Sociology, B.A.
Sociology is the scientific study of human groups and their characteristics, changes, causes and consequences. Through teaching, research and service, sociology reveals a critical understanding of the different ways people relate to one another through the organization of society and how its structures and cultures influence lives.
At Saint Louis University, the sociology program’s subject matter ranges from family life to large-scale organizations, from crime to religion, from the divisions of race and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture, from poverty to prosperity, and from the sociology of work to the sociology of sport. Few fields have such a broad and exciting scope.
Curriculum Overview
SLU's sociology curricula include exciting fieldwork practicum courses and service learning.
Students may complete the general sociology major or choose to use their sociology electives to pursue one of four concentrations:
Gender, Sexuality and the Body
This concentration examines how social forces cause masculine and feminine behavior, create gendered systems of privilege and influence the lives of individuals and groups.
Health and Medicine
This concentration focuses on the interplay of interactions, inequality and institutions that shape health and illness, both locally and globally. Students preparing for health-related fields find this area of concentration relevant.
Law, Crime and Deviance
This concentration allows students to develop their sociological expertise on the making, breaking and enforcement of social norms. Students considering careers in law, forensic science and progressive law enforcement will be interested in this concentration.
Urbanization, Immigration and Demography
This concentration allows students to explore urban and community change and social justice. This concentration provides opportunities in careers in consulting, government, human services, social welfare, geoinformatics and geospatial statistics.
Fieldwork and Research Opportunities
SLU's Department of Sociology has many connections with social agencies throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area. Fieldwork practicums are available for sociology majors, including working at neighborhood centers in St. Louis or performing social research projects. Fieldwork practicums also provide an opportunity for students to be involved in agencies and organizations. Students meet with the department internship director for assistance in applying to any of the numerous local employment opportunities in St. Louis.
St. Louis boasts an excellent research laboratory for how social behavior is determined by social structure and physical environment, how community is a major factor in shaping human behavior and how humans adapt to their community. The sociology major provides a strong background in social science education that combines theory and empirical methods of analysis with an emphasis on social inequality and institutions. Students’ learning experiences may be enhanced through practical fieldwork experiences with St. Louis nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies.
Careers
Graduates of SLU's sociology program are involved in diverse careers and have occupied such positions as president of a management consulting firm, methodologist for a health organization, and directors of community centers.
Graduates of the sociology program can also continue with graduate work in sociology or in a wide range of programs, such as social work, law and health service fields.
Admission Requirements
Freshman
Begin your application for this program at www.slu.edu/apply. Saint Louis University also accepts the Common App.
All applications are thoroughly reviewed with the highest degree of individual care and consideration to all credentials that are submitted. Solid academic performance in college preparatory course work is a primary concern in reviewing a freshman applicant’s file.
To be considered for admission to any Saint Louis University undergraduate program, the applicant must be graduating from an accredited high school, have an acceptable HiSET exam score or take the General Education Development (GED) test. Beginning with the 2021-22 academic year, undergraduate applicants will not be required to submit standardized test scores (ACT or SAT) in order to be considered for admission. Applicants will be evaluated equally, with or without submitted test scores.
Transfer
Begin your application for this program at www.slu.edu/apply.
Applicants must be a graduate of an accredited high school or have an acceptable score on the GED. An official high school transcript and official test scores are required only of those students who have attempted fewer than 24 transferable semester credits (or 30 quarter credits) of college credit. Those having completed 24 or more of college credit need only submit a transcript from previously attended college(s). In reviewing a transfer applicant’s file, the office of admission holistically examines the student’s academic performance in college-level coursework as an indicator of the student’s ability to meet the academic rigors of Saint Louis University.
International Applicants
Begin your application for this program at www.slu.edu/apply.
