2011-12 General Catalog

226 College Eight
(831) 459-4306
http://sociology.ucsc.edu

Faculty | Course Descriptions

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Program Description

Sociology is the study of social interactions among individuals and social groups. More specifically, sociologists examine the cultural, ideological, economic and political contexts of human action including the processes whereby social institutions are created, maintained, and transformed.

Sociology was born as an intellectual response to the democratic and industrial revolutions that ushered in the modern era. As such, it considers how society is organized in relationship to a vision of a just, free, and equal society—a vision that may require fundamental social change. Developing an understanding of both social change and social justice as part of the sociological tradition is one of the teaching goals of sociologists at UCSC. In the process, we expect to develop in students an appreciation for the craft of social science: disciplined inquiry, observation, and research as part of informed global citizenship.

Sociology faculty members are engaged in research on a wide range of topics, such as medicine and technology; labor studies; the intersection of class, race, gender and sexualities; environmental sociology; sociology of emotion and affect; queer studies; the cultural politics of sex work; globalization and international development; black cultural politics; Latino and Chicano studies; the politicization of religion; drugs in society; global inequality, crime, and deviance; international law; legal institutions; sustainability; popular culture and cultural studies; media studies; urban studies; political economy; critical ethnography; discourse and conversational analysis; identities and identity changes; and social movements. Sociology faculty use a number of approaches and methods, including ethnography, comparative and historical analysis, conversational and discourse analysis, qualitative interviews, and survey research.

Because of the interdisciplinary emphasis among sociology faculty, undergraduates find the department amenable for double majors and minors, and non-majors find many sociology courses of interest. In recent years, students have conducted independent studies and written senior theses on a variety of subjects including the social construction of gender, emerging professions in health care, utopian communities, human development in Costa Rica, mass communication, the social effects of war, family violence, sustainable development in Bolivia, sanitation in Kenya and Haiti, street children in India, African soccer players in Europe, gay and lesbian families, Latino educational success, and cross-cultural family welfare policies.

The sociology major at UCSC is a rigorous program of study that retains enough flexibility to accommodate students with diverse career goals and plans. It ensures that all students are trained in the main theoretical and methodological traditions of sociology, yet permits considerable variation in students’ own areas of specialization. The major provides the necessary intellectual foundation for students who are considering graduate studies in sociology and related social sciences. It also can be used as preparation for careers in fields as diverse as law, social work, management, environmental planning, public service, education, health services, journalism, and counseling. Finally, the sociology major can provide a general liberal education for undergraduates interested in the study of contemporary society and social problems.

Global Information and Social Enterprise Studies (GISES) is an innovative service learning program developed in collaboration with the Global Information Internship Program (GIIP). It aspires to create a new generation of well-trained advocates for social justice and sustainable development who use the tools of information technology and social enterprise to solve global problems. Practically, student projects engage with local and global organizations to democratize globalization, deepen social justice, reduce poverty, support digital education, and advance the transition to a sustainable world. By combining the spirit of social entrepreneurship with innovative information technologies, GISES students reduce the digital divide by strengthening the informational, communication and organizational capacity of schools, community organizations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The GISES program provides an excellent foundation for students pursuing careers in non-profit management, social advocacy, and education. Depending on a student’s major, there are two ways to enter the GISES program. If a student is a sociology major and wishes to participate in GISES, she or he should declare the intensive sociology major. A student who majors in any field other than sociology should declare GISES as a minor.

Admission into the General Sociology Major, Intensive Sociology Major, Combined LALS Major, Sociology Minor, or GISES Minor

The Sociology Department offers three undergraduate majors: 1) a general sociology major; 2) an intensive sociology major; and 3) a combined major with Latin American and Latino studies. Additionally, there are two minors, one in sociology and one in GISES.

Students must take three courses prior to petitioning for entry to the general sociology major: Sociology 1, Introduction to Sociology, Sociology 10, Issues and Problems in American Society, and Sociology 15, World Society. Students with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or above for these three courses will be allowed to declare the sociology major.

