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Undergraduate Study in Sociology

The Department of Sociology offers course work leading to either a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, or a minor in sociology. Additionally, a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural & Rural Policy Studies is offered.

Student Learning Outcomes

Graduates of all these programs will understand and demonstrate:


  1. General knowledge of sociology
  2. Research methods in sociology
  3. Critical thinking skills
  4. Application of sociology to pressing social issues
  5. Sociological and professional values
  6. Information technology skills
  7. Communication skills
  8. Personal and career development

Graduates understand how social institutions, communities, and organizations work and change; they can examine the causes and consequences of conformity, deviance, and inequality. They can apply sociological understanding of human behavior to practical work situations and everyday life. Graduates can read critically, think independently, and communicate effectively about social issues and social policy.

Degree Requirements

As majors in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Sociology students must meet College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and University-wide requirements for graduation in addition to those stated below for the major.

University Requirements:

International Perspective3
U.S. Cultures and Communities (formerly U.S. Diversity)3
See http://www.registrar.iastate.edu/courses/div-ip-guide.html for a list of approved courses.
Total Credits6

Communications:

ENGL 1500Critical Thinking and Communication3
ENGL 2500Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition3
One of the following3
Business Communication
Proposal and Report Writing
Technical Communication
LIB 1600Introduction to College Level Research1
Total Credits10

World Languages and Culture:

3 years H.S.
Accelerated Spanish Review
2 semesters college8
Total Credits8

Departmental Requirements for Sociology Majors

A program of study that meets the needs and interests of the student and department requirements will be developed in consultation with the major advisor. Students must maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher in their core courses. Programs of study will include:

SOC 1150Orientation to Sociology1
SOC 1340Introduction to Sociology3
SOC 3020Research Methods for the Social Sciences3
SOC 4010Contemporary Sociological Theories3
6 credits of 2000+ Sociology courses6
18 credits of 3000+ Sociology courses18
Total Credits34

Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science Degree

In addition to the program of study above, students must select complementary courses that will lead to a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree. Programs leading to a bachelor of arts degree will emphasize additional coursework in groups I and III of the general education requirements. Programs leading to a bachelor of science degree will emphasize additional coursework in groups IIA and IIB of the general education requirements. Some of the possible areas of coursework include criminal justice, community (urban and rural) sociology, family sociology, sociology of work, research methods and statistics, social change and development, social inequality, social psychology and sociological theory.

Bachelor of Arts complementary coursework:

STAT 1010Principles of Statistics4
or STAT 1040 Introduction to Statistics
At least 9 additional arts and humanities and/or social science courses9
LAS approved arts and humanities and/or social sciences courses. General education courses cannot be cross-listed or dual-listed with Sociology courses that count toward the major.
Total Credits13

Bachelor of Science complementary coursework:

STAT 1010Principles of Statistics4
or STAT 1040 Introduction to Statistics
At least 9 additional credits in natural science, math, or statistics9
LAS approved mathematics and/or natural science courses. In addition, these courses may be used: STAT 3010, STAT 4010D, STAT 4040, STAT 4070, STAT 4150, STAT 4210, STAT 4790; PSYCH 4400; HDFS 4490; ECON 3080, ECON 3760; CRP 4510 and WGS 4020. General education courses cannot be cross-listed or dual-listed with Sociology courses that count toward the major.
Total Credits13

LAS majors require a minimum of 120 credits to graduate, including a minimum of 45 credits at the 3000/4000 level. You must also complete the LAS world language requirement and career proficiency requirement.

Students in all ISU majors must complete a three-credit course in U.S. cultures and communities (formerly U.S. diversity) and a three-credit course in international perspectives. Check (http://www.registrar.iastate.edu/courses/div-ip-guide.html) for a list of approved courses. Discuss with your advisor how the two courses that you select can be applied to your graduation plan.

Majors must complete both ENGL 1500 Critical Thinking and Communication and ENGL 2500 Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition. According to the university-wide Communication Proficiency Grade Requirement, students must demonstrate their communication proficiency by earning a grade of C or better in ENGL 2500.In addition, majors must also take an advanced course in  ENGL 3020 Business Communication  or  ENGL 3090 Proposal and Report Writing or ENGL 3140 Technical Communication with a grade of C or better. 

