Arts & Sciences Sociology
Description
A major or minor in sociology within the College of Arts and Sciences provides students with vital intellectual and occupational skills. This includes analytical thinking; creative problem solving; effective written and oral communication; collecting, analyzing and interpreting data; and gaining expertise regarding the impact of social and cultural dynamics on individual and societal trends. Students may pursue broad training in sociology, or they may pursue a specific interest such as Crime/Deviance, Family, Health, Social Inequality, or Social Research.
We also encourage students strongly to seize the opportunities provided for internships and a variety of research experiences, which play a key role in helping students gain experience and build the strongest after-graduation opportunities. Our majors and minors pursue careers in a variety of fields that reflect their substantive expertise, such as:
- Social-Justice Related Activism
- Law and Criminal Justice
- Education and Social/Human Services
- Research—especially public health and medicine, public opinion research, market research/marketing, as well as occupations requiring data collection, analysis, and project direction skills (e.g., nursing, policy work, journalism, engineering, computational sciences)
- Public Service/Government and Administration
- Nonprofit organizations
- Business, Management, and Human Resources
We also encourage students to combine their interest in sociology with one of the many interdisciplinary programs/certificates offered in the College of Arts and Sciences and beyond. This includes but is not limited to Environmental Studies, Ethnic Studies, Global Studies, Human Rights, Humanities and Medicine, Public Policy, and Women’s and Gender Studies.
Learning Outcomes
Graduates with a major in sociology will:
- Explain how society influences individuals, with an emphasis on the causes and consequences of social inequality.
- Assess how different types of research methods and data are used to study society and to make claims about society.
- Conduct basic social research, including developing hypotheses, collecting and analyzing data, using statistical software proficiently, and addressing any ethical issues involved in social research.
- Write and communicate effectively, including being able to articulate key theoretical approaches and summarize research findings.
Academic and Career Advising
Academic and Career Advising Center
Not sure where to go or who to ask? The Advising Center team in 107 Oldfather Hall can help. The Academic and Career Advising Center is the undergraduate hub for CAS students in all majors. Centrally located and easily accessed, students encounter friendly, knowledgeable people who are eager to help or connect students to partner resources. Students also visit the Advising Center in 107 Oldfather Hall to:
- Choose or change their major, minor, or degree program.
- Check on policies, procedures, and deadlines.
- Get a college approval signature from the Dean’s representatives.
CAS Career Coaches are available by appointment (in-person or Zoom) and located in the CAS Academic and Career Advising Center, 107 Oldfather Hall. They help students explore majors and minors, gain experience, and develop a plan for life after graduation.
Assigned Academic Advisors
Academic advisors are critical resources dedicated to students' academic, personal, and professional success. Every CAS student is assigned an academic advisor based on their primary major. Since most CAS students have more than just a single major, it is important to get to know the advisor for any minors or additional majors. Academic advisors work closely with the faculty to provide the best overall support and the discipline specific expertise. They are available for appointments (in-person or Zoom) and through weekly virtual drop-ins. Assigned advisors are listed in MyRED and their offices may be located in or near the department of the major for which they advise.
Students who have declared a pre-health or pre-law area of interest will also work with advisors in the Exploratory and Pre-Professional Advising Center (Explore Center) in 127 Love South, who are specially trained to guide students preparing to enter a professional school.
For complete and current information on advisors for majors, minors, or pre-professional areas, visit https://cas.unl.edu/major-advisors, or connect with the Arts and Sciences Academic and Career Advising Center, 107 Oldfather Hall, 402-472-4190, casadvising@unl.edu.
Career Coaching
The College believes that Academics + Experience = Opportunities and encourages students to complement their academic preparation with real-world experience, including internships, research, education abroad, service, and leadership. Arts and sciences students have access to a powerful network of faculty, staff, and advisors dedicated to providing information and support for their goals of meaningful employment or advanced education. Arts and sciences graduates have unlimited career possibilities and carry with them important career competencies—communication, critical thinking, creativity, context, and collaboration. They have the skills and adaptability that employers universally value. Graduates are prepared to effectively contribute professionally and personally with a solid foundation to excel in an increasingly global, technological, and interdisciplinary world.
Students should contact the career coaches in the Arts and Sciences Academic and Career Advising Center in 107 Oldfather Hall, or their assigned advisor, for more information. The CAS career coaches help students explore career options, identify ways to build experience and prepare to apply for internships, jobs, or graduate school, including help with resumes, applications, and interviewing.