Students must take six courses prior to petitioning for entry to the intensive sociology major: Sociology 1 Introduction to Sociology, Sociology 10, Issues and Problems in American Society; Sociology 15, World Society; Sociology 30A, Introduction to Global Information and Social Enterprise Studies; Sociology 30B, Designing ICT Projects for Social Enterprises; and Sociology 30C, Project Implementation and Grant Writing for Social Entrepreneurs. To be considered for admission to the intensive major, students are required to obtain a GPA of 3.0 or above in these courses and submit a list of seven upper-division courses they propose to complete the upper-division elective requirement, including a brief statement of justification for how each elective contributes to the specific project they will complete for Sociology 196G, Project Practicum.

Students must take two of the following three courses, Sociology 1, 10 or 15, prior to petitioning for entry to the sociology/Latin American and Latino studies major. Students with a GPA of 3.0 or above for these two courses will be allowed to declare the combined major. (If a student takes all three courses, calculation of the GPA will be based on the two highest grades.)

Students must take one of the following three courses, Sociology 1, 10, or 15 prior to petitioning for entry to the sociology minor. Students who receive a grade of B or higher in this course will be allowed to declare the sociology minor. (If a student takes more than one of these three courses, admission to the minor will be based on the highest grade in the courses taken.)

Students must take four courses prior to petitioning for entry to the GISES minor: Sociology 15, World Society; Sociology 30A, Introduction to Global Information and Social Enterprise Studies; Sociology 30B, Designing ICT Projects for Social Enterprises; and Sociology 30C, Project Implementation and Grant Writing for Social Entrepreneurs. To be considered for admission to the GISES minor, students are required to obtain a GPA of 3.0 or above in these courses and submita list of four upper-division courses they propose to complete the upper-division elective requirement, including a brief statement of justification for how each elective contributes to the specific project they will complete for Sociology 196G, Project Practicum.

Equivalent courses may be taken at other universities or at community colleges.

Students should take Sociology 1, 10, 15, 30A, 30B, and 30C for letter grades.

Courses for which the grade of W is given are not counted in the computation of the GPA. The department will evaluate grades for repeated courses following the university’s grading policy for repeated courses.

Students may petition for admission to the major by filling out the campus’s Declaration of Major form, and by supplying evidence of their performance in the required lower-division courses. For specific details, refer to the Sociology Department web site,sociology.ucsc.edu, or the department’s undergraduate adviser.

Transfer students who cannot complete Sociology 1, 10, and 15 before university policy requires them to declare a major will be allowed to declare if they have taken at least two of the three courses (or their equivalent) listed above (at UCSC, at another university, or at a community college) with an overall GPA of 3.0. Transfer students allowed to declare under this rule are expected to complete all three courses with an overall minimum GPA of 3.0. Transfer students will be subject to disqualification from the major if they subsequently do not achieve an overall 3.0 GPA in courses 1, 10, and 15 or their equivalent.

Appeal of Negative Decisions

Students must submit appeals of negative decisions to the Sociology Department in writing within 30 days of notification of denial of entrance into the major. Letters of appeal should describe any extenuating circumstances that might have affected the student’s record.

Requirements for the General Sociology Major

For more details, students may consult the sociology handbook, available online at http://sociology.ucsc.edu, or at the department office, 226 College Eight.

Sociology majors are required to take a total of 13 courses (three prescribed lower-division courses in preparation for the major, four prescribed upper-division core courses, and six upper-division electives). In addition, they must successfully complete the comprehensive requirement prior to graduation.

Lower-division preparation. All sociology majors are required to take the following three courses or their equivalents.

1, Introduction to Sociology

10, Issues and Problems in American Society

15, World Society

Upper-division core courses. The following four sociology courses are required as the foundation of theoretical and methodological training in the discipline. Students are encouraged to take these courses early in their academic career.

