Sociology
http://socanth.msu.montana.edu/
Department of Sociology & Anthropology
The Bachelor of Science in Sociology program provides students the opportunity to combine a liberal arts education with a unique focus on the empirical study of human societies including social dynamics, institutions, inequality, and crime and victimization. The curriculum is designed for students to explore interests in sociology and criminology, with an emphasis on elective courses and few prerequisites. A Bachelor's degree in Sociology prepares students for employment in a number of areas, including governmental agencies, nonprofit organizations, for-profit businesses, law enforcement, corrections, and academic institutions. Sociology also provides excellent preparation for graduate school and other educational and career opportunities.
The department offers a Bachelor of Science degree with two options: (a) General Sociology, or (b) Criminology. Both options require 42 credits in sociology courses, along with 3 credits in statistics. In choosing specific sociology classes and topics, students consult with their advisor and instructors to determine the best set of classes to fulfill the elective requirements. For students in both the General Sociology and Criminology options, it will be helpful to discuss your substantive and occupational interests with your advisor to better design and align your major coursework with these interests. We offer many sociology classes that can be combined to create a focused and comprehensive plan of study, which will better prepare you to enter post-baccalaureate positions.
Additionally, the department recommends that students consider adding a second major or a minor to their degree plans to further assist in preparing them for labor market or graduate education options. The choice of this major or minor should also be made in consultation with advisors and other faculty members.
General Sociology Option
This option is for the student who desires a broad foundation in Sociology with the ability to fully customize their major and substantive focus. For this option, the student is required to take SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS, STAT 216Q or SOCI 202, SOCI 318R, SOCI 455, and SOCI 499 (15 credits total). The remaining 30 credits in Sociology will be comprised of ten courses of the student's choosing, of which eight must be at the 300-level or above. Students that choose the General Sociology Option often take a set of courses that lead to a specific area of emphasis, such as Social Inequality, Family Relations and Children, Social Services, Health and Medicine, and Pre-Law.
Criminology Option
This option is for the student who desires a strong foundation in Sociology with a specific focus on laws, the legal system, the social structure of criminal behavior, and society's efforts to understand and control crime and victimization. This option allows students to pursue a sociology degree that integrates core coursework in sociology with courses that focus on law, crime, and the criminal justice system. To achieve this integration, the student is required to take SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS, STAT 216Q or SOCI 202, SOCI 318R, SOCI 311, and SOCI 499 (15 credits total).The remaining 30 credits in Sociology will be comprised of 15 credits in Directed Criminology Elective courses and 15 credits in Sociology elective courses.
We strongly recommend that prior to enrolling in any upper division courses in Sociology, students complete their Core requirement in Writing, Quantitative Reasoning, Diversity, and Inquiry-Social Sciences with a grade of "C-" or better. We also recommend students complete their Quantitative Reasoning Core by the end of their sophomore year and SOCI 318R in their junior year
Prerequisite Requirements
Any student who enrolls in a course offered by the Department of Sociology and Anthropology without the required prerequisite(s) will be required to withdraw from the course, unless they receive permission from the instructor to remain enrolled. Most elective courses in Sociology require SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS as a prerequisite.
Curricula in Sociology
- General Sociology Option
- Criminology Option
- Sociology Minor (Non-Teaching)
Transfer Students:
The maximum number of Sociology transfer credits accepted is 18.
SOCI 318R, SOCI 455 or SOCI 311, and SOCI 499 must be taken within the MUS system, or at a transfer institution if the department deems the course to be a direct replacement. Transfer students who have taken these prior to transferring can petition to have these courses accepted. For graduation in the Sociology option, students must have a grade of "C-" or higher in all required and elective sociology courses.
Criminology Option
| Freshman Year | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Spring | |
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
SOCI 101IS - Introduction to Sociology1 | ||
SOCI 110IS - Honors Sociological Inquiry1 | ||
| W CORE - College Writing I | 3 | |
| Q CORE -Quantitative Reasoning | 3 | |
| IS CORE - (Social Science Inquiry): Outside of the Sociology Department | 3 | |
| US CORE - University Seminar | 3 | |
