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The Major: The Department of Sociology offers a variety of courses dealing with themes of social life, social change and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociology examines the structure of groups, organizations and societies, and how people interact within these contexts.

Sociology provides many unique perspectives on the social world while generating new ideas and assessing the old. It promotes the use of diverse research methods to study virtually any social issue. A liberal arts degree in sociology provides students with opportunities to develop skills deemed essential for many different types of careers. These skills include learning how to identify and solve problems, conduct research, relate to others and write effectively. Graduates frequently are employed in business (e.g., advertising staff member, human resource manager), community and social services (e.g., environmental organizer, family planning worker), education (e.g., teacher, public health educator), government (e.g., human rights officer, urban planner), and research (e.g., social research assistant and market researcher). Sociology also is an excellent major for pre-law, pre-health, M.A. and Ph.D. studies.

The department sponsors career events every year that include presentations from the department, the Career Resource Center and guest speakers who talk about the value of a sociology degree and employment possibilities.

A sociology major requires 31 semester hours of course work in sociology, including required courses: SYG 2000, SYA 4300 and SYA 4110. Sociology majors are encouraged to take SYG 2000 as their first class. Majors can count only two other 2000-level courses besides SYG 2000 towards the major, for a maximum of nine credits at the 2000 level. SYA 4300 (Methods of Social Research) should be completed by the end of the sixth semester. SYA 4110 (Development of Social Thought) must be taken after 90 credits. The 31 hours of course work must be completed with C or better grades, and at least 18 credit hours must be completed at UF.

Additional sociology courses to complete the 31-hour minimum may be selected by students to match their interests in different substantive areas. At least 22 semester hours of sociology credit must be in courses numbered 3000 or higher. In addition to the 31 credit hours of sociology course work, both STA 2023 (STA 2122 may substitute) and STA 3024 are required and each must be completed with a minimum grade of C. STA 2023 must be taken no later than the end of the third semester and is a prerequisite for STA 3024. STA 3024 must be taken no later than the end of the fifth semester. Both STA 2023 and STA 3024 are prerequisites for SYA 4300, Methods of Social Research.

Critical-tracking courses for the sociology major: SYG 2000 Principles of Sociology, two additional sociology courses (one must be at the 3000- or 4000 level), STA 2023, Introduction to Statistics 1, and STA 3024, Introduction to Statistics 2.

All majors should go to the department’s Web site for information about the major, the plan of study worksheet, and other valuable information about a major in sociology. Majors also can pick up an informational handout outside of Turlington Hall, Room 3111.

Combined-Degree Program: This combined B.A./M.A. program allows qualified students to earn both degrees in a shorter time than typically would be possible. Students may count up to 12 hours of graduate courses toward the B.A. and M.A. degrees, thereby earning both degrees with a minimum of 144 hours, 12 fewer than if the two degrees were pursued separately.

Students can use the combined program to obtain research and analytic skills to enter an M.A.-level career or to pursue a Ph.D. Information is available on the department’s Web site or by e-mail to the graduate coordinator at grad.coord@soc.ufl.edu.

Honors: To graduate cum laude, a sociology major must have a 3.5 upper-division grade point average. To graduate magna cum laude or summa cum laude, contact the sociology undergraduate coordinator or adviser at least one semester before graduation. Summer graduates must notify the coordinator or adviser the preceding fall semester. To graduate magna cum laude or summa cum laude, a student must complete a senior honors thesis (while registered for SYA 4931) under the supervision of a sociology faculty member. The faculty supervisor and undergraduate coordinator will evaluate the student’s work and thesis and recommend magna or summa cum laude recognition.

General Education: Sociology general education requirements are meant to provide a broad understanding of social structure, social processes and social problems. Those courses marked "S" satisfy requirements in social science. Those courses marked "I" satisfy requirements in international studies and diversity.

Courses: There are no prerequisites for 2000-level courses. Descriptions of current and prospective courses are available in this catalog and in Turlington Hall, Room 3111.

To remain ‘on track’ for this major, a student must meet the following critical-tracking criteria:

• 2.0 UF GPA required for sem 1-5

• Complete 1 sociology course

• Complete 1 additional sociology course (1 of the 2 sociology courses must be SYG 2000)
• Complete STA 2023
• 2.75 GPA in all 3 critical-tracking courses

• 2.75 GPA in all critical-tracking course work

• Complete 1 additional sociology course (1 of the 3 sociology courses must be 3000 or 4000 level)
• Complete STA 3024
• 2.75 GPA in all 5 critical-tracking courses

* In addition to SYG 2000 (GE-S), the remaining six credits of GE-S can be satisfied by sociology or non-sociology GE-S courses.

** Upper-division transfer students should complete STA 3024 no later than semester 5. Then complete SYA 4300, Methods, no later than semester 6.