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  • Sociology

    Sociology is the study of social life and the social causes and consequences of human behavior.  Award-winning faculty teach diverse and multifaceted coursework in the broad categories of health, illness and aging; marriage, families and gender; criminology and deviance; inequality, poverty and stratification; social psychology; and race and ethnic studies.  Students examine the most pressing social problems in these areas, as well as how different social groups experience and perceive these issues. The communication and analytical skills developed by sociology majors, complemented by their sensitivity to and appreciation for diversity in many aspects of social relationships, provide our students with essential conceptual tools for navigating today's global marketplace and information society.

    About this Major

    To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college, and major requirements.


    Critical TrackingModel Semester Plan

    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.

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    Coursework for the Major

    Majors are required to complete 32 credits of coursework in sociology and 3 credits of statistics with minimum grades of C. At least 23 credits of sociology credit must be in courses numbered 3000 or higher and at least 18 credits must be completed at UF.

    To graduate, students must also pass a department exam covering fundamental sociological concepts developed by the sociology faculty.

    Required Coursework

    • SYG 2000 Principles of Sociology (3 credits). Sociology majors are encouraged to take
      SYG 2000 as their first class.
    • SYA 4110 Development of Social Thought (4 credits) must be taken after 90 credits.
    • SYA 4300 Methods of Social Research (4 credits) should be completed by the end of the sixth semester. (STA 2023 is a prerequisite for SYA 4300)
    • 21 additional credits of sociology coursework for a total of 32 credits.

    Students select additional sociology courses to complete the 32-credit minimum by matching interests in different substantive areas.

    Majors can only apply two other 2000-level courses besides SYG 2000, for a maximum of nine credits at the 2000 level. There are no prerequisites for 2000-level courses.

    Related Coursework

    In addition to the 32 credits 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.

    Course Details

    All majors should review the department's guidelines for information about the major, the plan of study worksheet, an informational handout, descriptions of current and prospective courses, and other information.

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    Critical Tracking

    Critical Tracking records each student’s progress in courses that are required for entry to each major. Please note the critical-tracking requirements below on a per-semester basis.

    For degree requirements outside of the major, refer to CLAS Degree Requirements: Structure of a CLAS Degree.

    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

    Semester 2

    • Complete 1 sociology course
    • 2.0 UF GPA required

    Semester 3

    • Complete 1 additional sociology course (1 of the 2 courses must be SYG 2000)
    • Complete STA 2023
    • 2.75 GPA required for all 3 critical-tracking courses
    • 2.0 UF GPA required

    Semester 4

    • 2.75 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
    • 2.0 UF GPA required

    Semester 5

    • Complete 1 additional sociology course (1 of the 3 must be at the 3000/4000 level)
    • 2.75 GPA required for all 5 critical-tracking courses
    • 2.0 UF GPA required
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    Model Semester Plan

    Students are expected to complete the writing 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
    State Core GE-S
    3
    Composition
    State Core GE-C; WR
    3
    Foreign language 4-5
    Elective 3
    Total 13-14
    Semester 2 Credits
    IUF 1000 What is the Good Life
    GE-H
    3​
    Biological or Physical Science
    State Core GE-B or P
    3​
    Mathematics
    State Core GE-M, pure math
    3
    Science laboratory
    GE-B or P
    1
    Foreign language or
    Elective
    3-5
    Elective
    Needed if placed out of language with SAT II
    3
    Total 16-18
    Semester 3 Credits
    STA 2023 Introduction to Statistics 1
    GE-M
    3
    Biological or Physical Science
    Area not taken in Semester 2, GE-B or GE-P
    3
    Humanities
    State Core GE-H
    3
    Sociology
    GE-S; 2000 level or above
    3
    Elective
    Or foreign language, if 4-3-3 option
    3
    Total 15
    Semester 4 Credits
    Biological Science
    GE-B
    3
    Humanities
    GE-H
    3
    Sociology
    GE-S; 3000/4000 level
    3
    Electives 6
    Total 15
    Semester 5 Credits
    SYA 4300 Methods of Social Research 4
    Physical Science
    GE-P
    3
    Elective
    3000 level or above, not in major
    3
    Electives 6
    Total 16
    Semester 6 Credits
    Composition
    GE-C; WR
    3
    Sociology course
    2000 level or above
    3
    Sociology course
    3000/4000 level
    3​
    Elective
    3000 level or above, not in major
    3
    Elective 3
    Total 15
    Semester 7 Credits
    SYA 4110 Development of Sociological Thought 4
    Sociology courses
    3000/4000 level
    6
    Electives
    3000 level or above, not in major
    6
    Total 16
    Semester 8 Credits
    Sociology
    3000/4000 level
    3
    Electives
    3000 level or above, not in major
    6
    Electives 5
    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.

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    Related Sociology Programs

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majors: sociology-online