Print this page. About the Program
The University of South Carolina Department of Sociology provides a comprehensive undergraduate education through its two undergraduate majors. You can select a program leading to the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science in Sociology. Sociology explores how people live and act with one another; how they create, maintain, and change social life; how they structure social life; and the consequences of those structures for human behavior. Sociologists also examine populations, their formation, their characteristics, and their impact on social life, as well as how people interact with one another in order to accomplish joint activity. Our curriculum focuses on three main areas of sociological inquiry: social structures, demography, and social psychology. We have extensive facilities for both research and teaching. A small-groups laboratory is used for observation and video taping; a large activity room permits direct viewing and audio-video recording through a one-way mirror; and a demography library houses reference works to facilitate our research and teaching in population studies.
Career Opportunities
Professional sociologists are involved in the study of social life and the causes and consequences of human behavior. While a graduate degree is generally required for professional development in the field, sociology majors with an undergraduate degree find a wide range of career positions, including:
• research assistant
• crisis center worker
• high-school teacher
• caseworker
The University Career Center is available to assist you in choosing a career direction and increasing your marketability upon graduation. For additional information, call the center at 803-777-7280.
Admission/Progression Requirements
To be admitted into the College of Arts and Sciences, you must meet all University admissions requirements, including (for freshmen) a completed application, nonrefundable application fee, high-school record complete up to the time of application (including record of at least 20 academic units of study earned as required by the University), and entrance examination scores (either SAT or ACT). Details for all applicant categories can be found at the Undergraduate Bulletin.
Program of Study (120 hours)
The Bachelor of Arts in Sociology provides for eight semesters of study. Fifty-three to 62 hours of your course work will fulfill general education requirements, 27 hours will fulfill major requirements, and 12 to 18 hours will fulfill cognate or minor requirements and College of Arts and Sciences electives. Like the Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, the Bachelor of Science in Sociology also provides for eight semesters of study. Fifty-six to 65 hours of your course work will fulfill general education requirements, 27 hours will fulfill major requirements, and 12 to 18 hours will fulfill cognate or minor requirements and College of Arts and Sciences electives. Whether you opt for the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science, most of your general education courses will be taken during your freshman and sophomore years. An introductory course in sociology is also taken during these first two years, followed by more advanced sociology classes in your final two years. Our course offerings include Elementary Statistics for Sociologists; Sociology of Sex Roles; Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality; and Human Mortality.
Of Special Interest
Our facilities include the Laboratory for Sociological Research, a demography library, a statistics laboratory, and two activity rooms for student research projects and observations. We obtain research support from numerous agencies, including the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. Our faculty members have gained national reputations for their scholarly research. They conduct studies on employment of the aged in American society, socioeconomic mobility among contemporary immigrants, and family structure effects on students’ academic achievement. They also serve as academic advisors and will help you plan your studies. We host the GAMMA chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta, the international sociological honor society. Sociology majors may be eligible to become members. You can graduate with honors in sociology if you have a 3.50 overall average and a 3.50 in sociology. Under that program you will be required to conduct, write, and defend a research project.
Sociology Department's Web site