Sociology is the study of human societies; of the institutions, organizations, and groups that compose them; and of the way individuals and groups relate to one another. One of the discipline’s special emphases will be to offer comparative, cross-national, and cross-cultural perspectives throughout the curriculum. Sociological knowledge is vital to the understanding of contemporary problems such as crime, poverty, overpopulation, mental illness, and aging.  Studying this field is highly relevant to careers in human services, research, and government which try to address these problems.

To study the broad subject of soci­ology, a student needs to acquire information (what we know), methodology (how we know), and theory (how we explain).  A major in sociology will require students to develop background and strength in each of these domains.  Students may choose to concentrate more fully in a particular content area of sociology, such as health, welfare and education; crime and deviance; socialization, aging, and the life course; social structure, mobility, inequality; or gender and ethnicity by selecting a set of courses which focus in related fields.

Learning Objectives

The primary aim of our curriculum is to provide students with the knowledge and analytic skills necessary to understand social life in an increasingly complex world.  We want our graduates to be able to use the key insights and analytic methods of sociology to improve the social conditions in which they and others coexist.  We expect holders of a Cal State San Marcos Bachelor’s degree in sociology to be able to address large- and small-scale social problems through constructive empirical inquiry, critical analysis, and strategic action.  The Sociology Department’s curriculum cultivates the theoretical, methodological, and advocacy skills integral to meeting these goals.  The list below summarizes the primary knowledge and skills students graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology will posses.

1. An understanding of the key theoretical approaches and insights that inform sociology.
2. The ability to develop informed theories of social behavior from systematic observation of social life.
3. Comprehension of the diversity of social experience and perspectives, especially as they relate to race, class, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, and nationality.
4. Can apply sociological theories to develop empirically researchable questions about social life.
5. Can locate, understand, summarize, and synthesize sociological scholarship.
6. Understands the central research methods—quantitative, qualitative, and hybrid—used to study social life.
7. Can identify and apply research methods appropriate to any particular research question, theoretical orientation, and social context.
8. Understands the limits of the information produced by each research method.
9. Can write a literature review and research report that conforms to the professional norms of sociological scholarship.
10. Can apply sociological theory and research in service of positive social change.

Core Coursework

All students majoring in sociology complete a series of required core courses that build proficiency in each of the learning objectives listed above.   The required courses include:

• a basic introduction to sociology (SOC 101, or its equivalent);
• an introduction to statistics (SOC 201);
• a survey of the social correlates of inequality (SOC 311, or SOC 313, or SOC 315);
• a foundational survey of sociological theory (SOC 320);
• two courses in sociological research methods, one focusing on quantitative techniques (SOC 360), and one focusing on qualitative methods (SOC 361);
• one senior-level capstone experience (either SOC 480 or SOC 495)

Opportunities for Specialization

Each student majoring in sociology must also choose a concentration area in which to pursue more focused instruction around a key social issue or set of issues.  We currently offer five such concentrations:

• Standard Concentration
• Aging and the Life Course
• Children, Youth, and Families
• Critical Race Studies
• Health, Education, and Welfare

Career Opportunities

An undergraduate degree in sociology may lead to careers in advertising and market research, public-opinion polling, law enforcement and criminal justice, city planning, real estate, social work, community relations, and a variety of other occupations in the public and private sectors.  In order to facilitate the understanding of how sociology can be applied in real social organizations, students are encouraged to take an internship in an organization or agency serving the community or in a social research setting.  Our graduates are also prepared to continue the study of sociology at the graduate level for careers in human service, research, or teaching.