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Handbook for Sociology Majors
What Can I Do With a B.S. in Sociology? Declaring A Major in Sociology Requirements for Majors in Sociology Suggested Class Schedule by Semester Suggested Thematic Areas of Concentration Minor in Sociology Interdisciplinary Minors Internship in Sociology Other Internships Honor Society Sociology and Anthropology Club Information on Careers and Graduate School 
We invite you to major in sociology at the College of Charleston. Sociology is the scientific study of human social behavior. It focuses on the factors that organize and structure social activities, as well as those that disorganize and threaten to dissolve them. As a social science, sociology applies objective and systematic methods of investigation to the discovery and identification of regularities in social life and to the understanding of the processes by which they are established and changed. A major in sociology is attractive to persons preparing for further study and for professional careers, as well as to those seeking a liberal education and immediate employment. As part of a liberal arts program, sociology enables students to understand the social environment in which they live and the social forces that shape their personalities, actions, and interactions with others.
What Can I Do With a B.S. in Sociology? Human ServicesTurn to pp. 11-12 of this handbook to find out where actual C of C Sociology graduates of the 1990s work and what positions they hold. See p. 10 for sources of information about careers and graduate programs. **** The following students from the Spring, 1998, Sociology Capstone course contributed to the revision of this handbook: Page Baker, Kimberly Dixon, Cope Johnston, Courtney McMillan, Lisa Montelongo, Janice Rigonan, Jonathan Seeber.****
Declaring a Major in Sociology 1. Each student must declare a major by the second semester of the sophomore year. 2. Students wishing to declare a major in Sociology can do so by clicking on the following link and filling out the form. Declare Sociology as a Major, Minor, or as a Double Major 3. After you fill out the form, the Administrative Assistant will assign you an advisor. 4. Students are free to request a faculty advisor of their choice or to request a change of advisor. Your faculty advisor is available to you to help you with academic and vocational planning, academic problems, and application to professional or graduate school. The names and areas of specialization for departmental faculty are listed on pages 13-14 of this handbook.
Requirements for Majors in Sociology Please consult the College's general catalog for the general educational 1. The major in sociology requires thirty-four (34) hours in the discipline. a. Sociology majors must take the following seven core courses:
Individual, Prejudice, Collective Behavior, and Death and Dying).
2. Recommendations from Sociology seniors and faculty:
Suggested Class Schedule By Semester
S. S. = Social Science
Suggested Thematic Areas of Concentration The Sociology major does not have formal concentrations within it. Here are some suggestions as to how courses might be chosen around a particular theme. Students should be aware that most of the courses below are not offered every semester, so careful planning is necessary. Crime and Deviant Behavior
Sociology majors can obtain certification to teach social studies in grades 9-12. Requirements include admission to, and successful completion of, an approved teacher education program. After declaration of a major in sociology, students interested in teacher certification must contact the coordinator of certification and student teaching, School of Education, for complete details.
Though a minor is not required for graduation at the College of Charleston, Declare Sociology as a Major, Minor, or as a Double Major Students choosing the minor in sociology need to complete the following eighteen (18) hours: 1. The four (4) required courses for the minor are:
3. A G.P.A. of at least 2.0 in Sociology courses. 4. SOCY 102 (Contemporary Social Issues) and SOCY 103 (Sociology of Family) do not count towards a minor in Sociology.