ACE Requirements
Students must complete one course for each of the ACE Student Learning Outcomes below. Certified course choices are published in the degree audit, or visit the ACE website for the most current list of certified courses.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ACE Student Learning Outcomes | ||
ACE 1: Write texts, in various forms, with an identified purpose, that respond to specific audience needs, integrate research or existing knowledge, and use applicable documentation and appropriate conventions of format and structure. | ||
ACE 2: Demonstrate competence in communication skills. | ||
ACE 3: Use mathematical, computational, statistical, logical, or other formal reasoning to solve problems, draw inferences, justify conclusions, and determine reasonableness. | ||
ACE 4: Use scientific methods and knowledge to pose questions, frame hypotheses, interpret data, and evaluate whether conclusions about the natural and physical world are reasonable. | ||
ACE 5: Use knowledge, historical perspectives, analysis, interpretation, critical evaluation, and the standards of evidence appropriate to the humanities to address problems and issues. | ||
ACE 6: Use knowledge, theories, and research perspectives such as statistical methods or observational accounts appropriate to the social sciences to understand and evaluate social systems or human behaviors. | ||
ACE 7: Use knowledge, theories, or methods appropriate to the arts to understand their context and significance. | ||
ACE 8: Use knowledge, theories, and analysis to explain ethical principles and their importance in society. | ||
ACE 9: Exhibit global awareness or knowledge of human diversity through analysis of an issue. | ||
ACE 10: Generate a creative or scholarly product that requires broad knowledge, appropriate technical proficiency, information collection, synthesis, interpretation, presentation, and reflection. | ||
College Degree Requirements
College Distribution Requirements – BA and BS
The College of Arts and Sciences distribution requirements are common to both the bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees and are designed to ensure a range of courses. By engaging in study in several different areas within the College, students develop the ability to learn in a variety of ways and apply their knowledge from a variety of perspectives. All requirements are in addition to University ACE requirements, and no course can be used to fulfill both an ACE outcome and a College Distribution Requirement.
- A student may not use a single course to satisfy more than one College Distribution Requirement, with the exception of CDR Diversity. Courses used to meet CDR Diversity may also meet CDR Writing, CDR Humanities, or CDR Social Science.
- Internship (395 or 495), independent study or readings (396 or 496), research (398 or 498), and thesis (399, 399H, 499, or 499H) will not satisfy distribution requirements.
- Other courses with a 9 in the middle number (ex. PSYC 292) will not satisfy distribution requirements unless approved by an advisor.
- Cross-listed courses from interdisciplinary programs will be applied in the same area as courses from the lead department.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| College Distribution Requirements | ||
| CDR: Written Communication | 3 | |
| Select from courses approved for ACE outcome 1. | ||
| CDR: Natural, Physical, and Mathematical Sciences 1 | 3-4 | |
| Select a course from ASTR, BIOS, CHEM, GEOL, LIFE, METR, MATH, PHYS, or ANTH 242, GEOG 155, GEOG 281, POLS 250, or PSYC 273. | ||
| CDR: Laboratory 2 | 0-1 | |
| Laboratory courses may be embedded in a 4-5 credit course used in CDR Natural, Physical, and Mathematical Science (example GEOG 155), or stand alone (example LIFE 120L). | ||
| CDR: Humanities 3 | 3 | |
| Select a course from ARAB, CHIN, CLAS, CZEC, ENGL, FILM, FREN, GERM, GREK, HIST, JAPN, LATN, PHIL, RELG, RUSS, or SPAN. | ||
| CDR: Social Science 4 | 3 | |
| Select a course from ANTH, COMM, GEOG, NSST, POLS, PSYC, or SOCI. | ||
| CDR: Human Diversity in U.S. Communities | 0-3 | |
| Select from the following approved courses also listed in your degree audit: ANTH 130, ANTH 412, ANTH 473, ARAB 313, COMM 311, COMM 364, COMM 465, ENGL 212, ENGL 245N, ENGL 312, ENGL 345D, ENGL 345N, ENGL 346, ENGL 376, ENGL 380, ENGL 445, ETHN 100, ETHN 201, ETHN 202, ETHN 205, FILM 344, GEOG 271, GEOG 403, GLST 350, HIST 115, HIST 246, HIST 251, HIST 323, HIST 340, HIST 351, HIST 356, HIST 357, HIST 402, PHIL 105, PHIL 106, PHIL 218, PHIL 323, PHIL 325, POLS 333, POLS 338, POLS 347, PSYC 310, PSYC 330, PSYC 421, PSYC 425, RELG 134, RELG 226, RELG 227, RELG 313, SOCI 101, SOCI 180, SOCI 200, SOCI 217, SPAN 206, SPAN 486, WMNS 101, WMNS 201, WMNS 202, WMNS 210, WMNS 356 | ||
| CDR: Language 5 | 0-16 | |
| Fulfilled by the completion of the 4th level of a single language (either in H.S. or in college). Language study at UNL is available in: ARAB, CHIN, CZEC, FREN, GERM, GREK, JAPN, LATN, RUSS, SLPA, or SPAN. | ||
| Credit Hours Subtotal: | 12-33 | |
- 1
Excluded courses: BIOC 101, BIOS 100, CHEM 101, MBIO 101, PHYS 201, MATH 100A, MATH 101, MATH 102, MATH 103, and MATH subject area credit at the 100 level or below.