All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students along with the following:
- Demonstrate English Language Proficiency
- Proof of financial support must include:
- A letter of financial support from the person(s) or sponsoring agency funding the time at Saint Louis University
- A letter from the sponsor's bank verifying that the funds are available and will be so for the duration of study at the University
- Academic records, in English translation, of students who have undertaken postsecondary studies outside the United States must include the courses taken and/or lectures attended, practical laboratory work, the maximum and minimum grades attainable, the grades earned or the results of all end-of-term examinations, and any honors or degrees received. WES and ECE transcripts are accepted.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
There are two principal ways to help finance a Saint Louis University education:
- Scholarships: Awarded based on academic achievement, service, leadership and financial need.
- Financial Aid: Provided in the form of grants and loans, some of which require repayment.
For priority consideration for merit-based scholarships, apply for admission by Dec. 1 and complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1.
For information on other scholarships and financial aid, visit the student financial services office online at https://www.slu.edu/financial-aid.
- Graduates will demonstrate an understanding of issues related to diversity, inequality, and social justice. Specifically:
-
identify examples of cross-cultural diversity in beliefs and customs,
-
identify examples of stratification by race/ethnicity, gender, and social class, and explain how inequality affects life chances, especially for marginalized others, and
-
articulate policies and practices that can help promote social justice in local, national, and global contexts
-
- Graduates will understand the role of theory in social analysis. Specifically:
- describe the role of theory in building sociological knowledge,
- compare and contrast basic theoretical orientations; or, identify assumptions in analyses and arguments, and
- apply theories to examples or situations
- Graduate will understand the role of qualitative and quantitative research methods in sociology. Specifically:
- compare and contrast methodological approaches for gathering data,
- design a small study, and
- critically assess a published research report
- Graduate will communicate effectively in written and oral forms. Specifically:
- write a clear and convincing sociological analysis of an event, issue, or problem,
- make an oral presentation that is succinct, clear, convincing, and professional,
- use computerized and online resources to find information (e.g., databases, reputable internet websites, government statistics, etc.), and
- evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of information sources, and assess which references are appropriate for academic research
Sociology students must complete a minimum of 30 credits for the major.
- A maximum of two anthropology courses may count toward the sociology major.
- A maximum of two anthropology, sociology, and/or forensic science courses may count toward both the anthropology and sociology majors.
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Core Requirements | ||
College core requirements | 57-66 | |
For additional information about core courses | ||
Introduction Requirements | ||
SOC 1100 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
or SOC 1110 | Introduction to Sociology: Diversity Emphasis | |
or SOC 1120 | Introduction to Sociology: Diversity and Health Emphasis | |
SOC 2000 | Research Methods | 3 |
Applied Methodology Requirement | ||
SOC 3150 | Theory of the Social Sciences | 3 |
Research Requirement | ||
SOC 4015 | Quantitative Research Methods | 3 |
or SOC 4025 | Qualitative Research | |
Senior Experience | ||
SOC 4840 | Sociology Capstone | 3 |
or SOC 4990 | Departmental Honors Thesis | |
Elective Courses | ||
Select 15 credits from the following: | 15 | |
ANTH 2200 | Cultural Anthropology | |