103A, Statistical Methods

103B, The Logic and Methods of Social Inquiry

105A, Classical Sociological Theory

105B, Contemporary Sociological Theory

Upper-division advanced coursework. Six additional upper-division sociology courses are required. The Sociology Department offers upper-division electives that reflect a wide range of ideas within the discipline and the diversified research interests of the faculty. Refer to the Sociology Department Undergraduate Handbook or the Sociology Undergraduate Adviser for a list of recommended courses within a specific specialization.

• Comprehensive requirement. Prior to graduation, all sociology majors are required to complete one of the following comprehensive requirements.
• Senior thesis. The prerequisite for the senior thesis is course 103B. Students who would like to write a senior thesis must submit to their preferred faculty thesis sponsor a proposal that includes a one- to three-page abstract and draft research plan or design, a brief bibliography, and evaluations from relevant courses. The proposal must be submitted by the second week of the quarter, four quarters before graduation. Students unsuccessful in obtaining a thesis sponsor through these means may submit their proposals to the department’s undergraduate education committee (UEC) by the fourth week of spring quarter. UEC members will review the merits of these proposals and assign the ones they approve to faculty members who have not yet agreed to serve as thesis advisers for the following year. Students will be notified of the outcome of the UEC’s deliberations by the end of spring quarter.
• Capstone course. Sociology 196A, Capstone: The Sociologist as Public Intellectual. Upper-division lecture course that explores public sociology and integrates current research with theoretical strands in sociology.

In exceptional cases, students unable to take the senior capstone course may be allowed to substitute a portfolio of work. This substitution must be approved in advance, by the department chair. The portfolio option consists of: 1) portfolio of materials from (at least) three upper-division sociology courses; 2) a synthetic essay; 3) a paper consisting of new research by the student on some contemporary social or political issue, analyzed using the theoretical and empirical materials from those three courses. See the department for additional information.

Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement

Students of every major must satisfy that major's upper-division Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement. The goals of the Sociology Department’s disciplinary communication are to teach students to think critically by designing, evaluating, and analyzing existing or proposed research studies to create knowledge through synthesizing and integrating information from a variety of sources pertaining to a complex social problem, and to develop and apply evidence-based writing skills. Course 103B, The Logic and Methods of Social Inquiry, satisfies the Disciplinary Communication Requirement for students in programs administered by the Sociology Department. Combined majors with Latin American and Latino Studies should refer to the Latin American and Latino Studies Department for their Disciplinary Communication requirement.

Sociology Major Planner One

The following is a recommended academic plan for students to begin the sociology major.

Plan One
Year	Fall	Winter	Spring
1st (frsh)	SOCY 1	SOCY 15	SOCY 10
2nd (soph)	SOCY 105A	SOCY 103A	SOCY 103B
		SOCY 105B

Sociology Major Planner Two

The following is a recommended academic plan for transfer students entering the sociology major as juniors. It is assumed that course 1 and course 10 equivalencies were completed at the previous college.

Students Beginning in Fall Quarter

Plan Two
Year	Fall	Winter	Spring
3rd (jr)	SOCY 15	SOCY 103A	SOCY 103B
	SOCY 105A	SOCY 105B

Students Beginning in Winter Quarter

Plan Two
Year	Fall	Winter	Spring
3rd (jr)		SOCY 15	SOCY 103B
		SOCY 103A
4th (sr)	SOCY 105A	SOCY 105B

All majors must complete the remaining six upper-division courses in their junior and senior years.

Requirements for the Intensive Sociology Major

The intensive major is an option for students wishing to major in sociology and focus in the area of Global Information and Social Enterprise Studies (GISES). The global information and enterprise studies intensive sociology major is sponsored and administered by the Department of Sociology. This major is designed for highly motivated, self-directed and enterprising students who have demonstrated the capacity to design and complete an honors-quality project for a civil society group. Students are required to take a total of 18 courses (six prescribed lower-division courses in preparation for the major, four prescribed upper-division core courses, seven upper-division electives, and a project practicum course). In addition, they must successfully complete the comprehensive requirement prior to graduation.

Lower-division preparation. Students must take the following six courses or their equivalents.