- 2
ANTH 242L, ASTR 224, BIOS 101L, BIOS 110L, BIOS 111, BIOS 116, BIOS 213L, BIOS 214, CHEM 105L, CHEM 106L, CHEM 109L, CHEM 110L, CHEM 113L, GEOG 155, GEOL 101, GEOL 103, LIFE 120L, LIFE 121L, METR 100, PHYS 141, PHYS 142, PHYS 153, PHYS 221, or PHYS 222.
- 3
ARAB, CHIN, CZEC, FREN, GERM, GREK, JAPN, LATN, RUSS, and SPAN courses must be numbered 300 or above. ENGL courses must be ENGL 170, ENGL 180, or ENGL 200 level and above. Excluded courses: CLAS 116, ENGL 254, ENGL 300, ENGL 354, SPAN 300A, SPAN 303, and SPAN 304.
- 4
Excluded courses: ANTH 242/ANTH 242L, GEOG 155, GIST 111, GIST 311, POLS 101, POLS 250, PSYC 100, PSYC 273.
- 5
ARAB 202, CHIN 202, CZEC 202, FREN 202 or FREN 210, GERM 202, GREK 301 and GREK 302, JAPN 201 and JAPN 202, LATN 301 and LATN 302, RUSS 202, SLPA 202, or SPAN 202 or SPAN 210.
Language Requirement - BA and BS
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the College of Arts and Sciences place great value on academic exposure and proficiency in a second language. The University of Nebraska–Lincoln entrance requirement of two years of the same foreign language or the College’s language distribution requirement (CDR: Language) will rarely be waived and only with relevant documentation. See the main College of Arts and Sciences page for more details.
Experiential Learning Requirement - BA and BS
All undergraduates in the College of Arts and Sciences must complete an Experiential Learning (EL) designated course. This may include 0-credit courses designed to document co-curricular activities recognized as Experiential Learning.
Scientific Base – BS Only
The bachelor of science degree requires students to complete 60 hours in mathematical, physical, and natural sciences from disciplines within the College of Arts and Sciences or required in its majors: ACTS, ASTR, BIOC, BIOS, CHEM, CSCE, GEOL, LIFE, MBIO, METR, MATH, PHYS, STAT or ANTH 242 , ANTH 242L, ANTH 341, ANTH 385, ANTH 386, ANTH 389, ANTH 416, ANTH 422, ANTH 430, ANTH 442, ANTH 443, ANTH 444, ANTH 448, ANTH 473, ANTH 484, ANTH 487D, ENVR 201, GEOG 155, GEOG 217, GEOG 281, GEOG 308, GEOG 317, GEOG 408, GEOG 417, GEOG 418, GEOG 419, GEOG 421, GEOG 422, GEOG 425, GEOG 427, GEOG 432, GEOG 444, GEOG 461, GEOG 467, PHIL 211, POLS 250, PSYC 273, PSYC 368, PSYC 370, PSYC 450, PSYC 451, PSYC 456, PSYC 458,PSYC 460, PSYC 461, PSYC 463, PSYC 464, or PSYC 465.
Excluded courses include: BIOC 101, BIOS 100, CHEM 101, MATH 100A, MATH 101, MATH 102, MATH 103, MBIO 101, PHYS 201 as well as any course numbered 395, 495, 399, 399H, 499, or 499H. MATH subject area credit at the 100 level or below is also excluded.
Up to 12 hours of scientific and technical courses offered by other colleges may be accepted toward this requirement with approval of the College of Arts and Sciences. See your assigned academic advisor to start the approval process.
Minimum Hours Required for Graduation
A minimum of 120 semester hours of credit is required for graduation from the College of Arts and Sciences. A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 is required.
Grade Rules
Restrictions on C- and D Grades
The College will accept no more than 15 semester hours of C- and D grades from other domestic institutions except for UNO and UNK. All courses taken at UNO and UNK impact the UNL transcript. No transfer of C- and D grades can be applied toward requirements in a major or a minor. No University of Nebraska–Lincoln C- and D grades can be applied toward requirements in a major or a minor. International coursework (including education abroad) with a final grade equivalent to a C- or lower will not be validated by the College of Arts and Sciences departments to be degree applicable.
Pass/No Pass Privilege
University policy for the Pass/No Pass (P/N) privilege:
- Neither the P nor the N grade factor into your GPA.
