Sociology

2017-18 General Catalog

226 Rachel Carson College
(831) 459-4888
http://sociology.ucsc.edu

Faculty | Course Descriptions


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.

  • Community-engaged research

  • Citizenship

  • Children, youth, and families

  • Cultural politics and the politicization of culture

  • The cultural politics of sex work

  • Critical ethnography

  • Drugs in society

  • Environmental sociology

  • Globalization and international development

  • Global inequality, crime, and deviance

  • Health disparities

  • Identities and identity changes

  • International law

  • The intersection of class, race, gender and sexualities  

  • Labor studies

  • Latino/a communities

  • Law and Society

  • Medicine and technology

  • Media studies

  • Migration

  • Political economy  

  • Popular culture and cultural studies

  • Queer studies

  • Race and racisms

  • Social movements

  • Sociology of emotion and affect

  • Sustainability

  • Urban studies

 

Sociology faculty use a number of approaches and methods, including ethnography, comparative and historical analysis, conversational and discourse analysis, qualitative interviews, and survey research.

Undergraduate Program

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.

Sponsored by Sociology at UCSC is Global Information and Social Enterprise Studies (GISES), a rigorous and innovative program developed in collaboration with the Everett Program. 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 work in solidarity with local and global organizations to democratize globalization, deepen social justice, reduce poverty, support digital education, and advance the transition to a sustainable world. Everett combines social entrepreneurship with near-peer trainings in information technologies with the aim that students learn how to be innovative and creative problem solvers in order to increase the informational, communication and organizational capacity of community and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The GISES program provides an excellent foundation for students pursuing careers in non-profit management, social advocacy, sustainable businesses and technology. 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 sociology with concentration in GISES intensive major. A student who majors in any field other than sociology should declare GISES as a minor.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a B.A. degree in sociology will:

  • Demonstrate critical thinking and critical citizenship skills intended to promote social justice through the ability to analyze and evaluate social, political, and/or cultural arguments.
  • Demonstrate sociological understandings of phenomena, for example, how individual biographies are shaped by social structures, social institutions, cultural practices, and multiple axes of difference and/or inequality.
  • Formulate effective and convincing written and/or oral arguments.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of, and the ability to use, several of the major classical and/or contemporary perspectives in social theory.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of several of the major social science research methodologies.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of some of the key substantive areas within the field of sociology.

Declaration of the General Sociology Major, Sociology with a Concentration in GISES Intensive Major, Combined Sociology/LALS Major, or a GISES Minor

The Sociology Department offers three undergraduate majors: 1) a general sociology major; 2) a sociology with a concentration in GISES intensive major; and 3) a combined major with Latin American and Latino studies. Additionally, there is a minor in Global Information and Social Enterprise Studies (GISES).

Students must take two of the following courses prior to petitioning for entry to the general sociology major: Sociology 1, Introduction to Sociology; Sociology 10, Issues and Problems in American Society; or Sociology 15, World Society. Students who pass these two courses with grades of C+ or better will be allowed to declare the sociology major. Students who are transferring in should refer to the section below, “Transfer Students,” on the major selection criteria used during the admissions screening process.

Students must take five courses prior to petitioning for entry to the sociology with a concentration in GISES intensive major: Sociology 1, Introduction to Sociology; 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 major, students are required to obtain a GPA of 2.8 or above in these courses.

Students must take two of the following courses prior to petitioning for entry to the combined sociology/Latin American and Latino studies major: Sociology 1, Introduction to Sociology; Sociology 10, Issues and Problems in American Society; or Sociology 15, World Society. Students who pass two of these courses with a grade of C+ or better and who have completed LALS 1 will be allowed to declare the combined major.

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.

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

Students who intend to declare one of the department's majors listed above must take the courses for letter grades. In addition, students who intend to declare the sociology with a concentration in GISES major, must take 30A, 30B, and 30C for letter grades.

Students may petition for admission to the major by attending a major declaration workshop, filling out the campus’s Declaration of Major/Minor Form and Academic Planning Form, and by supplying evidence of their performance in the required lower-division courses. For specific details, refer to the Sociology Department website, sociology.ucsc.edu, or the department’s undergraduate adviser.

Appeal of Negative Decisions

Students who are informed that they are not eligible to declare the major may appeal this decision by submitting a letter to the Sociology Department within 15 days from the date of notification. Within 15 days of receipt of the appeal, the department will notify the student and college of the decision. Letters of appeal should describe any extenuating circumstances that might have affected the student’s record.