1, Introduction to Sociology

10, Issues and Problems in American Society

15, World Society

30A, Introduction to Global Information and Social Enterprise Studies

30B, Designing ICT Projects for Social Enterprises

30C, Project Implementation and Grant Writing for Social Entrepreneurs

Upper-division core courses. The following four sociology courses are required as the foundation of theoretical and methodological training in the discipline. Students are encouraged to take these courses early in their academic career.

103A, Statistical Methods

103B, The Logic and Methods of Social Inquiry

105A, Classical Sociological Theory

105B, Contemporary Sociological Theory

Upper-division advanced coursework. Seven additional upper-division courses are required. The student’s choice of electives must be approved either by the student’s project adviser or by the director of GISES at the time of submitting the major declaration.

Project practicum. Students must enroll in Sociology 196G Project Practicum and complete their GISES capstone project. Contact the Sociology Department undergraduate adviser for more detailed guidelines regarding the GISES capstone project. At least one quarter before expected graduation, students are required to submit electronically a polished, focused, and concise GISES project proposal (five-page maximum), to the director of GISES and the sociology undergraduate adviser. The project proposal constitutes a prerequisite for enrolling in SOCY 196G.

The final GISES capstone project must make an unambiguous contribution to advancing a solution to a problem associated with global social justice and/or sustainable development.  The project must be associated with a real, viable civil society organization, community organization, school or non-governmental organization (NGO). To complete the final requirements for GISES major or minor, the integrated project—narrative and digital deliverable—must be mounted on the appropriate web-enabled database managed by the Global Information Internship Program (GIIP).

Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement. All students are required to satisfy the Disciplinary Communications Requirement in their major. The goals of the Sociology Department’s disciplinary communication are to teach students to think critically by designing, evaluating, and analyzing existing or proposed research studies; to create knowledge through synthesizing and integrating information from a variety of sources pertaining to a complex social problem; and to develop and apply evidence-based writing skills. Course 103B, The Logic and Methods of Social Inquiry, satisfies the Disciplinary Communication Requirement for students in sociology programs.

Comprehensive requirement. Prior to graduation, students are required to complete one of the following comprehensive requirements.

• Senior thesis. The prerequisite for the senior thesis is course 103B. Students who would like to write a senior thesis must submit to their preferred faculty thesis sponsor a proposal that includes a one- to three-page abstract and draft research plan or design, a brief bibliography, and evaluations from relevant courses. The proposal must be submitted by the second week of the quarter, four quarters before graduation. Students unsuccessful in obtaining a thesis sponsor through these means may submit their proposals to the department’s undergraduate education committee (UEC) by the fourth week of spring quarter. UEC members will review the merits of these proposals and assign the ones they approve to faculty members who have not yet agreed to serve as thesis advisers for the following year. Students will be notified of the outcome of the UEC’s deliberations by the end of spring quarter.
• Capstone course. Sociology 196A, Capstone: The Sociologist as Public Intellectual. Upper-division lecture course that explores public sociology and integrates current research with theoretical strands in sociology.

In exceptional cases, students unable to take the senior capstone course may be allowed to substitute a portfolio of work. This substitution must be approved in advance by the department chair. The portfolio option consists of: 1) portfolio of materials from (at least) three upper-division sociology courses; 2) a synthetic essay; 3) a paper consisting of new research by the student on some contemporary social or political issue, analyzed using the theoretical and empirical materials from those three courses. See the department for additional information.

Requirements for the Combined Major in Sociology and Latin American and Latino Studies

Students may choose to declare a combined major in sociology and Latin American and Latino studies. The requirements (listed below) should be examined carefully before choosing the combined major option. Both departments must approve a study plan before the major can be declared. Once the lower-division sociology courses have been completed, students may petition to declare the combined major. Each department determines major and thesis honors separately.

Language Study

Students must demonstrate proficiency in Spanish or Portuguese equivalent to the completion of Spanish 6 or 56 or Spanish for Spanish Speakers 63 or Portuguese 65A-B.