- 'P' is interpreted to mean a grade of C or above. A grade of C- or lower results in a ''N'.
- A change to or from a Pass/No Pass may be made until mid-term (1/2 of the course - see the academic calendar for specific dates per term).
- The Pass/No Pass or grade registration cannot conflict with the policy of the professor, department, college, or University policy governing the grading options.
- Changing to or from the Pass/No Pass grading option requires using MyRED, or processing a Schedule Adjustment Form.
- For undergraduates, the University maximum of 24 'Pass' credit hours and/or college and department limits will apply. These limits do not include courses offered on a 'Pass/No Pass' basis only. Consult your advisor or the Undergraduate Catalog for restrictions on the number of 'Pass' hours you can apply toward your degree.
- The 'Pass/No Pass' grading option cannot be used for the removal of 'C-', 'D+', 'D', 'D-', or 'F' grade factors.
NOTE: See Course Repeats
College of Arts and Sciences policy on the Pass/No Pass (P/N) privilege:
- Pass hours can count toward fulfillment of University ACE requirements and college distribution requirements up to the 24-hour maximum.
- Most arts and sciences majors and minors do not permit any courses graded Pass/No Pass to apply, or limit them to no more than 6 hours. Students should refer to the major section of the catalog for clarification.
- Departments may specify that certain courses of theirs can be taken on a P/N-only or on a graded-only basis.
Grading Appeals
A student who feels that he/she has been unfairly graded must ordinarily take the following sequential steps in a timely manner, usually by initiating the appeal in the semester following the awarding of the grade:
- Talk with the instructor concerned. Most problems are resolved at this point.
- Talk to the instructor’s department chairperson.
- Take the case to the Grading Appeal Committee of the department concerned. The Committee should be contacted through the department chairperson.
- Take the case to the College Grading Appeals Committee by contacting the Dean’s Office, 1223 Oldfather Hall.
Course Level Requirements
Courses Numbered at the 300 or 400 Level
Thirty (30) of the 120 semester hours of credit must be in courses numbered at the 300 or 400 level. Of those 30 hours, 15 hours (1/2) must be completed in residence at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
Residency Requirement
The term "Residency" refers to courses taken at UNL. Students must complete at least 30 of the 120 total hours for their degree at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Students must complete at least 18 hours of their major coursework, and 15 of the 30 hours required at the 300 or 400 level, at UNL.
Catalog to Use
Students must fulfill the requirements stated in the catalog for the academic year in which they are first admitted to and enrolled as a degree-seeking student at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. In consultation with advisors, a student may choose to follow a subsequent catalog for any academic year in which they are admitted to and enrolled as a degree-seeking student at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the College of Arts and Sciences. Students must complete all degree requirements from a single catalog year. Beginning in 1990-1991, the catalog which a student follows for degree requirements may not be more than 10 years old at the time of graduation.
Transfer Students: Students who have transferred from a community college may be eligible to fulfill the requirements as stated in the catalog for an academic year in which they were enrolled at the community college prior to attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. This decision should be made in consultation with academic advisors, provided the student a) was enrolled in a community college during the catalog year they are utilizing, b) maintained continuous enrollment at the previous institution for 1 academic year or more, and c) continued enrollment at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln within 1 calendar year from their last term at the previous institution. Students must complete all degree requirements from a single catalog year and within the time frame allowable for that catalog year.
Major Requirements
Thirty-three (33) hours of sociology, including a significant research experience and at least 15 hours at the 300 or 400 level.
Core Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| SOCI 101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| or SOCI 180 | Social Problems | |
| SOCI 205 | Introduction to Social Research Methods | 3 |
| SOCI 206 | Introduction to Social Statistics | 3 |
| SOCI 355 | Sociological Theory | 3 |
| Credit Hours Subtotal: | 12 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 12 | |
Specific Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Research Requirement | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Sociology Capstone (ACE 10) | ||
| Undergraduate Thesis | ||
| Honors Undergraduate Thesis | ||
| Credit Hours Subtotal: | 3 | |
| Additional Sociology Courses | ||
| Select additional SOCI courses. | 18 | |
| Credit Hours Subtotal: | 18 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 21 | |
Additional Major Requirements
Grade Rules
C- and D Grades
A grade of C or above is required for all courses in the major and minor.
Pass/No Pass
No course taken Pass/No Pass will be counted toward the major or minor. Exception may be made for independent study and up to 3 hours of fieldwork.
Restrictions
No more than 6 hours from internship and independent study courses (SOCI 395, SOCI 396, SOCI 499) may be counted toward the major.
Course Level Requirement
At least 15 hours must be taken at the 300 or 400 level.