Requirements of the General Sociology Major

Sociology majors are required to take a total of 11 courses (two lower-division courses in preparation for the major, two prescribed lower-division core courses, two prescribed upper-division core courses, and five 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 two lower-division preparation courses, or their equivalents.

Select two from the following three options:

SOCY 1, Introduction to Sociology

SOCY10, Issues and Problems in American Society

SOCY 15, World Society

Lower-division core courses: The following two sociology courses, or their equivalents, are required as the foundation of statistical and research methods in the discipline.

SOCY 3A, The Evaluation of Evidence

SOCY 3B, Statistical Methods

Upper-division core courses: The following two sociology courses are required as the foundation of theoretical training in the discipline.

SOCY 105A, Classical Social Theory

SOCY 105B, Contemporary Social Theory

Upper-division advanced coursework: Five additional upper-division sociology electives 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.

Comprehensive requirement: Prior to graduation, all sociology majors are required to complete one of the following comprehensive requirements.

  • Senior thesis. Sociology 195A, 195B, and 195C. The prerequisite for the senior thesis is course 3A and completion of the major’s Disciplinary Communications (DC) requirement. Students who would like to write a senior thesis must submit to their preferred faculty thesis sponsor a proposal that includes a working title, a description of the work to be undertaken, research question(s), methodology, a brief bibliography, a timeline to completion, at least three keywords describing the thesis topics, and materials from relevant courses that might help faculty determine their preparedness to complete the thesis. In addition, students must familiarize themselves with IRB protocols and include in their proposal whether their research includes human subjects, if the project is IRB exempt, or if an IRB application will be needed. . The proposal must be submitted one quarter prior to the commencement of the thesis work. Students unsuccessful in obtaining a thesis sponsor through these means may submit their proposals to the department’s undergraduate education committee (UEC) no later than the sixth week of the quarter, one quarter prior to the commencement of the thesis work. 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 within three weeks.

  • 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 is to ensure that students acquire and develop the skills in writing and other forms of communication that will best serve them in their study of sociology, and as future learners. Courses 105A and 105B, Classical Social Theory and Contemporary Social Theory, satisfy 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 in the sociology major.

Option One

Year

Fall

Winter

Spring

1st
(frsh)

SOCY 1*
SOCY 15*

SOCY 10*

SOCY 1*

2nd
(soph)

SOCY 1*
SOCY 15*
SOCY 3A

SOCY 10*
SOCY 3B
Declaration
Deadline

3rd
(junior)

SOCY 105A*
SOCY Elective

SOCY 105B
SOCY Elective

SOCY Elective
4th
(senior)
SOCY Elective SOCY Elective SOCY 196A
(or Thesis Fall-Spring)

Option Two

Year

Fall

Winter

Spring

1st
(frsh)

SOCY 1*
SOCY 15*

SOCY 10*

SOCY 1*

2nd
(soph)

SOCY 1*
SOCY 15*

SOCY 10* Declaration
Deadline

3rd
(junior)

SOCY 3A*
SOCY Elective

SOCY 3B
SOCY Elective

SOCY Elective
4th
(senior)
SOCY 105A
SOCY Elective
SOCY 105B
SOCY Elective
SOCY 196A
(or Thesis Fall-Spring)

*Two of courses 1, 10, or 15, passed with grades of C+ or better, are required to declare the sociology major

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/or course 10 equivalencies were completed at the previous college.

Option One

Year

Fall

Winter

Spring

3rd
(junior)

SOCY 3A*
SOCY Elective

SOCY 3B*
SOCY Elective

SOCY Elective
4th
(senior)

SOCY 105A
SOCY Elective

SOCY 105B
SOCY Elective

SOCY 196A
(or Thesis Fall-Spring)

*If not taken at previous college

Option Two

Year

Fall

Winter

Spring

3rd
(junior)

SOCY 3A*
SOCY 105A

SOCY 3B*
SOCY 105B

SOCY Elective

4th
(senior)

SOCY Elective
SOCY Elective

SOCY Elective
SOCY Elective

SOCY 196A
(or Thesis Fall-Spring

*If not taken at previous college

Requirements of the Sociology with a Concentration in GISES Intensive Major

The GISES concentration 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 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 16 courses (five prescribed lower-division courses in preparation for the major, two lower-division core courses, two prescribed upper-division core courses, six 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 five courses or their equivalents.

