sociology

SOCIOLOGYProgram StrengthsThe undergraduate major in Sociology at UNC-CH provides students with theoretical and methodological tools and substantive insights for understanding human social life and institutions. The Department’s faculty is particularly s trong in the areas of social inequality, marriage and family, the life course and aging, work and the economy, religion, formal organizations, sex and gender, social movements, population and human ecology, poverty and welfare, medical sociology, social networks, education, and political sociology. The emphases in courses range widely from the theoretical to the applied and incorporate a broad array of methodological approaches including historical, qualitative, and comparative, although the program’s prima ry specialization is in quantitative analysis.A Flexible MajorThe Department’s major is designed to train students in sociological fundamentals, yet it is receptive to diverse perspectives and interdisciplinary approaches. Departmental majors commonly combine their interests in sociology with courses in other disciplines and programs, such as history, African-American studies, anthropology, political science, religious studies, and business. In addition, the Sociology Department is the primary home to UNC’s minor in Social and Economic Justice. Students interested in pursuing graduate studies in sociology after college may, with instructor permission, also enroll in graduate level courses at UNC. The UNC Sociology Department encourages its students to study issues from a variety of perspectives, and its curriculum is flexible enough to permit students to tailor their program to fit individual needs and interests. The major requirements (9 courses for the B.A.) allow students substantial flexibility in meeting their individual intellectual interests and goals.Research, Service, & CareersThe undergraduate Sociology program is also structured to provide students with opportunities to put sociological ideas into practice through research by means of independent studies, honors theses, and community internships. The department also urges interested students to put their training to practical use in the service of others. Most broadly, the sociology major offers strongpreparation in analytical skills and broad knowledge of human relations and social systems, providing many useful tools for the development of a variety of careers including those in law, business and industry, public relations, public policy, social work, community and social justice organizing, religious ministry, international affairs and development, politics and government, social and market research, criminal justice, advertising, medicine and public health, and education.Major and University AdvisingStudents should feel free to talk with advisors at any time during the semester, not just during registration periods; and to talk about anything on their minds, from course selection to career aspirations. The key is: you must take the initiative! This is a big university, in which it is easy to get lost in a variety of ways. Help is available, but usually you have to seek it out. Finally, to be absolutely sure that you have sufficient credits and course distributions to graduate, obtain The Final Word from your Arts and Sciences advisor in Steele Building. It is these advisors who give the final stamp of approval and determine whether or not you will graduate, so it is crucial that you see your Arts and Sciences advisor at least once a year. For more information, see The Advising Webpage.Sociology is the study of human social relationships and institutions. Sociology’s subject matter is diverse, ranging from crime to religion, from the family to the state, from the divisions of race and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture, and from social stability to radical change in whole societies. Unifying the study of these diverse subjects of study is sociology’s purpose of understanding how human action and consciousness both shape and are shaped by surrounding cultural and social structures.Sociology is an exciting and illuminating field of study that analyzes and explains important matters in our personal lives, our communities, and the world. At the personal level, sociology investigates the social causes and consequences of such things as romantic love, racial and gender identity, family conflict, deviant behavior, aging, and religious faith. At the societal level, sociology examines and explains matters like crime and law, poverty and wealth, prejudice and discrimination, schools and education, business firms, urban community, and social movements. At the global level, sociology studies such phenomena as population growth and migration, war and peace, and economic development.Sociologists emphasize the careful gathering and analysis of evidence about social life to develop and enrich our understanding of key social processes. The research methods sociologists use are varied. Sociologists observe the everyday life of groups, conduct large-scale surveys, interpret historical documents, analyze census data, study video-taped interactions, interview participants of groups, and conduct laboratory experiments. The research methods and theories of sociology yield powerful insights into the social processes shaping human lives and social problems and prospects in the contemporary world. By better understanding those social processes, we also come to understand more clearly the forces shaping the personal experiences and outcomes of our own lives. The ability to see and understand this connection between broad