SOCIOLOGY

Sociology (B.A.)

The field is concerned with the social location of people — their culture, social class, gender, age, and education; the relationships between groups; and external influences that are internalized, becoming part of an individual's identity and behavior.

Increasingly, employers are looking for people with the analytical skills that a Sociology major provides. The investigative skills emphasized in the major, along with the focus on working with diverse groups prove valuable to students pursuing careers in journalism, public relations, business, and public administration. Sociology also provides a strong base for later professional training in law, education, and social work.

An undergraduate major in Sociology provides a strong liberal arts preparation for entry-level positions in business, social service, and governmental sectors. Students have an option of choosing an emphasis in Social Justice or Early Childhood Education.

Internship Prerequisite: When all other requirements are successfully completed, in the senior year the student is placed for 280 hours (6 credits) in an internship (SOC 400) that complements his/her selected focus. Prerequisites for the internship are a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher, a grade of C- or higher in all required courses for the major, a minimum of 12 credits earned at Marymount, and permission of the internship coordinator. Students choosing the Early Childhood or Social Justice emphasis should read the respective emphasis areas for further information.

Suggested degree plan

Year One

Fall

ECO/POL/SOC 100 Introduction to the Social Sciences*
EN 101 Composition I*
Humanities (Theology/Religious Studies) elective*
2 electives
SEM 101 Freshman Seminar

Spring

SOC 131 Principles of Sociology §
EN 102 Composition II*
Health elective*
Humanities (History) elective*
Science elective*

Year Two

Fall

SOC 201 Cultural Anthropology §
SOC 202 Social Problems §
COM 300 Report Writing*
Humanities (English Literature) elective*
Elective

Spring

IS 200 Approaches to Gender and Society §
PSY 101 General Psychology or PSY 220 Social Psychology §
PH 210 General Ethics*
2 electives

Year Three

Fall

SOC 303 Development of Social Thought §
SOC 306 Social Class in American Society §
MA 132 Statistical Analysis*
Sociology elective §**
Humanities elective*

Spring

SOC 304 Applied Research Methods §
SOC 322 Race and Ethnic Relations §
2 Sociology electives §**
Elective

Year Four

Fall

SOC 400 Internship §
Sociology elective §**
Social Sciences 300/400-level elective*
Elective

Spring

SOC 495 or CJ 495 Current Issues In Crime and Social Justice §
Sociology elective §**
Humanities elective*
2 electives*

§ Requirement for the major
* See Liberal Arts Core requirements for details.
** Sociology electives: CJ 209 The Criminal Justice System, CJ 310 Policing in American Society, CJ 311 Correctional Institutions, SOC 200 Law and Society, SOC 250 Deviant Behavior, SOC 302 Marriage & Family, SOC 305 Criminology, SOC 307 Sociology of Juvenile Justice, SOC 350 Social Justice: Ethical Dilemmas in Social Context, SOC 351 Addressing Injustice: Activism and Advocacy, SOC 360 Britain Today: Myth and Reality, and include no more than three from the following: PSY 210 Human Growth and Development, PSY 220 Social Psychology, PSY 230 Abnormal Psychology, PSY 311 Early Childhood Development, PSY 312 Adolescent Psychology, PSY 313 Adulthood and Aging, PSY 321 Psychology of Gender, PSY 331 Human Service Agencies, PSY 332 Psychology of Addictions, PSY 341 Psychology of Individuals with Exceptionalities

Early Childhood Education (PK-3) emphasis

This concentration may be selected by students interested in becoming teachers in the primary grades. Students will be prepared to apply theoretical and practical knowledge to early educational settings. Completion of the required emphasis and Liberal Arts Core courses lead to licensure eligibility at the PK-3 level. This program is approved by the Virginia Department of Education. NOTE: If a student in this emphasis is not admitted to the PK-3 licensure program before the beginning of the senior year, the student would switch to General Sociology and complete its requirements.

Admission Requirement: Students in this emphasis must seek admission to the teacher licensure program and apply for student teaching. See Education section beginning on page 103 for admission requirements and procedures.

Degree Planning: Students in this program must take courses specified in the degree plan to ensure fulfillment of state licensure requirements. Please see an Education advisor in the School of Education and Human Services for further information.

Internship Prerequisite: When all other requirements are successfully completed, in the senior year the student is placed in a student-teaching internship (ED 460E). Prerequisites for the internship are a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or higher, a grade of C- or higher in all required courses for the major, a minimum of 12 credits earned at Marymount, and permission of the Undergraduate Teacher Licensure Committee. Students in this program must meet with an Education advisor to ensure that all licensure requirements in Liberal Arts Core and Professional Studies are met. Students are required to pass appropriate Praxis I and Praxis II tests.

