Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences
MAJOR AND MINOR DESCRIPTIONS BY DEPARTMENT
SOCIOLOGY
This is an exciting time of dramatic social change, both nationally and internationally. Global processes are integrating the world and creating the “global village.” At the same time, old hostilities based on ethnic solidarity are re-emerging and tearing the social fabric of various parts of the world. The U.S. economy is undergoing structural change, which, in turn, is altering the occupational structure; the United States is becoming more multicultural, and the meanings of “community” are shifting. In these changes there are huge benefits for some and heavy costs for others. “Social problems” (e.g., health care availability, poverty, crime, or threats to the environment) are not marginal to societies but integral to them.
Sociologists try to understand these phenomena. For some, this means informing public policy; for others, the social world is simply one of the most interesting things to study. Sociologists study social organization. For some, this means examining societies—how they are structured, how they work, and how they change. Other sociologists study how small social groups work and how they change. This includes the social networks that people form as part of their social life. Issues of race, class, and gender affect the opportunities and constraints faced by different groups in society. Sociologists study how people belong to families, groups, and organizations—how people develop identities and how their social organizations become real. Sociologists also focus on broad patterns of social organization socialization, education, welfare, health care, etc. In short, the social world is endlessly fascinating.
For more information on the sociology major, the sociology minor, and the Department of Sociology, see www.sociology.pitt.edu.
Major Requirements
A total of 27 credits in sociology and four credits in statistics, distributed as follows, are required for completion of the major:
- SOC 0010 Introduction to Sociology or 0005 Societies or 0002 Sociology of Everyday Life
- STAT 0200 Basic Applied Statistics or STAT 1000 Applied Statistical Methods
- SOC 0230 Social Research Methods
- SOC 0150 Social Theory
- A research practicum, designed to provide a focused research experience for students. Research practicums will be determined by the department on a term by term basis.
- At least 6 credits from advanced-level courses (1000 level). (Internships, independent study, and courses taken for the research practicum do not count toward these 6 credits.)
- Nine additional elective credits must be taken to complete the major.
In addition, sociology majors must adhere to these rules and requirements:
- A minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA in all departmental courses is required to graduate.
- Sociology majors may take no more than 6 of their 27 credits under the S/NC option (formerly the S/N option). After declaring the sociology major, students may not take SOC 0150 Social Theory, SOC 0230 Social Research Methods, or STAT 0200 Basic Applied Statistics on the S/NC basis (formerly the S/N option).
- Sociology majors must complete the 12-credit required A&S related area. Acceptable related areas include anthropology, Africana studies, computer science, economics, history, mathematics, philosophy, political science, psychology, or religious studies. In special cases, the sociology advisor may approve some other field to satisfy this requirement, such as the study of an international area or second language.
Minor Requirements
A minor in sociology requires the following distribution of courses for a total of 15 credits:
- SOC 0002 Sociology of Everyday Life or 0005 Societies or 0010 Introduction to Sociology
- SOC 0150 Social Theory
- SOC 0230 Social Research Methods
- A sociological theory course from a list of approved courses, currently including 0150 Social Theory and 1105 Feminist Social Theory
- An elective in sociology
- One elective upper-level sociology course (1000–2000)