ANTH 2210 & ANTH 2215 | Biological Anthropology and Biological Anthropology Lab | |
ANTH 2460 | Global Mental Health | |
ANTH 3240 | Anthropology of Sex & Gender | |
ANTH 3270 | Climate Change & Environmental Futures | |
SOC 1180 | World Geography | |
SOC 1500 | The Urban Community: Race, Class, and Spatial Justice | |
SOC 2110 | Sociology of Sport | |
SOC 2360 | Health Inequalities in the U.S. | |
SOC 2480 | Drugs and Society: Legal and Medical Implications of the "War on Drugs" | |
SOC 2490 | Sociology of Medicine | |
SOC 2630 | Religion and Social Sciences: Theoretical and Empirical Reflections on Religion | |
SOC 3150 | Theory of the Social Sciences | |
SOC 3180 | Immigration | |
SOC 3220 | Urban Sociology | |
SOC 3230 | Gender and Society | |
SOC 3360 | Racial and Ethnic Relations | |
SOC 3370 | Violence in America | |
SOC 3430 | Marriage and the Family | |
SOC 3490 | Sociology of Mental Health | |
SOC 3510 | The Structure of Poverty: Globally and Locally | |
SOC 3570 | Sociological Theories of Crime | |
SOC 3580 | Deviant Behavior: Drugs, Alcohol and Addiction | |
SOC 3590 | Law and Society | |
SOC 3700 | Health and the Social Sciences | |
SOC 3840 | African-American Religious Traditions | |
SOC 4640 | Demography: Measuring and Modeling Population Process | |
SOC 4650 | Introduction to GIS | |
SOC 4660 | Intermediate Geographic Information Systems | |
SOC 4670 | Spatial Demography: Applied Statistics for Spatial Data | |
SOC 4800 | Research Activity: Supervised | |
SOC 4980 | Advanced Independent Study | |
Select one of the following concentrations: | 12 | |
General Electives | 12-21 | |
Total Credits | 120 |
Concentrations
Gender, Sexuality, and the Body Concentration
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Elective Courses | ||
Select four of the following: | 12 | |
ANTH 3240 | Anthropology of Sex & Gender | |
SOC 2110 | Sociology of Sport | |
SOC 3230 | Gender and Society | |
SOC 3430 | Marriage and the Family | |
SOC 3510 | The Structure of Poverty: Globally and Locally | |
Total Credits | 12 |
Health and Medicine Concentration
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Elective Courses | ||
Select 12 credits from the following: | 12 | |
ANTH 2210 & ANTH 2215 | Biological Anthropology and Biological Anthropology Lab | |
ANTH 2460 | Global Mental Health | |
ANTH 3270 | Climate Change & Environmental Futures | |
SOC 1120 | Introduction to Sociology: Diversity and Health Emphasis | |
SOC 2360 | Health Inequalities in the U.S. | |
SOC 2480 | Drugs and Society: Legal and Medical Implications of the "War on Drugs" | |
SOC 2490 | Sociology of Medicine | |
SOC 3490 | Sociology of Mental Health | |
SOC 4640 | Demography: Measuring and Modeling Population Process | |
SOC 3700 | Health and the Social Sciences | |
Total Credits | 12 |
Law, Crime, and Deviance Concentration
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Elective Courses | ||
Select four of the following: | 12 | |
SOC 2480 | Drugs and Society: Legal and Medical Implications of the "War on Drugs" | |
SOC 3220 | Urban Sociology | |
SOC 3570 | Sociological Theories of Crime | |
SOC 3580 | Deviant Behavior: Drugs, Alcohol and Addiction | |
SOC 3590 | Law and Society | |
SOC 3370 | Violence in America | |
Total Credits | 12 |
Urbanization, Immigration, and Demography Concentration
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Elective Courses | ||
Select four of the following: | 12 | |
ANTH 2080 | Urban Issues: Poverty and Unemployment | |
ANTH 4080 | Urban Issues: Advanced Seminar | |
ANTH 4530 | Urban Ethnography: Cities in a Global Perspective | |
ANTH 4540 | Environmental Impact | |
SOC 1180 | World Geography | |
SOC 1500 | The Urban Community: Race, Class, and Spatial Justice | |
SOC 3180 | Immigration | |
SOC 3220 | Urban Sociology | |
SOC 3360 | Racial and Ethnic Relations | |
SOC 4640 | Demography: Measuring and Modeling Population Process | |
SOC 4650 | Introduction to GIS | |
SOC 4660 | Intermediate Geographic Information Systems | |
SOC 4670 | Spatial Demography: Applied Statistics for Spatial Data | |
Total Credits | 12 |
Continuation Standards
Students must have a GPA of 2.00 in Sociology major coursework to be retained in the major.