Suggested degree plan

Year One

Fall

EN 101 Composition I*
ECO/POL 100 Introduction to the Social Sciences**
MA 121 Introduction to Mathematical Problem Solving*
HPR 100 Concepts of Lifetime Fitness*
Humanities (Religious Studies) elective*
SEM 101 Freshman Seminar

Spring

SOC 131 Principles of Sociology §
EN 102 Composition II*
Science (Biology) elective*
HI 203 European History, HI 210 History of the U.S. to 1877, or HI 211 History of the U.S. since 1877*
GEO 201 Introduction to Geography

Year Two

Fall

SOC 201 Cultural Anthropology §*
Sociology elective §***
ECO 199 Principles of Macroeconomics or POL 204 American Government**
HI 203 European History, HI 210 History of the U.S. to 1877, or HI 211 History of the U.S. since 1877*
MA 127 Applied Elementary Geometry

Spring

PSY 210 Human Growth and Development §
ED 245E Exploring Teaching
EN 301 The Writing Process: Theory and Practice*
1 from the following: FA 121-122 Music History I or II, FA 201-202 History of Art I or II*
Science (Astronomy, Chemistry, or Geology) elective

Year Three

Fall

SOC 303 Development of Social Thought §
SOC 306 Social Class in American Society §
ED 300 Reading, Writing, and Language Acquisition
Humanities (English Literature 300/400-level) elective*
MA 132 Statistical Analysis

Spring

SOC 322 Race and Ethnic Relations §
ED 310 Reading and the Language Arts
ED 410 Teaching History and Social Studies §
PSY 341 Psychology of Individuals with Exceptionalities*
PSY 260 Introduction to Learning and Cognition

Year Four

Fall

Sociology elective §***
Sociology 300/400-level elective §***
ED 400 Teaching Mathematics and Science §
PSY 311 Early Childhood Development §
HI 203 European History, HI 210 History of the U.S. to 1877, or HI 211 History of the U.S. since 1877*

Spring

ED 460E Student Teaching §
ED 320 Assessing and Guiding Students in Early Childhood Settings
Sociology elective§***

§ Requirement for the major
* See Liberal Arts Core requirements for details.
** If ECO 100 is chosen, then POL 204 is required. If POL 100 is chosen, then ECO 199 is required. Both courses fulfill Liberal Arts Core requirements.
*** Sociology electives: SOC 200 Law and Society, SOC 202 Social Problems, SOC 250 Deviant Behavior, SOC 307 Sociology of Juvenile Justice, SOC 302 Marriage and Family, SOC 350 Social Justice, SOC 351 Addressing Injustice, SOC 360 Britain Today, SOC 495 Current Issues in Crime and Social Justice.

Social Justice emphasis

This rigorous program analyzes those groups most in need of justice. By analyzing the consequences of inequality, these Sociology students examine ways of empowering the marginalized and voiceless to work effectively on their own behalf by developing community strategies that enable change.

This emphasis provides a strong liberal arts preparation for entry-level positions as lobbyists, legislative advocates, fund-raisers, and nonprofit directors and for work in government agencies. This program encourages students to develop their own framework for addressing social justice issues that interest them. The Social Justice emphasis also provides a strong base for later professional training in law, education, and social work.

Internship Prerequisite: When all other requirements are successfully completed, in the senior year the student is placed for 280 hours (6 credits) in an internship (SOC 400) that complements his/her selected focus within the area of social justice. Prerequisites for the internship are a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher, a grade of C- or higher in all required courses for the major, a minimum of 12 credits earned at Marymount, and permission of the internship coordinator.

Suggested degree plan

Year One

Fall

ECO/POL/SOC 100 Introduction to the Social Sciences*
EN 101 Composition I*
Humanities (Theology/Religious Studies) elective*
2 electives
SEM 101 Freshman Seminar

Spring

SOC 131 Principles of Sociology §*
EN 102 Composition II*
Health elective*
Humanities (History) elective*
Science elective*

Year Two

Fall

SOC 201 Cultural Anthropology §
SOC 202 Social Problems §
COM 300 Report Writing*
Humanities (English Literature) elective*
Elective

Spring

IS 200 Approaches to Gender and Society §
PSY 101 General Psychology or PSY 220 Social Psychology*
Humanities elective (PH 210 General Ethics recommended)*
2 electives*

Year Three

Fall

MA 132 Statistical Analysis*
SOC 303 Development of Social Thought §
SOC 306 Social Class in American Society §
SOC 350 Social Justice: Ethical Dilemmas in Social Context §
Concentration elective §**

Spring

SOC 304 Applied Research Methods §
SOC 322 Race and Ethnic Relations §
SOC 351 Addressing Injustice: Activism and Advocacy §
Concentration elective §**
Humanities elective*

Year Four

Fall

SOC 400 Internship
SOC 421 Project or SOC 433 Research §
Concentration elective §**
Humanities elective*
Social Sciences 300/400-level elective*

Spring

SOC/CJ 495 Current Issues In Crime and Social Justice §
3 Concentration electives §**
Elective*

§ Requirement for the major
* See Liberal Arts Core requirements for details.
** Concentration electives — At the end of the sophomore year, students must have a concentration area approved, proposing a cluster of courses that address one area of social justice, such as: Addressing Injustice or Legal Justice in the U.S.

Minor in Sociology

Minor Requirements

7 from the following: SOC 131 Principles of Sociology, SOC 201 Cultural Anthropology, SOC 200 Law and Society, SOC 202 Social Problems or SOC 250 Deviant Behavior, SOC 303 Development of Social Thought, SOC 304 Applied Research Methods, SOC 306 Social Class in American Society, SOC 322 Race and Ethnic Relations, SOC 350 Social Justice: Ethical Dilemmas in Social Context, SOC 351 Addressing Injustice: Activism and Advocacy, SOC 495 Current Issues in Crime and Social Justice.