Requirements for Minor Offered by Department
Eighteen (18) hours of sociology courses including SOCI 101 or SOCI 180 and a minimum of 6 hours at the 300 or 400 level.
No more than 3 hours total from internship and independent study courses (SOCI 395, SOCI 396, and SOCI 499) may be counted toward the minor.
Grade Rules
C- and D Grades
A grade of C or above is required for all courses in the major and minor.
Pass/No Pass
No course taken Pass/No Pass will be counted toward the major or minor. An exception may be made for independent study and up to 3 hours of fieldwork.
Description: Introduction to the sociological study of human behavior, especially social organization, culture, and the social institutions that comprise society. Attention to social change, differentiation and inequality, and other social issues.
This course is a prerequisite for: SOCI 355
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
| Groups: | CAS Diversity in the US |
| ACE Outcomes: | ACE 6 Social Science |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:ACE 6 Social Science
Description: Introduction to Social Network Analysis (SNA). Learn to identify key concepts and contributions made by prominent SNA scholars. Use network analysis to graph and interpret empirical patterns. Assess network theories in light of empirical network data. Apply the SNA methods introduced to a range of real-world data sources.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: Interdisciplinary study of the natural environment, social environment, human heritage, arts and humanities of the Great Plains.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: Treatment of the principal "problem" areas in contemporary society. Analysis of processes of disorganization in society, with attention to contrasting processes by which social structures are formed and perpetuated.
This course is a prerequisite for: SOCI 355
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
| ACE Outcomes: | ACE 9 Global/Diversity ACE 6 Social Science |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:ACE 9 Global/Diversity ACE 6 Social Science
Prerequisites: Admission to the University Honors Program or by invitation.
University Honors Seminar 189H is required of all students in the University Honors Program.
Description: Topics vary.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded |
| ACE Outcomes: | ACE 9 Global/Diversity |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:ACE 9 Global/Diversity
Description: Topics vary.
| Credit Hours: | 1-6 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 6 |
| Max credits per degree: | 6 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:1-6
ACE:
Description: Examination of how gender matters in the social world, with a focus on gender and diversity in the US. Introduction to sociological theories about gender and related research. Considers how lifelong gender socialization, social institutions, norms, laws, and cultural practices create gendered effects for individuals, communities, and groups in every aspect of life.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
| Groups: | CAS Diversity in the US |
| ACE Outcomes: | ACE 9 Global/Diversity ACE 6 Social Science |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:ACE 9 Global/Diversity ACE 6 Social Science
Prerequisites: Sociology Major OR Sociology Minor OR Sophomore, Junior or Senior Standing
Description: Introduction to the techniques of collecting and analyzing data and techniques of research reporting. Emphasis on interpretation and evaluation of sociological research.
This course is a prerequisite for: SOCI 489
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: Sociology Major OR Sociology Minor OR Sophomore, Junior or Senior Standing
Description: Practical exercises in the actual conduct of sociological research projects. Emphasis on training and development of skills, techniques, and methods of data analysis, and interpretation of findings in light of sociological theories.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
| Course and Laboratory Fee: | $10 |
| ACE Outcomes: | ACE 3 Math/Stat/Reasoning |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:ACE 3 Math/Stat/Reasoning
Description: Examines the social construction of crime and deviance. Deals with defining and measuring crime/crime trends. Introduces historical and contemporary criminological theories. Emphasizes inequality in the risks of and responses to crime and deviance.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
| ACE Outcomes: | ACE 6 Social Science |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:ACE 6 Social Science
Description: Overview of sociological theories and research on the experiences of different racial, religious, and ethnic groups. Concepts of race and ethnicity, including their social construction. Historical and contemporary racial and ethnic relations and patterns of inequality. Intersections of race, social institutions, and social policies.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
| Groups: | CAS Diversity in the US |
| ACE Outcomes: | ACE 9 Global/Diversity ACE 6 Social Science |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:ACE 9 Global/Diversity ACE 6 Social Science
Description: Overview of the sociological study of families. Family and marriage patterns over time. Socialization, economic exchange, and social support functions of family roles. The effect of the economy, public policy, and other social institutions on families. Emphasis on gender, sexuality, social class, and racial/ethnic diversity in U.S families.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
| ACE Outcomes: | ACE 6 Social Science ACE 9 Global/Diversity |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:ACE 6 Social Science ACE 9 Global/Diversity
Prerequisites: Open to second semester freshmen and above.
Description: The rural environment and its people; its groups and associations; and its social institutions.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: Introduction to the sociological approach to understanding health and medicine. The relationship between social conditions and physical and mental health. Differences in health across social groups. Medical care and health care policies.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: Introduction to the study of the biological, economic, political-historical, and cultural bases of war and group conflict.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: Sophomore, Junior, or Senior standing.