Sociology/Latin American and Latino Studies

Students are required to take a total of 14 courses and to satisfy a senior comprehensive requirement. There are three lower-division course requirements, two from the Sociology Department and one from the Latin American and Latino Studies Department. The lower-division LALS courses must be LALS 1 or 80; transfer students may petition to replace LALS 1 or 80 with an appropriate course from another institution. Upper-division requirements include seven core courses: LALS 100, 100A, 100B; Sociology 103A, 103B, 105A, and 105B; and four additional elective courses, two from sociology and two from Latin American and Latino studies. At least one of the Latin American and Latino studies upper-division courses must be taught in Spanish or Portuguese***, and at least one course in the sociology/Latin American and Latino studies combined major must be on Chicano/a-Latino/a issues. Up to three relevant courses taken through study abroad programs from which credits are transferable to UCSC may be credited toward the major when the content is deemed appropriate by the faculty advisers of both sociology and Latin American and Latino studies. Students can satisfy the comprehensive requirement in one of three ways: 1) writing a senior thesis; 2) passing an appropriate LALS Senior Seminar (194 series); or 3) completing two additional sociology upper-division courses in the area of Inequality and Social Change (refer to the sociology undergraduate adviser for the specific list of courses). If the thesis option is selected, it should be planned in consultation with an adviser from each department, completed under the supervision of a faculty member from either department, and read and approved by both advisers; one adviser is sufficient if this faculty member belongs to both departments.

***Upper-division courses in Portuguese are currently not taught at UCSC and must be taken elsewhere.

Honors in the Major

The Sociology Department awards honors in the major based on the student’s cumulative GPA for all courses taken to satisfy the program’s major requirements. Students with a GPA of 3.75 or above will be considered for honors in the major. Students with a GPA of 3.9 or above will be considered for highest honors in the major. No more than approximately 15 percent of graduating class will be considered for honors or highest honors in the major.

Requirements for the Sociology Minor

Students minoring in sociology are required to take seven courses: one of courses 1, 10, or 15; at least two of courses 103B, 105A, and 105B; and at least four other upper-division sociology courses. Students must provide evidence of completion of the lower-division requirement, courses 1, 10, or 15 with a grade of B or better, prior to declaring the sociology minor.

Requirements for the GISES Minor

Students minoring in GISES are required to take nine courses (four prescribed lower-division courses in preparation for the minor, four upper-division electives, and a project practicum course). The four lower-division requirements are courses 15, 30A, 30B and 30C. The student’s choice of four upper-division electives must be approved either by the student’s project adviser or by the director of GISES at the time the minor is declared. Students must take Sociology 196G, Project Practicum, and complete their GISES capstone project. See description for the project practicum under Requirements for the Intensive Major.

Disqualification Policy

Students who receive a D, F, NP, or W twice in any of the upper-division core courses (courses 103A, 103B, 105A, and 105B) will be disqualified from the major or minor. Students, their college, and the Office of the Registrar will be notified by the department no later than the first day of instruction of the quarter following the disqualifying failure. Students who feel there were extenuating circumstances surrounding their failure of a course for the second time may appeal their disqualification by submitting a letter to the chair of the sociology undergraduate education committee. The appeal must be filed no later than 15 days after the disqualification notification was mailed, or the 10th day of classes in the quarter of the disqualification, whichever is later. For further information regarding the disqualification process, contact the Sociology Department.

UC Education Abroad Program Students

Academic year programs. Students must declare the major and pass the three lower-division preparatory course requirements (1, 10, and 15) and three of the upper-division core courses (103B, 105A, 105B) prior to study abroad. It is recommended that the students have the courses intended to be taken abroad reviewed and approved by the Sociology Department prior to departure. Up to three approved courses may be used toward the sociology major.

Semester programs. Fall semester: students must declare the major and pass the three lower-division preparatory course requirements (courses 1, 10, and 15) and one upper-division core course (105A) prior to fall semester study abroad. Spring semester: students must declare the major and pass the three lower-division course requirements (courses 1, 10, and 15) and two upper-division core courses (103B and 105B) prior to spring semester study abroad.

