 6 units may be in addition to general requirements for the major in sociology or may be counted as part of the elective units required for the regular Sociology BA degree. SOC 488H  and SOC 489H  are equivalent to UHP 496A  and UHP 498 ;
3. Do one of the following: Present own original research paper for a student research competition, present such a paper at a professional meeting, or write a research paper that the department honors advisor agrees is of professional quality;
4. Serve as a Student Teaching Fellow (peer facilitator) for at least one undergraduate sociology course OR serve as a research intern under faculty supervision.

Students are strongly encouraged to:

1. Present their research at a professional or student conference, such as the Pacific Sociological Association’s Annual Meeting; 
2. Join Alpha Kappa Delta, the International Sociology Honor Society;
3. Engage in service to the department or the discipline of sociology.

Programs

• Sociology, B.A.

• Sociology Minor

Courses

• SOC 90 - Foundations for Statistics in the Social Sciences
• SOC 100 - Principles of Sociology
• SOC 142 - Social Trends and Problems
• SOC 170 - Elementary Statistics
• SOC 270 - Introduction to Research Methods
• SOC 317 - Problems in International Social Conflict
• SOC 318 - Cases in International Social Conflict
• SOC 320 - Sociology of Families
• SOC 325 - Sociology of Gender
• SOC 335 - Social Psychology
• SOC 340 - The Latino Population in the United States
• SOC 341 - Central American and Caribbean Peoples in California
• SOC 342 - Critical Criminology
• SOC 345 - Youth, Policing, and Justice
• SOC 346 - Race, Gender and Class
• SOC 353 - Urban and Social Policy Analysis
• SOC 354 - Qualitative Methods of Social Research
• SOC 355 - Quantitative Methods of Social Research
• SOC 356 - Classical Sociological Theory
• SOC 357 - Modern Sociological Theory
• SOC 358 - The Sociology of Migration and Immigration
• SOC 405 - Un-Imaging the Middle East
• SOC 410 - Environmental Sociology
• SOC 415 - Sociology of Education
• SOC 420 - Social Stratification
• SOC 423 - Critical Perspectives on the Child Welfare System
• SOC 426 - Sociology of Sexualities
• SOC 427 - Social Movements and Activism
• SOC 430 - Sociology of Globalization
• SOC 436 - Racism, Power, and Inequality
• SOC 447 - Sociology of Popular Culture
• SOC 449 - Sociology of Human Rights and Social Justice
• SOC 460 - Poverty and Public Policy
• SOC 462 - Sociology of Health and Medicine
• SOC 463 - Mental Health and Society
• SOC 464 - Aging and Society
• SOC 466 - AIDS and Society
• SOC 475 - Religion and Social Change
• SOC 487H - Selected Topics - Honors
• SOC 488H - Honors Research Seminar
• SOC 489H - Honors Thesis
• SOC 490 - Selected Topics in Sociology
• SOC 492 - Selected Topics in Interaction and Group Relations
• SOC 493 - Selected Topics in Medical Sociology
• SOC 494 - Selected Topics in Social Change and Global Issues
• SOC 495 - Internship
• SOC 496 - Field Practicum
• SOC 497 - Peer Facilitation in Sociology
• SOC 499 - Directed Studies