Sociology
Sociology is the study of social life and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists examine the structure of groups, organizations and societies and how people interact within these contexts. Sociologists use diverse research methods and many unique perspectives to analyze virtually any social issue.
About This Major
- College: Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Degree: Bachelor of Arts
- Hours for the Degree: 120
- Minor: No
- Combined-Degree Program: Yes
- Website: web.soc.ufl.edu/undergraduate.htm
Overview
A liberal arts degree in sociology provides students with opportunities to develop skills deemed essential for many different types of careers. These skills include learning how to identify and solve problems, conduct research, relate to others and write effectively. Graduates frequently are employed in business (e.g., advertising staff member, human resource manager), community and social services (e.g., environmental organizer, family planning worker), education (e.g., teacher, public health educator), government (e.g., human rights officer, urban planner), and research (e.g., social research assistant and market researcher). Sociology is also an excellent major for pre-law, pre-health, M.A. and Ph.D. studies.
Coursework for the Major
Majors are required to complete 31 semester hours of coursework in sociology and six hours of statistics with C or better grades. At least 22 semester hours of sociology credit must be in courses numbered 3000 or higher and at least 18 credit hours must be completed at UF.
Required Coursework
- SYG 2000 Principles of Sociology. Sociology majors are encouraged to take SYG 2000 as their first class.
- SYA 4110 Development of Social Thought must be taken after 90 credits.
- SYA 4300 Methods of Social Research should be completed by the end of the sixth semester. (STA 2023 and STA 3024 are prerequisites for SYA 4300)
- An additional 20 hours of sociology coursework for a total of 31 hours. In addition to the 31 hours of sociology coursework, majors are required to complete:
- STA 2023 Introduction to Statistics 1, with a minimum grade of C. STA 2023 must be taken no later than the end of the third semester and is a prerequisite for STA 3024.
- STA 3024 Introduction to Statistics 2, with a minimum grade of C. STA 3024 must be taken no later than the end of the fifth semester.
Additional sociology courses to complete the 31-hour minimum may be selected by students to match their interests in different substantive areas. - Majors can count only two other 2000-level courses besides SYG 2000 toward the major, for a maximum of nine credits at the 2000 level. There are no prerequisites for 2000-level courses.
Course Details
All majors should review the department's guidelines or visit 3206 Turlington Hall for information about the major, the plan of study worksheet, an informational handout, descriptions of current and prospective courses and other information.
Combined Degree Programs
The Department of Sociology and Criminology and Law offers a combined BA/MA degree to eligible undergraduate students. Please see the graduate coordinator for more information regarding this degree option. Sociology majors may also consider various combined degree programs with other departments and colleges. For example, a Master of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in management is offered through the Warrington College of Business Administration to eligible students who have majored in sociology. Please see the undergraduate coordinator for more information about such degree options.
Research
The Department of Sociology encourages students to engage in the research process, either by conducting their own projects in collaboration with a sociology faculty member or by working with sociology faculty on their current research. These opportunities may be pursued by conducting a senior honors thesis or registering for Individual Work credits (SYA 4905). Please see the undergraduate coordinator for more information and eligibility requirements.
To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college and major requirements. For degree requirements outside of the major, refer to CLAS Degree Requirements — Structure of a CLAS Degree.
Critical Tracking and Recommended Semester Plan
Equivalent critical tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students
Semester 1
- 2.0 UF GPA required for semesters 1-5
Semester 2
- Complete 1 sociology course
Semester 3
- Complete 1 additional sociology course (1 of the 2 courses must be SYG 2000)
- Complete STA 2023
- 2.75 GPA in all 3 critical-tracking courses
Semester 4
- 2.75 GPA in all critical-tracking coursework
Semester 5
- Complete 1 additional sociology course (1 of the 3 courses must be at the 3000/4000 level)
- Complete STA 3024
- 2.75 GPA in all 5 critical-tracking courses
Recommended semester plan
Students are expected to complete the writing and math requirement while in the process of taking the courses below. Students are also expected to complete the general education international (GE-N) and diversity (GE-D) requirements concurrently with another general education requirement (typically, GE-C, H or S).
| Semester 1 | Credits |
| SYG 2000 Principles of Sociology (GE-S) * | 3 |
| Composition (GE-C, WR) | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Foreign language | 4-5 |
| Total | 13-14 |
| Semester 2 | Credits |
| Biological Science (GE-B) | 3 |
| Elective (needed if placed out of language with SAT II) | 3-0 |
| Foreign language | 3-5 |
| Humanities (GE-H) | 3 |
| Mathematics (GE-M) | 3 |
| Science laboratory (GE-P or B) | 1 |
| Total | 16-15 |
| Semester 3 | Credits |
| STA 2023 Introduction to Statistics 1 (GE-M) | 3 |
| Elective (or foreign language, if 4-3-3 option) | 3 |
| Humanities (GE-H) | 3 |
| Physical Science (GE-P) | 3 |
| Sociology course (2000 level or above) | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 4 | Credits |
| STA 3024 Introduction to Statistics 2 (GE-M) ** | 3 |
| Biological Science (GE-B) | 3 |
| Electives | 6 |
| Humanities (GE-H) | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 5 | Credits |
| SYA 4300 Methods of Social Research ** | 4 |
| Electives | 6 |
| Physical Science (GE-P) | 3 |
| Sociology course (3000/4000 level) | 3 |
| Total | 16 |
| Semester 6 | Credits |
| Composition (GE-C, WR) | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Elective (3000 level or above, not in major) | 3 |
| Sociology courses (3000/4000 level) | 6 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 7 | Credits |
| SYA 4110 Development of Sociological Thought | 4 |
| Electives (3000 level or above, not in major) | 6 |
| Sociology courses (3000/4000 level) | 6 |
| Total | 16 |
| Semester 8 | Credits |
| Sociology course (3000/4000 level) | 3 |
| Electives | 5 |
| Electives (3000 level or above, not in major) | 6 |
| Total | 14 |
* In addition to SYG 2000 (GE-S), the remaining six credits of GE-S can be satisfied by sociology or non-sociology GE-S courses.
** Upper-division transfer students should complete STA 3024 no later than semester 5, followed by SYA 4300 no later than semester 6.