| CS CORE - Contemporary Issues in Science | 3 | |
| IN CORE - Natural Science Inquiry | 3 | |
| IH CORE -Humanities Inquiry | 3 | |
| D CORE - (Diversity): Outside of the Sociology Department | 3 | |
| IA CORE - Arts Inquiry | 3 | |
| Year Total: | 15 | 15 |
| Sophomore Year | Credits | |
| Fall | Spring | |
| Choose one of the following:2 | 3 | |
STAT 216Q - Introduction to Statistics | ||
SOCI 202 - Social Statistics | ||
| SOCI Electives3 | 3 | |
| Free Electives and/or Remaining CORE | 9 | |
| SOCI Electives3 | 6 | |
| Free Electives and/or Remaining CORE | 9 | |
| Year Total: | 15 | 15 |
| Junior Year | Credits | |
| Fall | Spring | |
| SOCI 318R - Sociological Research Methods | 3 | |
| SOCI Electives3 | 6 | |
| Free Electives and/or Remaining CORE | 6 | |
| SOCI 311 - Criminology | 3 | |
| SOCI Elective3 | 3 | |
| Free Electives and/or Remaining CORE | 9 | |
| Year Total: | 15 | 15 |
| Senior Year | Credits | |
| Fall | Spring | |
| Free Electives and/or Remaining CORE | 9 | |
| SOCI Electives3 | 6 | |
| SOCI 499 - Senior Thesis Capstone4 | 3 | |
| SOCI Electives3 | 6 | |
| Free Electives and/or Remaining CORE | 6 | |
| Year Total: | 15 | 15 |
| Total Program Credits: | 120 | |
Criminology designated Sociology electives:
Criminology designated Sociology electives: 3 | ||
| SOCI 150D | Social Difference | 3 |
| SOCI 201D | Social Problems | 3 |
| SOCI 221IS | Criminal Justice System | 3 |
| SOCI 313 | Principles of Criminal Law and Procedure | 3 |
| SOCI 325 | Social Stratification | 3 |
| SOCI 326 | Sociology of Gender | 3 |
| SOCI 327 | Sociology of Deviance | 3 |
| SOCI 335 | Juvenile Justice System | 3 |
| SOCI 344 | Sociology of Race & Ethnicity | 3 |
| SOCI 357 | Occupational/Corporate Crime | 3 |
| SOCI 358 | Crime and Inequality | 3 |
| SOCI 359 | Crime, Justice and Media | 3 |
| SOCI 362 | Sociology of Law Enforcement | 3 |
| SOCI 363 | Crime Prevention | 3 |
| SOCI 375 | Law & Globalization | 3 |
| SOCI 414 | Family Violence | 3 |
| SOCI 415 | Sociology of Trauma | 3 |
| SOCI 420 | Violence in America | 3 |
| SOCI 423 | Sociology of Corrections | 3 |
| SOCI 425 | Victims and Society | 3 |
| SOCI 435 | Law and Society | 3 |
| SOCI 436 | Law and Inequality | 3 |
| SOCI 437 | Communities & Crime | 3 |
| SOCI 498 | Internship | 2-12 |
General Sociology Electives
General Sociology electives 4 | ||
| SOCI 150D | Social Difference | 3 |
| SOCI 201D | Social Problems | 3 |
| SOCI 221IS | Criminal Justice System | 3 |
| SOCI 235 | Aging and Society | 3 |
| SOCI 290R | Undergraduate Research | 1-6 |
| SOCI 303 | Society and the Individual | 3 |
| SOCI 307 | Soc of Childhood & Adolescence | 3 |
| SOCI 308 | Becoming an Adult in America | 3 |
| SOCI 313 | Principles of Criminal Law and Procedure | 3 |
| SOCI 320 | Sociology of Religion | 3 |
| SOCI 325 | Social Stratification | 3 |
| SOCI 326 | Sociology of Gender | 3 |
| SOCI 327 | Sociology of Deviance | 3 |
| SOCI 332 | Sociology of the Family | 3 |
| SOCI 333 | Sociology of Education | 3 |
| SOCI 335 | Juvenile Justice System | 3 |
| SOCI 340 | Social Movements | 3 |
| SOCI 344 | Sociology of Race & Ethnicity | 3 |
| SOCI 345 | Sociology of Organizations | 3 |
| SOCI 346 | Rural Sociology | 3 |
| SOCI 347 | Urban Sociology | 3 |
| SOCI 355 | Population and Society | 3 |
| SOCI 357 | Occupational/Corporate Crime | 3 |
| SOCI 358 | Crime and Inequality | 3 |
| SOCI 359 | Crime, Justice and Media | 3 |
| SOCI 362 | Sociology of Law Enforcement | 3 |
| SOCI 363 | Crime Prevention | 3 |
| SOCI 370 | Sociology of Globalization | 3 |
| SOCI 374 | Sociology of Culture | 3 |
| SOCI 375 | Law & Globalization | 3 |
| SOCI 380 | Sociology of Health & Medicine | 3 |
| SOCI 401 | Animals and Society | 3 |
| SOCI 414 | Family Violence | 3 |
| SOCI 415 | Sociology of Trauma | 3 |
| SOCI 420 | Violence in America | 3 |
| SOCI 423 | Sociology of Corrections | 3 |
| SOCI 425 | Victims and Society | 3 |
| SOCI 434 | Sociology of Human Sexuality | 3 |
| SOCI 435 | Law and Society | 3 |
| SOCI 436 | Law and Inequality | 3 |
| SOCI 437 | Communities & Crime | 3 |
| SOCI 448 | Society and Sport | 3 |
| SOCI 455 | Classical Sociological Theory | 3 |
| SOCI 470 | Environmental Sociology | 3 |
| SOCI 485 | Political Sociology | 3 |
| SOCI 490R | Undergraduate Research | 1-6 |
| SOCI 491 | Special Topics | 1-4 |
| SOCI 492 | Independent Study | 1-3 |
| SOCI 494 | Seminar | 1-3 |
| SOCI 498 | Internship | 2-12 |
- 1
Please note,SOCI 101IS or SOCI 110IS is required for completion of the major but does not fulfill University IS Core Requirements for Sociology Majors.
- 2
Please note that fulfilling the Q CORE is a prerequisite for SOCI 202. For students who take STAT 216, it will count as both the Q CORE and the statistics requirement for the major.
- 3
Sociology Electives for Criminology option: Students must take 15 elective credits of Criminology designated SOCI courses and 15 credits of any courses designated as SOCI. All but 6 of the 30 elective credits must be in upper-division courses and no more than 6 credits of SOCI 490R, SOCI 492, and SOCI 498 combined can count toward the fulfillment of the major elective credits.
- 4
Students must complete SOCI 455 (General Sociology option) or SOCI 311 (Criminology option) and SOCI 318R before registering for SOCI 499