Getting Started (Majors Guide)

College: SBS

(Revised Spring 2018)

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How to Explore/Get Started in the Major

Suggested General Education Courses

Under the new guidelines students are still required to take two courses, one in U.S. Diversity and one in Global Diversity. Students entering in Fall 2018 are expected to take one of these diversity courses, either U.S. or Global, in their first year on campus.  For Fall 2018 Registration, look for courses with DU (formerly U) and DG (formerly G) to help students stay on track.  Any course labled DU will satisfy the requirement for a U.S. diversity course and any course labeled DG will satisfy the the requirement for Global diversity course. Course planning guidelines, including guidelines for students, are available at www.umass.edu/gened.

Students are encouraged to take a broad range of liberal arts courses to meet these requirements.

Suggested Major and Pre-requisite Courses

A 100-level introductory course in Sociology is recommended prior to declaration of the major.

During the first month of Registration, many upper level Sociology courses are restricted to majors. Students should check the course attributes on SPIRE to determine whether they meet the prerequisites and/or eligibilities.

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How to Declare the Major

Students should meet with an Undergraduate Advisor or a Peer Advisor in Sociology to assess which requirements they have fulfilled and to develop a plan for fulfilling unmet requirements and to discuss opportunities for enrichment.  They will be signed into the major at this meeting. For further information and to declare the major, contact the Sociology Undergraduate Office in 1010 Thompson or the Peer Advisor Office in 1012 Thompson.

Transfer Students:

Students can declare when they enter the university. Meet with an advisor in the Sociology Department, preferably during a transfer advising session or before the first day of classes.

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Summary of Requirements for the Major

Minimum Total # of courses required: 11

These requirements apply to students entering the University of Massachusetts in Fall 2018 or later. For requirements for earlier entry years, see archived Guides to Undergraduate Programs.

• Students must complete a minimum of eleven courses, including a 100-level introductory course, SOCIOL 212, 213, 301 (Writing in Sociology), and 302 (which also serves as the Integrative Experience requirement).
• An elementary statistics course from any department can substitute for SOCIOL 212.
• NOTE: Only one 100-level introductory course may be counted towards the major.
• Students must take three distribution requirement courses (one course from each of the following areas): 1) Crime, Law and Deviance; 2) Culture, Organizations and Institutions; and 3) Social Inequality and Diversity.
• Twelve (12) credits of elective coursework, eight (8) credits of which must be at the 300-level or above.
• Students must satisfy the International and Intercultural requirement by taking either a foreign language course, taking a departmentally approved study abroad course that is part of an IPO approved study abroad program, or by completing an additional sociology course focused on international or intercultural issues from a departmentally approved list.

Is there a minor? If so what are the requirements?
Yes. A total of five graded Sociology courses are required for the minor. Only one of these may be at the 100-level; three of the five must be taken in residence at UMass/Amherst (or through UMass/Amherst Continuing and Professional Education). SOCIOL 212 is not accepted toward the minor. See a Sociology advisor for information about Certificates offered by the department.

NOTE: Minors may have difficulty enrolling in courses because majors have first priority.

For further information, contact:
Sociology Department
1008 or 1010 Thompson
545-4059 or 545-4056
advising@soc.umass.edu
http://www.umass.edu/sociology/