social forces and personal experiences —what C. Wright Mills called “the sociological imagination” — is extremely valuable academic preparation for living effective and rewarding personal and professional lives in a changing and complex society.Students who have been well trained in sociology know how to think critically about human social life, and how to ask important research questions. They know how to design good social research projects, carefully collect and analyze empirical data, and formulate and present their research findings. Students trained in sociology also know how to help others understand the way the social world works and how it might be changed for the better. Most generally, they have learned how to think, evaluate, and communicate clearly, creatively, and effectively. These are all abilities of tremendous value in a wide variety of vocational callings and professions.Sociology offers a distinctive and enlightening way of seeing and understanding the social world in which we live and which shapes our lives. Sociology looks beyond normal, taken-for-granted views of reality, to provide deeper, more illuminating and challenging understandings of social life. Through its particular analytical perspective, social theories, and research methods, sociology is a discipline that expands our awareness and analysis of the human social relationships, cultures, and institutions that profoundly shape both our lives and human history.What Can I Do With Sociology?One of the most frequent questions students ask about sociology is, “What can I do with a sociology degree?” The answer is that the career potential of sociology majors is almost limitless. Sociologists are employed by research institutes, the criminal justice system, public health andwelfare organizations, private businesses, law firms, international agencies, medical centers, educational institutions, advertising firms, survey and polling organizations, and beyond. Students with a bachelor’s degree in sociology often secure employment as social researchers, case workers, paralegals, public relations workers, administrators, community organizers, public policy researchers, and data analysts. Sociology also provides great preparation for going on to law school, medical school, business school, and for graduate degree programs in social work, education, public policy, religious ministry, mass communications, public health, non-profit administration, and international affairs.Liberal Arts Education for Success in Today’s EconomyThe days when young people learned specific technical skills for one lifetime career are long gone. Today’s economy and labor market demand employees who are creative, versatile, and adaptable. The best employers are looking for people who are broadly educated in the kind of critical, analytical, organizational, and communication skills that will enable them to master new tasks and solve new problems many times over throughout their careers. Sociology is exactly the kind of major in which to learn those skills. Sociology offers its students a broad education in critical thinking, analytical problem solving, reasoned judgement, and effective communication. It helpsto form its students into a well-rounded person, equipped with valuable intellectual and communication skills and abilities with which to pursue a host of possible vocational callings and careers, and a thoughtful, purposeful life. The issue is not only what you can do with it, but what it does to you. This is the great career advantage of a broad liberal arts college education over a mere technical or professional education at the undergraduate level.Preparing for Graduate SchoolMany people share a misconception that graduate professional schools require that applicants have majored in a particular subjects such as politics for law school, or economics for business school. In fact, professional schools value and admit students from a wide variety of backgrounds. Many of our recent sociology graduates have gone on to law, medical, and business schools. The critical social awareness and research and analytical skills gained through a sociology major also provide a solid foundation for students planning careers in architecture, urban planning, public health, or education. Of course the sociology major prepares interested undergraduates for graduate studiesin sociology, should they choose to continue in the field to become researchers or teachers in either high schools, two-year colleges, four-year colleges, or research universities.Career AdvisingBesides discussing their interests and goals with an advisor within the Department of Sociology, students are also encouraged to seek career information and advice from the University Career Services, 211 Hanes Hall; 962-6507.Resources from the American Sociological AssociationCareers in SociologyASA Resources for Undergraduate Sociology MajorsCourses for Career PathsThe UNC Department of Sociology does not offer formal minors or concentrations in specific fields (although it is home to the UNC-CH minor in Social and Economic Justice). However, the Department does offer the following classes especially relevant to these career areas:• Business and Industry: SOCI 131, 251, 252, 410, 415, 427• International Affairs and Development: SOCI 380, 420, 439, 450, 453• Education: SOCI 380, 412, 423• Law: SOCI 122, 123, 133, 273, 420, 424, 442• Public Policy: SOCI 133, 251, 252, 273, 412, 414, 415, 420, 422, 424, 429, 431, 468• Community Service, Organizing, and Advocacy: SOCI 133, 273, 411, 412, 427, 429, 468• Medicine and Public H ealth: SOCI 251, 252, 422, 431, 468, 469。