Sociology, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

Freshman
FallCreditsSpringCredits
SOC 11501Sociology 2000+3
SOC 13403ENGL 25003
ENGL 15003Social Science Choice3
LIB 16001Arts and Humanities Choice3
Arts and Humanities Choice3Arts and Humanities Choice3
STAT 1010 or 10403-4 
 14-15 15
Sophomore
FallCreditsSpringCredits
Sociology 2000+3Sociology 3000+3
Sociology 3000+3Sociology 3000+3
World Language/International Perspectives3-4World Language/International Perspectives3-4
Arts and Humanities Choice3Natural Science Choice3
Natural Science Choice3Elective3
 LAS 20301
 15-16 16-17
Junior
FallCreditsSpringCredits
Sociology 3000+3SOC 30203
U.S. Cultures and Communities (formerly U.S. Diversity)3Sociology 3000+3
Natural Science Choice2Complementary Course (approved Arts and Humanities or Social Science course if seeking a BA; approved Math or Natural Science course if seeking a BS) 3
Social Science Choice3Electives 3000+6
Electives 3000+6 
 17 15
Senior
FallCreditsSpringCredits
SOC 40103Sociology 3000+3
ENGL 3020, 3090, or 31403Complementary Course (approved Arts and Humanities or Social Science course if seeking a BA; approved Math or Natural Science course if seeking a BS) 3
Complementary Course (approved Arts and Humanities or Social Science course if seeking a BA; approved Math or Natural Science course if seeking a BS) 3Electives 3000+6-9
Electives 3000+6 
 15 12-15

Sociology Minor

The department offers a minor in sociology which may be earned by completing 15 credits in sociology with a minimum 2.0 GPA. At least 9 of the 15 credits must be at the 3000 level or higher with a minimum of 6 of those credits taken at ISU. The minor must include at least 9 credits that are not used to meet any other department, college or university requirement.

Students are required to earn credit for the following courses:

SOC 1340Introduction to Sociology3
Additional 12 credits in Sociology courses12
9 credits must be 3000+
Total Credits15

Graduate Study

The Department offers study toward the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees, with majors available in Sociology and Rural Sociology, as well as a graduate minor in Sociology for students majoring in other departments. The Department offers concentrations in a number of areas, e.g., community studies and development; sociology of families, inequality, food systems, agriculture and environment; criminal justice/criminology; methodology; social change and development; and social psychology. The Department of Sociology does not offer a non-thesis option master’s degree program.

The Department accepts applicants for the Ph.D. program from students who hold a master's degree, as well as from students who wish to enter the program directly with a bachelor's degree. 

Contact information: Kyle Burgason, 202 East Hall, 515-294-9898 or burgason@iastate.edu.

Graduates have a broad understanding of sociology, address complex societal problems, and communicate effectively with scientific colleagues and the general public in both formal and informal settings. They understand sociological theory, conduct research, and are prepared to educate college students and contribute to public policy. Although the Department stipulates no language requirement for either the degree Master of Science or the degree Doctor of Philosophy, specifying competence in one or more languages may be desirable in some instances.

The Department also participates in the interdepartmental graduate major in Sustainable Agriculture, and the interdepartmental graduate minor in Gerontology.

Course requirements are listed below. Information about examinations, theses and dissertations, POS committees and other requirements are available on the Department of Sociology website.

Ph.D. Core Degree Requirements

Although responsibility for determining the student's course work resides with the Plan of Study (POS) committee, the Department of Sociology outlines core courses that must be taken by all students. A graduate course taken elsewhere can be substituted for the Ph.D. core requirements with approval by the Director of Graduate Education (DOGE) in consultation with the student's POS committee.
A minimum of 72 semester credits (including master's degree credits) is required for graduation.