Bachelor of Arts Core Curriculum Requirements
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Core Components and Credits | ||
Foundations of Discourse | 3 | |
Diversity in the U.S. | 3 | |
Global Citizenship | 3 | |
Foreign Language | 0-9 | |
Fine Arts | 3 | |
Literature | 6 | |
Mathematics | 3 | |
Natural Science | 6 | |
Philosophy | 9 | |
Social Science | 6 | |
Theology | 9 | |
World History | 6 | |
Total Credits | 57-66 |
Graduation Requirements
- Complete a minimum of 120 credits (excluding pre-college level courses [numbered below 1000]).
- Complete either the College of Arts and Sciences Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science Core Curriculum Requirements
- Complete Major Requirements: minimum 30 credits required.
- Complete remaining credits with a second major, minor, certificate, and/or elective credits to reach the minimum of 120 credits required for graduation.
- Courses listed under the intensive English program do not count toward graduation requirements. EAP 1500 College Composition for International Students (3 cr), EAP 1900 Rhetoric & Research Strategies (3 cr) and EAP 2850 Nation, Identity and Literature (3 cr) count toward graduation requirements as equivalents to Department of English courses.
In addition to those courses, six credits from EAP/MLNG courses at the 1000 level or higher may count toward graduation requirements - Achieve at least a 2.00 cumulative grade point average, a 2.00 grade point average in the major(s) and a 2.00 grade point average in the minor/certificate, or related elective credits.
- Complete department/program-specific academic and performance requirements.
- Complete at least 50% of the coursework for the major and 75% for the minor/certificate through Saint Louis University or an approved study abroad program.
- Complete 30 of the final 36 credits through Saint Louis University or an approved study abroad program.
- Complete an online degree application by the required University deadline.
Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.
Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.
This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.
Year One | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | |
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
SOC 1100 |
Introduction to Sociology | |
SOC 1110 |
Introduction to Sociology: Diversity Emphasis | |
SOC 1120 |
Introduction to Sociology: Diversity and Health Emphasis | |
ENGL 1900 or ENGL 1940 or EAP 1900 |
Advanced Strategies of Rhetoric and Research or Advanced Writing or Rhetoric & Research Strategies |
3 |
MATH 1200 | College Algebra (or higher) | 3 |
THEO 1000 | Theological Foundations | 3 |
HIST 1110 | Origins of the Modern World to 1500 | 3 |
Credits | 15 | |
Spring | ||
SOC 2000 | Research Methods | 3 |
Foreign Language 2010 (if qualified) | 3 | |
PHIL 1050 | Introduction to Philosophy: Self and Reality | 3 |
HIST 1120 | Origins of the Modern World (1500 to Present) | 3 |
Natural Science: BIOL, CHEM, EAS, FRSC, or PHYS | 4 | |
Credits | 16 | |
Year Two | ||
Fall | ||
SOC Elective | 3 | |
Theology 2xxx | 3 | |
Literature ENGL 2xxx | 3 | |
PHIL 2050 | Ethics | 3 |
Natural Science: BIOL, CHEM, EAS, FRSC, or PHYS | 4 | |
Credits | 16 | |
Spring | ||
Soc Elective/Diversity in U.S. | 3 | |
Theology 3xxx | 3 | |
Literature 3-4xxx | 3 | |
Philosophy 3-4xxx | 3 | |
FPA 1xxx | 3 | |
Credits | 15 | |
Year Three | ||
Fall | ||
SOC 3020 | Qualitative Research | 3 |
SOC 3100 | Sociological Theory | 3 |
SOC Elective | 3 | |
SOC Elective | 3 | |
Elective | 3 | |
Credits | 15 | |
Spring | ||
SOC Elective | 3 | |
SOC Elective | 3 | |
Global Citizenship Course | 3 | |
Elective | 3 | |
Elective | 3 | |
Credits | 15 | |
Year Four | ||
Fall | ||
SOC Elective | 3 | |
Elective | 3 | |
Elective | 3 | |
Elective | 3 | |
Elective | 3 | |
Credits | 15 | |
Spring | ||
SOC 4840 | Sociology Capstone | 3 |
Elective | 3 | |
Elective | 3 | |
Elective | 3 | |
Elective | 3 | |
Credits | 15 | |
Total Credits | 122 |