SOCY 1, Introduction to Sociology

SOCY 15, World Society

SOCY 30A, Introduction to Global Information and Social Enterprise Studies

SOCY 30B, Designing ICT Projects for Social Enterprises

SOCY 30C, Project Implementation and Grant Writing for Social Entrepreneurs

Lower-division core courses: The following two sociology courses, or their equivalents, are required as the foundation of statistical and research methods in the discipline.

3A, The Evaluation of Evidence

3B, Statistical Methods

Upper-division core courses. The following two sociology courses are required as the foundation of theoretical training in the discipline.

105A, Classical Social Theory

105B, Contemporary Social Theory

Upper-division advanced coursework: Six additional upper-division courses are required. The student’s choice of electives must be approved by the director of GISES.

Project practicum: Students must enroll in Sociology 196G Project Practicum and complete their GISES capstone project. Contact the director of GISES or 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 Everett Program.

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

  • Senior thesis. Sociology 195A, 195B, and 195C. The prerequisite for the senior thesis is course 3A and completion of the major’s Disciplinary Communications (DC) requirement. Students who would like to write a senior thesis must submit to their preferred faculty thesis sponsor a proposal that includes: a working title, a description of the work to be undertaken, research question(s), methodology, a brief bibliography, a timeline to completion, at least three keywords describing the thesis topics, and materials from relevant courses that might help faculty determine their preparedness to complete the thesis. In addition, students must familiarize themselves with IRB protocols and include in their proposal whether their research includes human subjects, if the project is IRB exempt, or if an IRB application will be needed. The proposal must be submitted and approved one quarter prior to the commencement of the thesis work. Students unsuccessful in obtaining a thesis sponsor through these means may submit their proposals to the department’s undergraduate education committee (UEC) no later than the sixth week of the quarter, one quarter prior to the commencement of the thesis work. 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 within three weeks.

  • 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 goal of the Sociology Department’s disciplinary communication is to ensure that students acquire and develop the skills in writing and other forms of communication that will best serve them in their study of sociology, and as future learners. Courses 105A and 105B, Classical Social Theory and Contemporary Social Theory, satisfy the Disciplinary Communication Requirement for students in programs administered by the Sociology Department.

Requirements of 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. Students must complete the lower-division sociology courses with a grade of C or better and LALS 1, and both departments must approve a study plan before the major can be declared. Each department determines major and thesis honors separately.

Students are required to take a total of 12 courses and to satisfy a senior comprehensive requirement. There are three lower-division course requirements, two from the Sociology Department chosen from: Sociology 1, Introduction to Sociology; Sociology 10, Issues and Problems in American Society; or Sociology 15, World Society; or their equivalents; and one from the Latin American and Latino Studies Department, LALS 1. The lower-division LALS course must be LALS 1; transfer students may petition to replace LALS 1 with an appropriate course from another institution. Upper-division requirements include five core courses: LALS 100, 100A, 100B; Sociology 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***. 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 both the sociology and Latin American and Latino studies departments. Students can satisfy the comprehensive requirement in one of two ways: 1) writing a senior thesis, or 2) passing an appropriate LALS Senior Seminar (194 series). 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.

*In addition to courses offered at UCSC, students may fulfill the language requirement through an appropriate course taken while participating in a study abroad program.

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.

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, excluding the comprehensive requirement. 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 the graduating class will be considered for honors or highest honors in the major. Comprehensive honors is awarded to students who complete the senior thesis option, and their faculty thesis sponsor and one additional reader evaluate the thesis to be of honors quality.

Requirements of 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 by the director of GISES. Students must take Sociology 196G, Project Practicum, and complete their GISES capstone project. See the description for the project practicum under Requirements of the Sociology with a Concentration in GISES Intensive Major.

UC Education Abroad Program Students

Students seeking to study abroad must be declared in their major prior to studying 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 two relevant courses taken through study abroad programs from which credits are transferable to UCSC may be used toward satisfaction of the sociology major requirements when the content is deemed appropriate and approved by the Sociology Department. Up to three relevant courses taken through study abroad programs from which credits are transferable to UCSC may be credited toward the combined major when the content is deemed appropriate by both the sociology and Latin American and Latino studies departments.