Description: Historical and contemporary patterns of drug use. Analysis of the antecedents and consequences of various forms of drug abuse. Examination of the types and effectiveness of legal responses to specific classes of drugs including; prohibition, decriminalization, and legalization. Prevention and treatment approaches to drug use.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: Research methods organized around an applied research project. Conduct research in an applied setting, preparation of interview schedules, problem definition, review of research techniques, and research design and measurement.
This course is a prerequisite for: SOCI 310B
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
| Course and Laboratory Fee: | $25 |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: SOCI 310A with a C or higher
Description: Continuation of SOCI 310A.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
| Course and Laboratory Fee: | $25 |
| ACE Outcomes: | ACE 10 Integrated Product |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:ACE 10 Integrated Product
Prerequisites: 6 hours of SOCI, or Junior standing or Senior standing.
Description: Nature and extent of juvenile delinquency, considered in relation to the role of adolescents in modern society. Includes a review of the methods used to study delinquency, theories of delinquency, social influences on delinquent behavior, and the nature of the juvenile justice system.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: 6 hours of SOCI, or Junior standing or Senior standing.
Description: Social, cultural, political, and economic aspects of sport as a social institution. Gender, race, and social class issues related to sport.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: 6 hours of SOCI, or Junior standing or Senior standing.
Description: In-depth examination of select contemporary issues confronting families and family research. Adolescent pregnancy, union formation, parenting, work-family, divorce and family instability, and family violence. Topics vary by instructor.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: Practical experience in analyzing public opinion data and writing about the results for a range of audiences. Review and discuss work conducted by leading research and policy centers. Design, plan, and carry out research projects, reporting results in policy-oriented briefs.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
| Experiential Learning: | Research |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: 6 hours of SOCI, or Junior standing or Senior standing.
Description: Analysis of social structures and social processes that contribute to, maintain, or change social inequalities across social categories such as gender and race.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: 6 hrs sociology, or Junior standing or Senior standing.
Description: Examines the effects of geographic settings on social interactions, behaviors, and attitudes, causes and consequences of disparities. Focus on how existing social, economic, political, and cultural systems shape these dynamics.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: 6 hours of SOCI, or Junior standing or Senior standing.
Description: Role of humans in the ecosystem, especially the interaction of human societies with the natural environment, including other species and other human societies. Theories of the sociocultural causes of environmentally-related problems and the policies designed to deal with these problems.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: Sophomore, Junior or Senior standing
Description: Examines a variety of religions around the world, emphasizing interaction between people from diverse religious backgrounds in an increasingly multicultural and globally interconnected world. Integrates the study of global religious diversity into Sociology by applying sociological theories to the course topic.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: 6 hrs sociology or related social sciences
Description: Social and cultural bases of health care and health professions. Organization, distribution, and delivery of health care. Institution and profession of medicine and health-allied fields. Critical evaluation of medical care system and health policy.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Description: Introduction to sociological theories written by key classical and contemporary social theorists. Emphasis on how sociologists try to understand and make predictions about the social world. Analysis of a range of issues, such as how social contexts shape people's identities, how people form connections with one another, and inequalities related to race, class, and gender.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: 6 hours of SOCI and/or BIOS, or Junior standing or Senior standing.
Description: Ethical decision making in research. Comprehensive review of the responsible conduct of research. Identify, define, and analyze ethical issues in the conduct of human subject research. Study civic responsibility and stewardship in the context of the responsible conduct of research. Examine emergent areas of human subjects in an increasingly interdisciplinary research environment.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded |
| ACE Outcomes: | ACE 8 Civic/Ethics/Stewardship |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:ACE 8 Civic/Ethics/Stewardship
Prerequisites: 6 hours of SOCI, or Sophomore standing, or Junior standing or Senior standing.
Description: Introduction to the sociological study of mass media, including the social construction of gender, race, class, and politics. Explores audience interaction with media texts. Emphasis on analytical skills for media literacy.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: sophomore, junior, or senior standing
Description: Explores the relationship between people's complex/intersectional identities and social group dynamics, including social conflict.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: Junior or Senior standing, or Sociology Major.
Description: Topics vary.
| Credit Hours: | 1-6 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 6 |
| Max credits per degree: | 6 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:1-6
ACE:
Prerequisites: Permission.
Description: Internship and professional experience at government agencies, private, non-profit, or other organizations.
| Credit Hours: | 1-6 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 6 |
| Max credits per degree: | 6 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
| Experiential Learning: | Internship/Co-op |
Credit Hours:1-6
ACE:
Prerequisites: Permission.
Description: Independent reading or research under direction of a faculty member.
| Credit Hours: | 1-3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 6 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:1-3
ACE:
Prerequisites: Permission.