Required Courses for the Ph.D. Degree

STAT 5820Regression for Social and Behavioral Research3
SOC 5060Classical Sociological Theory3
SOC 5110Research Methodology for the Social Sciences3
SOC 5120Applied Multivariate Statistics for Social and Behavioral Research3
SOC 5130Qualitative Research Methods3
SOC 5340Race, Class and Gender Inequality3
SOC 5910Orientation to Sociology1
SOC 6070Contemporary Sociological Theory3
SOC 6990ADissertation Research: General Sociology1-8
or SOC 6990B Dissertation Research: Rural Sociology
14 three-credit elective courses as specified on the POS42
No more than 12 credits of 5900 (special topics) may be applied toward the Ph.D. degree requirements.
Total Credits65-72

Ph.D. Minor / Co-Major Requirements

Required Courses for the Ph.D. Minor

SOC 5060Classical Sociological Theory3
or SOC 6070 Contemporary Sociological Theory
SOC 5110Research Methodology for the Social Sciences3
One of the following two courses:
SOC 5120Applied Multivariate Statistics for Social and Behavioral Research3
or SOC 5130 Qualitative Research Methods
Two 3-credit graduate-level courses in Sociology. 6
Total Credits15

Required Courses for the Ph.D. Co-Major

STAT 5820Regression for Social and Behavioral Research3
SOC 5060Classical Sociological Theory3
SOC 5110Research Methodology for the Social Sciences3
One Course in Advanced Methodology:
Applied Multivariate Statistics for Social and Behavioral Research
Qualitative Research Methods
SOC 5340Race, Class and Gender Inequality3
SOC 5910Orientation to Sociology1
SOC 6070Contemporary Sociological Theory3
3 additional three-credit graduate-level courses in Sociology9
A minimum of 28 total credits is required for the Ph.D. co-major

Co-Major Requirements for the Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture

The Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture (GPSA) develops student competence and expertise in the design, implementation, and evaluation of sustainable agricultural systems.  The program's curriculum satisfies the formal requirements for the MS and Ph.D. degrees, as established by the ISU Graduate College, and fosters transdisciplinary and systems-level thinking. 
The Department does not offer double majors in sociology.
For admission to the co-major program contact the graduate program coordinator.

M.S. Core Degree Requirements

Although responsibility for determining the student's course work resides with the POS committee, the Department of Sociology outlines core courses that must be taken by all students. A graduate course taken elsewhere can be substituted for the core requirements with approval by the Director of Graduate Education (DOGE) in consultation with the student's POS Committee.

Required Courses for the M.S. Degree

STAT 5870Statistical Methods for Research Workers4
SOC 5060Classical Sociological Theory3
or SOC 6070 Contemporary Sociological Theory
SOC 5110Research Methodology for the Social Sciences3
SOC 5130Qualitative Research Methods3
or STAT 5820 Regression for Social and Behavioral Research
SOC 5910Orientation to Sociology1
SOC 6990ADissertation Research: General Sociology1-8
or SOC 6990B Dissertation Research: Rural Sociology
4 three-credit elective courses as specified on the POS12
No more than 6 credits of 5900 (special topics) may be applied toward the M.S. degree requirements.
Total Credits27-34

M.S. Minor / Co-Major Requirements

Required Courses for the M.S. Minor

SOC 5060Classical Sociological Theory3
or SOC 6070 Contemporary Sociological Theory
SOC 5110Research Methodology for the Social Sciences3
Two 3-credit graduate-level courses in Sociology. 6
Total Credits12

Required Courses for the M.S. Co-Major

STAT 5870Statistical Methods for Research Workers4
SOC 5060Classical Sociological Theory3
or SOC 6070 Contemporary Sociological Theory
SOC 5110Research Methodology for the Social Sciences3
One Course in Advanced Methodology:
STAT 5820Regression for Social and Behavioral Research3
or SOC 5130 Qualitative Research Methods
SOC 5910Orientation to Sociology1
2 additional three-credit graduate-level courses in sociology6
A minimum of 20 total credits is required for the M.S. co-major
The department does not offer double majors in sociology at the graduate level. Admission requirements to the co-major program are the same as for the major.

Co-Major Requirements for the Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture

The Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture (GPSA) develops student competence and expertise in the design, implementation, and evaluation of sustainable agricultural systems. The program's curriculum satisfies the formal requirements for the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees, as established by the ISU Graduate College, and fosters transdisciplinary and systems-level thinking.