Transfer Students

Junior transfer students expressing an interest in sociology on their UCSC application for admission will be screened and held to the major qualification selection criteria outlined by the Admissions Office, in addition to the campus admissions requirements:

UCSC Admissions major qualification selection criteria for Sociology:

  1. Minimum grade of C (2.0) in a course articulated to UCSC’s SOCY 1, Introduction to Sociology.

  2. Minimum grade of C (2.0) in a course articulated to UCSC’s SOCY 10, Issues and Problems in American Society.

  3. Minimum grade point average of 2.30 in the above major-preparatory courses.

By the end of the fall 2016 term, a student must have completed at least the one sociology course from the above (#1 or #2) with a minimum grade of C+ (2.30). All other course requirements must be listed as either in-progress or planned on the UC application, showing completion no later than the end of the spring 2017 term. For students attending institutions that do not compute plus/minus grades, an overall GPA of 2.30 in the above sociology courses will be required for the major.

Although it is not required for selection, junior-level transfer students are strongly encouraged to complete a transferable course in statistical methods and a transferable course in research methods prior to enrolling at UCSC.

Students who meet the selection criteria and are offered admission, are admitted as proposed sociology majors. This status is considered undeclared. Transfer students must work with the sociology undergraduate adviser when they arrive on campus to determine their status and begin the actual declaration of major workshop and process, which must be completed by the campus's declaration deadline of the second quarter of the junior year for transfer students.

Graduate Program

The Sociology Department at UCSC is intellectually innovative, both in its interdisciplinary nature and in its commitment to inquiry that is engaged with the world beyond the university. The Ph.D. program leads to both academic and non-academic careers. It distinguishes itself by its interdisciplinary nature. The program is designed to educate students in sociological theory and methods and in the discipline's 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 Ph.D. in sociology. While a terminal master of arts (M.A.) program is not available and students are not admitted directly into the M.A., students have the option of applying for a non-terminal master's degree en route to the Ph.D. The program leads to a doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in sociology. A master's 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) political economies and political ecologies; b) new studies of inequality; and c) culture, knowledge, and power. To prepare students to conduct their own research projects, the department trains student in multiple methods—comparative, cultural analysis, ethnography, field research, historical, interpretive, and quantitative techniques. For an overview of the faculty member's research interests, please refer to the program description.

Funding

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 facultys' 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 a number of interdisciplinary social science research centers: the Science and Justice Research Center; the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems; the Center for Global, International, and Regional Studies; the Center for Labor Studies; the Chicano/Latino Research Center; the Center for Collaborative Research for an Equitable California; the Affect Studies Working Group; the Urban Studies Research Cluster; the Santa Cruz Center for International Economics; and the Interdisciplinary Development Working Group. 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 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 typically serve as teaching assistants for at least three quarters, of not more, 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 10 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 eight 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

268A Science and Justice: Experiments in Collaboration

Sociology 282 Social Policy Research

Psychology 248 Survey Methods

Two of three thematic area courses:

220 Global Transformation: Macrosociological Perspectives

240 Inequality and Identity

260 Culture, Knowledge, Power

A minimum of three elective graduate seminars, one of which may be from outside 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.

Elective Courses

The elective course offerings change yearly. This selection of courses are offerings from the recent past.

208 Writing Practicum

209 Cultural Forms*

220 Global Transformation**

225 Political Economy for Sociologists

229 Work and Labor Markets in the New Economy

240 Inequality and Identity**

242 Feminist Research Seminar

246 Class, Culture, and Movement

252 Symbolic Interactionism and Sociology of Emotions

256 Urban Sociology

257 Colonialism, International Law, and Global Justice

260 Culture, Knowledge, Power**

263 Cultural Politics of Difference

268A Science and Justice: Experiments in Collaboration*

268B Science and Justice Research Seminar

290 Special Topics on Social Movements

290 Special Topics on Affect, Emotions, and the Social World

290 Special Topics on Political Emotions

*Can be taken as an elective if not fulfilling the methods requirement.

**Students are required to take two of the three thematic area courses—220, 240, 260—and the third may count as an elective.

For more information about courses offered in the 2017-18 academic year, please visit the course listings at the Sociology Department website.

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 and required coursework is expected by the end of the second year.

  • Graduate students prepare field statements in two distinct areas of sociology as a written pre-qualifying stage to the oral qualifying examination.
  • The qualifying examination is an oral defense of the student’s dissertation proposal and occurs one quarter after the pre-qualifying field statement stage has been passed.

  • Students are expected to take their oral qualifying examination by the end of the third year, but no later than the end of the fourth year.
  • After passing the qualifying examination, a student advances to candidacy and begins work on the dissertation with the aid of a three-person dissertation committee.

  • After the complete dissertation has been submitted to and accepted by the dissertation committee, students must pass an oral dissertation defense.

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 examination (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 Department

*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.

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Revised: 09/09/17