Description: Independent research under the direction of a faculty member.
| Credit Hours: | 1-6 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 6 |
| Max credits per degree: | 6 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
| Experiential Learning: | Research |
Credit Hours:1-6
ACE:
Description: Systematic review and application of qualitative research methods, including participant observation, unstructured interviewing, audiovisual techniques and personal document analysis; data collection and interpretation emphasized as well as different theoretical assumptions underlying their various approaches.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: Junior or Senior standing
Requires advanced permission before registering for the course.
Description: Examination of theoretical and empirical approaches to sexual identities, differences, practices and desires. Focus on power, social control and morality.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: Junior or Senior standing
Description: Examination of how religion is used to shape, maintain, and transform gender and sexuality in the U.S. and beyond. Focus on the intersection of religion, gender, and sexuality from a feminist/queer theoretical perspective.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: Junior or Senior standing
Description: Introduction to the theoretical, methodological and substantive underpinnings of social network analysis. Focuses on the theoretical/conceptual ideas at the heart of the network approach, how to analyze and interpret network data, and how to apply network ideas and methods to social problems.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: 9 hours of SOCI, or Senior standing.
Description: Analysis of the structure and effects of the media of mass communication.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: 9 hours of SOCI, or Senior standing.
Description: Personality and the sociocultural environment.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: 9 hours of SOCI, or Senior standing.
Description: Social origins of mental health and illness; social distribution of mental health by race, class, and gender; social construction of mental health; mental health care systems.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: 9 hours of SOCI, or Senior standing.
Description: Historical and cross-cultural approach to population issues by linking changes in fertility and mortality to social institutions. Focuses on the link between population processes and such issues as gender roles, the role of the family, the Third World, and poverty and inequality.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: 9 hours of SOCI, or Senior standing.
Description: Sociological perspectives on marriage and different family types. Focuses on formation and organization of families, and issues confronting families. Emphasizes contemporary research and theory.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: 9 hours of SOCI, or Senior standing.
Description: Consideration of sources and nature of religion, drawing on contributions of anthropologists, sociologists, psychologists, and others. Emphasis on interaction of religion and society.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: 9 hours of SOCI, or Senior standing.
Description: Contribution of social inequality to health outcomes; Intersection of individual and social factors through which racial, economic, and gender differences in health emerge.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: 9 hours of SOCI, or Senior standing.
Description: Survey of the nineteenth- and early twentieth-century writers whose ideas have had a strong impact on the development of contemporary sociology and sociological theories. Emphasis on the work of such persons as Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, Max Weber, George Herbert Mead, and Georg Simmel.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: 9 hours of SOCI, or Senior standing.
Description: Analysis of education as a social institution and its relationship to other institutions, e.g., economy, polity, religion, and the family. Emphasizes the role of the educational institution as an agent of stability and change. Emphasis on research and policy evaluation.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: Junior or Senior Standing, or Sociology Major
Description: Basic issues related to the design and analysis of sample surveys. The basics of questionnaire construction, sampling, data collection, analysis and data presentation.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: Junior or Senior standing
Open to advanced students planning careers in the professions in which knowledge of human behavior and society is important (e.g., helping professions, medicine, law, ministry, education, etc.).
Description: Interdisciplinary approach to the study of human sexuality in terms of the psychological, social, cultural, anthropological, legal, historical, and physical characteristics of individual sexuality and sex in society.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: Junior or Senior standing
Description: Explores conformity and deviance within and across social groups by examining theory and empirical research. It reviews current thinking on the nature (and sources) of social control that is exerted by group. Topics include: Socialization into the norms and narratives that define groups, benefits/disadvantages of group membership, and (threat of) sanctions, including exclusion from the group.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: 9 hours of SOCI, or Senior standing.
Description: Structured inequalities, including social class, race/ethnicity, gender and age stratification. The intersections of these as institutionalized inequalities examined for their causes and effects on individuals and groups. Emphasis on the role of social power, economic resources and occupational structures in the nature of inequality and social mobility in the United States.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: 9 hours of SOCI, or Senior standing.
Description: Systematic examination of racial, ethnic, and other minority groups. History and present status of such groups, the origins of prejudice and discrimination, and the application of social science knowledge toward the elimination of minority group problems.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: Junior or Senior standing, or Sociology Major
Description: Sociological perspectives on leadership and its multiple dimensions related to individuals, group dynamics, social structures, and contextual factors.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: 9 hours of SOCI, or Senior standing.
Description: Application of sociological analysis to the problem of power; power structures and elite formation as they relate to democratic society and political extremism.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
Prerequisites: 9 hours of SOCI, or Senior standing.