Up to three relevant courses taken through study abroad programs from which credits are transferable to UCSC may be used toward satisfaction of the major requirements when the content is deemed appropriate and approved by the Sociology Department.

Transfer Students

Junior transfer students expressing an interest in sociology on their UCSC application for admission are admitted as proposed sociology majors. This status is considered undeclared. Transfer students must meet with the sociology undergraduate adviser when they arrive on campus to determine their status and begin the actual declaration of major process, which must be completed by the end of the second quarter of the junior year for transfer students.

Declaring sociology early in the academic career will give a student priority for sociology course enrollment in subsequent quarters.

Graduate Program

The graduate program in sociology at UCSC distinguishes itself by its interdisciplinary nature. The program is designed to educate students in sociological theory and methods and in the disciplines major substantive areas while simultaneously exposing students to other arenas of intellectual inquiry that will aid them as they pursue their research questions and interests. After completing a group of required courses, students work closely with individual faculty members in designing their own course of study. The program leads to a doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in sociology. A master of arts (M.A.) degree may be taken en route to the doctorate, but a master’s program per se is not available.

The core curriculum is divided into two parts, 1) basic grounding in sociological theory and methods, and 2) exposure to research in three areas of concentration: a) globalization, political economy, and environment; b) inequality and identity; and c) culture, knowledge, and power. To prepare students to conduct their own research projects, the department trains student in multiple methods—comparative and historical analysis, quantitative techniques, field research, and interpretive methods.

The sociology graduate program is intended to lead to both academic and nonacademic careers, and the interests of the faculty reflect this twofold objective. Faculty specialties include comparative and historical sociology; construction of deviance; criminal justice; cultural sociology; development; economy and society; education; emotions/affect; environmental sociology; globalization; language and social linguistics; law and society; Marxist sociology; mass communication; medical sociology; policy analysis; political economy; qualitative methodology; race, class, gender, sexuality; science and technology studies; social inequality; social movements; sociology of drugs; sociology of knowledge; and visual sociology.

Graduate students are supported through teaching assistantships, teaching fellowships, research fellowships and other grant/fellowship opportunities. A number of faculty receive research grants that support graduate student research assistantships, most recently, for example, the National Science Foundation Science and Justice Fellowships.

When asked what they most appreciate about the sociology graduate program, most students cite the students’ and faculty’s activism and commitment to social change in combination with their dedication to teaching, scholarly research, and understanding of the social forces of our society. The Sociology Department’s colloquium series enhances scholarship, practice, and collegial networks. The diversity in age, ethnicity, and work experience of the student body creates a vibrant atmosphere for learning

Many of the faculty in the Sociology Department have affiliations with other departments and programs on campus, and the graduate program consequently encourages interdisciplinary work. Seminars in the anthropology, environmental studies, history, history of consciousness, politics, psychology, and feminist studies programs are open to sociology students. Graduate students in sociology may obtain a  designated emphasis on the sociology Ph.D. diploma indicating that they have specialized in a specific field in addition to sociology, such as feminist studies, Latin American and Latino studies, environmental studies, philosophy, or education. Students must meet requirements for the designated emphasis as spelled out by the relevant department.  For a complete list of programs that offer a designated emphasis, refer to the fields of study in the General Catalog. Students also participate in research projects under the auspices of seven interdisciplinary social science research centers: the Science and Justice Working Group; the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems; the Center for Global, International, and Regional Studies; the Chicano/Latino Research Center; the Center for Research on Educational Diversity and Excellence; and the Santa Cruz Center for International Economics. Research opportunities also are available in the areas of environmental studies, feminist studies, and lesbian/gay/queer studies.

Many of our graduate students present papers at professional conferences and publish articles during the course of their graduate studies. The sociology master’s paper is designed to prepare students to write for professional journals. Ongoing faculty seminars focusing on concrete research topics and problems are available for advanced graduate students working on papers and dissertations in related areas.

The sociology program provides graduate students with many teaching opportunities so they can practice the skills required for good teaching—the ability to articulate ideas, to organize and present materials in logical sequence, and to listen attentively and discern someone else’s comprehension. Graduate students serve as teaching assistants for at least three quarters in the department’s core classes of the undergraduate curriculum.