An interdisciplinary minor includes courses from several different academic disciplines centered around a common topic. Choosing an interdisciplinary minor enables students to focus their general degree requirements in humanities and social sciences and their electives in a particular direction. Interdisciplinary minors which currently include sociology courses as part of the minor include: The requirements for these minors can be found in the College of Charleston Undergraduate Bulletin and on separate handouts in the departmental office. Other interdisciplinary minors that may be of interest to sociology majors
Internships enable students to achieve one of the primary goals of any curriculum -- the ability to apply what they have learned in the classroom. As interns, students have extended opportunities to link theories and ideas to concrete situations, and to apply the perspective of their discipline in a work place setting as we hope they will after graduation. Internships are a real life laboratory within a supportive environment. Depending on the placement, students may be involved in a variety of hands-on activities while they test their ability to act as a participant observer. Internships allow students to use their classroom knowledge in the analysis and interpretation of what they observe. In addition, internships can help students become more marketable by providing experience and contacts. We have placed students in a variety of internships such as the Department of Social Services, police departments, the Public Defender's Office, Hospice, Guardian Ad Litem, MUSC Children's Hospital, the Department of Juvenile Justice, and many other non-profit organizations in the community. For a complete list, contact Ann Stein. As currently described in the undergraduate bulletin, the prerequisites for an academic credit internship are junior standing, a GPA of 3.0 in sociology, a 2.5 overall GPA, a major or minor in sociology, and permission of the instructor. All Crime, Law and Society minors (formerly Criminal Justice minor) are eligible to do an internship as it is a requirement for the minor. Other prerequisites may vary depending on the nature of the placement (background checks, TB tests, etc.). It is expected that students will have completed at least 12 hours of their major before attempting an internship. For Crime, Law and Society minors, it is expected that students will have completed both Sociology 341 (Criminology) and Political Science 220 (Criminal Justice). This is important because an internship is not just on-the-job training; it is also an opportunity to meaningfully apply and use sociological knowledge. Students interested in completing an internship should schedule the internship the semester before you plan on completing the internship. For example, if you want to complete a Fall internship, meet with the appropriate professor below the preceding Spring semester. Similarly, if you want to complete a Spring internship, contact the appropriate professor the preceding Fall semester. We suggest doing this because many internship sites require background checks or special training before you begin the internship. All interns keep a record of their activities as well as attend required periodic class sessions. They meet individually with their faculty advisor to report on their progress. They are also evaluated by their placement supervisor. The grade is based on a combination of the placement supervisor's evaluation and the evaluation of the faculty advisor. Credit is variable, ranging from one to six hours. Generally, three hours of internship per week are required for one hour of academic credit; a typical three hour course requires nine hours of internship placement per week or 120 hours per semester. Students can earn up to a total of six hours of credit for internship(s). If you have any questions about internships please contact the appropriate professor below. For Sociology Internships, contact Professor Ann Stein at 953-6547 For Gerontology Internships, contact Professor Brenda Sanders at 953-7055 For Crime, Law and Society Internships, contact Professor Heath Hoffmann at 953-8182 and visit the Crime, Law and Society webpage at the address below: www.cofc.edu/CriminalJustice/internships.htm
Sociology students wishing to participate in non-credit internships or volunteer work are encouraged to contact Career Services.
Alpha Kappa Delta, national honor society in sociology, has a chapter at the College of Charleston. Students who meet the following qualifications will be invited to join AKD:
Sociology and Anthropology Club As a major or minor in sociology, you are invited to participate in the
INFORMATION ON CAREERS AND GRADUATE SCHOOL CAREER SERVICES RESOURCES The office of Career Services, located at Lightsey Center, Room 216, 160 Calhoun Street, offers a variety of services to students at all points of their college careers. Career Services conducts seminars on choosing a major, the job search process, writing resumes, and interviewing, as well as providing information on a variety of career options. In addition, Career Services hosts a number of job fairs during the year and provides facilities for employers to interview on campus. For updated information on what the Office of Career Services can offer you, phone 953-5692 or check out their web site at www.cofc.edu/~career. DEPARTMENTAL RESOURCES Each year the Sociology/Anthropology Club and the Department sponsor a number of events to inform students about graduate schools and career options. These events will be announced in class and advertised on posters. The Department Chair has copies of three booklets that may aid students in their search for the appropriate occupation. The booklets are: "Careers in Sociology," "Careers in Aging: Opportunities and Options," and "Choices: Careers in Social Work". The Department also maintains a web site on career information: www.cofc.edu/~soc_anth (click on Sociology and then on Careers in Sociology). Senior Sociology students in the Spring, 1998, Capstone course created this site specifically for use by future majors. Sociology graduates from the College of Charleston are employed in a variety of occupations and organizations. See pp. 11and 12 of this booklet for a list of actual occupations College of Charleston Sociology graduates of the 1990s have entered with their B.S. degree. Sociology graduates also enter a variety of graduate and professional school programs. Page 12 of this booklet lists some of the programs our graduates have gone into. Information about graduate programs is posted on the bulletin boards between the first and second floors of 19 St. Philip Street. The information posters are grouped into two categories: graduate programs in Sociology and graduate programs in Sociology-related areas (e.g. Human Resources Management, Social Work, Criminal Justice, Public Health, etc.) The most recent Guide to Graduate Departments in Sociology can be found in the Chair's office. The College of Charleston Library has guides to other types of graduate programs. Peterson's Guide, Books 1, 2, and 6 (REF L901.P46.1998) are especially relevant to Sociology majors. Your academic advisor is also a good source of information about graduate schools. |
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Huber; 2-feb-06 |
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