SOCI 200 is strongly recommended.
Description: Evaluation and application of scholarly theory and research on gender in societal context. The nature and effects of sex stratification, gendered culture, institutionalized sexism, feminist theory and sociology of knowledge.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:
A capstone course that satisfies the research experience requirement for Sociology majors. Students are expected to write an original research paper.
Description: A research experience focusing on developing a research question, identifying or collecting appropriate data, analyzing data, and writing an original research paper.
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 3 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
| ACE Outcomes: | ACE 10 Integrated Product |
Credit Hours:3
ACE:ACE 10 Integrated Product
Description: Topics vary.
| Credit Hours: | 1-6 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 6 |
| Max credits per degree: | 6 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:1-6
ACE:
Prerequisites: Permission.
Description: Independent research leading to a thesis.
| Credit Hours: | 1-3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 6 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:1-3
ACE:
Prerequisites: Permission.
Description: Independent research leading to a thesis.
| Credit Hours: | 1-3 |
|---|---|
| Max credits per semester: | 3 |
| Max credits per degree: | 6 |
| Grading Option: | Graded with Option |
Credit Hours:1-3
ACE:
PLEASE NOTE
This document represents a sample 4-year plan for degree completion with this major. Actual course selection and sequence may vary and should be discussed individually with your college or department academic advisor. Advisors also can help you plan other experiences to enrich your undergraduate education such as internships, education abroad, undergraduate research, learning communities, and service learning and community-based learning.
Sociology (B.A.)
Critical - A minimum 2.00 GPA required for graduation.
- ***Total Credits Applying Toward 120 Total Hours***
- Complete 30 hours in residence at UNL.4. Complete 30 hours at the 300 or 400 level.
Career Information
The following represents a sample of the internships, jobs and graduate school programs that current students and recent graduates have reported.
Transferable Skills
- Advocate for marginalized or underrepresented groups
- Examine and address social problems, and implement creative solutions
- Develop and defend evidence based arguments
- Defend and discuss complex issues from multiple angles
- Analyze and explain data
- Compose convincing arguments and present logical information
- Contextualize political, social, and historical events
- Perform analysis of social and cultural issues
- Demonstrate ethical conduct in research activities
- Apply mathematical and scientific skills to solve real-world problems
- More...
- Evaluate human behavior and explain social phenomena
- Communicate results of scientific experiments to scientific and non-scientific audiences
- Make decisions carefully, using appropriate theoretical frameworks
- Collaborate with a team to develop solutions
- Research, identify and knowledgeably discuss current issues and trends in the field
Jobs of Recent Graduates
- Administrative Aide, State of Nebraska – Lincoln, NE
- Coordinator of Student–Athlete Development, Diversity & Inclusion, University of Kansas – Lawrence, KS
- Foster Care Specialist, KVC Health Care – Lincoln, NE
- Intake Coordinator, Jenda Family Services – Lincoln, NE
- Manager, Union Bank & Trust – Lincoln, NE
- Marketing & Communication Specialist, Nebraska Medicaid – Lincoln, NE
- Public Health Equity, AmeriCorps – Lincoln, NE
- Senior Account Supervisor, Capital One – Lincoln, NE
- Youth Treatment Specialist, HopeSpoke – Lincoln, NE
- Community Support Professional, Region V Services – Lincoln, NE
Internships
- Youth on The Move, AmeriCorps - Lincoln NE
- Evaluation Assistant, Survey, Statistics, and Psychometrics Core Facilit - Lincoln NE
- Chronic Disease Evaluation Intern, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services - Lincoln NE
- Intern, Nebraska Attorney General Bruning - Lincoln NE
- Survey Research Intern, UNL Bureau of Sociological Research - Lincoln NE
- Intern, Nebraska Appleseed - Lincoln NE
- Legislative Page, Nebraska State Legislature - Lincoln NE
Graduate & Professional Schools
- Master’s Degree, Business Analytics, University of Nebraska–Lincoln – Lincoln, NE
- Master’s Degree, Epidemiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center – Omaha, NE
- Master’s Degree, Global Public, Environmental, & Occupational Health, University of Colorado–Boulder – Aurora, CO
- Master’s Degree, Public Policy, Rutgers University – New Brunswick, NJ
- Master’s Degree, School Psychology, University of Nebraska–Lincoln – Lincoln, NE
- Master’s Degree, Sociology, University of Nebraska–Lincoln – Lincoln, NE
- Master’s Degree, Student Affairs, University of Wisconsin–La Crosse – La Crosse, WI
- Doctor of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center – Omaha, NE
- Doctoral Degree, Sociology, University of Colorado–Boulder – Boulder, CO
- Juris Doctor Degree, University of Nebraska College of Law – Lincoln, NE