The Sociology Department at UCSC is intellectually innovative, both in its interdisciplinary approach and in its commitment to inquiry that is engaged with the world beyond the university.

Required Courses

Students are required to take at least 12 courses as follows.

A three-course core group:

201 The Making of Classical Theory

202 Contemporary Sociological Theory

203 Sociological Methods

Two methods courses:

204 Methods of Quantitative Analysis

and one of the following seven courses:

205 Field Research Methods

206 Comparative Historical Methods

209 Analysis of Cultural Forms

241 Cross-National and Cross-Cultural Research

242 Feminist Research Seminar

Psychology 248 Survey Methods; or Sociology 282Social Policy Research

Three area foundation courses:

220 Global Transformation: Macrosociological Perspectives

240 Inequality and Identity

260 Culture, Knowledge, Power

At least one writing course (208 or 250)

A minimum of three elective graduate seminars, at least one from Sociology (excluding Sociology 250 and Sociology 293).

Students with no background in statistics are strongly advised to take an undergraduate course in statistical methods before enrolling in Methods of Quantitative Analysis, but can be admitted with permission of the instructor.

Progress Toward the Ph.D.

• Beginning at least by the end of the first year, students initiate work on their master’s paper.
• Completion of the master’s paper is expected by the end of the second year.
• Students are expected to take an oral qualifying examination by the end of the third year, but no later than the end of the fourth year.
• Graduate students prepare field statements in two distinct areas of sociology and, in addition, prepare a detailed course outline and a grant proposal in one or the other of these areas.
• The qualifying examination is an oral examination and based on the student’s field statements.
• After passing the qualifying examination, a student is advanced to candidacy and begins work on the dissertation with the aid of a three-person dissertation committee.

Details of the policies for admission to the graduate program, the requirements for the Ph.D. degree, and information on financial support opportunities are available from the Department of Sociology. For more information, refer to the Graduate Studies section of the catalog.

Designated Emphasis in Sociology

To receive the Designated Emphasis (DE) in Sociology, a graduate student from another department must complete the following requirements in addition to the degree requirements for the doctorate in their degree-granting department.  Students must initiate the request for the DE through their home departments.  Then the student must meet with the Sociology graduate director who will: a) decide whether to approve the application; b) help find a Sociology faculty adviser; and c) oversee progress in the Designated Emphasis.

Adviser: In addition to the student’s adviser(s) in their home department, the student must have a faculty adviser from among the core faculty of the Sociology Department who commits to serve on the qualifying examinaton (QE) committee.  Outside members of a QE committee must be tenured. 

Courses: The student must take five (5) Sociology graduate seminar courses:

Two (2) core courses:

SOCY 201    The Making of Classical Theory
SOCY 202    Contemporary Sociological Theory

One (1) methods course from the following:

SOCY 203    Sociological Methods
SOCY 204    Methods of Quantitative Analysis     
SOCY 205    Field Research Methods
SOCY 206    Comparative Historical Methods
SOCY 209    The Analysis of Cultural Forms
SOCY 241    Cross-National and Cross Cultural Research
SOCY 242    Feminist Research Seminar
SOCY 282    Social Policy Research

Two (2) other graduate seminar electives* offered by the Sociology Deparment

*SOCY 208, SOCY 250, SOCY 293, SOCY 297, SOCY 299 cannot be counted toward the requirements for the Designated Emphasis.

All courses must be offered by the Sociology Department.  Courses offered by other departments do not count towards the requirements for the Designated Emphasis in Sociology.

Writing:  The student must prepare a significant piece of scholarly writing in the area of sociology.  This may take the form of a substantial seminar paper, a master’s essay, a paper submitted for publication, or a chapter of the doctoral dissertation. The student’s Sociology faculty adviser will determine whether a particular piece of writing meets the requirement.

Graduate students interested in pursuing the Designated Emphasis in Sociology should contact the Sociology graduate program coordinator.

Revised: 8/13/12