Sociology Department?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Alabama
1

<p>Have been having a discussion with another parent and it seems UA eliminated its Sociology Department a few years ago. Does anybody know why or if it was incorporated into another department? Seems odd to me! Has there never been a sociology major at UA? If you search for “sociology” on the university’s website, you get a link from the 2010 course catalog!</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.ua.edu/catalogs/catalog10/50259915.html”>http://www.ua.edu/catalogs/catalog10/50259915.html</a></p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>There’s a sociology minor: <a href=“http://courseleaf.ua.edu/artssciences/criminaljustice/#socminortext”>http://courseleaf.ua.edu/artssciences/criminaljustice/#socminortext&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

3

<p>The newer catalogs tend not to show up in search results because of how they are published on the UA website. IIRC, no majors have been eliminated since around 2008 when undergraduate statistics and one engineering discipline were folded into other departments and majors. Sociology is officially part of the Department of Criminal Justice.</p>

4

<p>My minor was sociology at UA so I have a little history about sociology at UA. </p>

<p>Originally sociology was its own department until 1948 when the sociology and the anthropology (est. 1941) departments combined and became the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. This department offered majors in both disciplines until the 1994-1996 catalog. After 1996, the Department of Sociology and Anthropology became the Department of Anthropology and dropped the sociology major but continued to offer a minor until the 2004-2006 catalog when Criminal Justice accepted responsibility for administering the sociology minor coursework.</p>

5

<p>Thanks, @KeithS4789‌, for that history! </p>

<p>Sociology was one of my favorite subjects in college and a very popular major at my alma mater, so I was surprised to learn there’s no longer a sociology major at Bama. There’s a lot more to sociology than criminology, but I guess there’s not as much demand for the other areas. UAB’s sociology department is focused on medical sociology.</p>

<p>So where would a student in the South go to get a broader sociology education?</p>

6

<p>In the south or in Alabama?</p>

<p>UAH has a major in sociology. Maybe Auburn does (didn’t check). The state has many public univs, so you could check Univ of Montevallo, U of South Alabama, Alabama A&M, U of North Alabama and some others.</p>

7

<p>Thanks, @mom2collegekids. I really was asking more about larger research universities that would attract top students from all over the country. </p>

<p>Looking at the US News rankings for top grad programs in sociology, appears it’s really mostly the biggies: UNC, Duke, UT, Vandy, Emory, UVA, Rice, TAMU, Georgia. I would imagine most if not all of those have good undergraduate offerings.</p>

8

<p>Changes to the MCAT next year will require a foundation in Sociology. Given the number of students who at least start out as premed, the added prerequisite could reignite interest in the field at schools where it has waned. Demand for classes will certainly increase. My premed student took the intro level class at UA last year and enjoyed it.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.asanet.org/footnotes/dec12/mcat_1212.html”>http://www.asanet.org/footnotes/dec12/mcat_1212.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

9

<p>^^^</p>

<p>The new MCAT will essentially require students to take the 101 level Sociology class. I don’t think it will cause many students to insist on upper division offerings. But, the school will likely have to offer more sections of THAT 101 class. That said, since so many premeds “drop out” of that tract, I wonder if Bama will want only sophs and junior year premeds to take it…to reduce the number of students who think they “need” that class. </p>

10

<p>I guess if UA wants to discourage interest in Sociology they could restrict freshman from taking it. Seems rather cynical rather than viewing the increased demand as an opportunity. Any restriction would limit opportunities to fit upper level courses (or a minor) in Sociology into one’s major, if a student discovers an interest through that intro class. </p>

11

<p>If Bama has no intention of creating a Sociology major within the next few years (maybe later), then I can understand why it wouldn’t want to have to hire a bunch of Sociology profs to teach numerous sections of Soc 101 just because there are always a LOT of entering frosh declaring a premed tract. I don’t think it is cynical, I think it would be pragmatic decision. Schools have limited resources and hiring add’l profs for 1XX level courses isn’t very cost-effective. </p>

12

<p>UA can accommodate 1600 students a semester in sociology 101 through physical class meetings and online courses. There is 800 physical seats and 600 virtual seats through the use of three professors and some GAs. This semester there are several hundred empty seat so I think there won’t be any issues in the near future with demand. </p>

13

<p><<<
This semester there are several hundred empty seat </p>

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<p>I think that when you exclude the online classes, there are about 300 empty seats…so those will likely fill with premeds. </p>

14

<p>Premeds have been advised to take this class for a couple of years now, so there has likely already been an increase. A more interesting question would be whether demand for upper division classes will/has followed. My n=1 student, for example, plans to fit Sociology of HIVAIDS into her future schedule because she already has completed the prerequisite 101.</p>

<p>The cynicism seems to lie in the assumption that Soc 101 isn’t worthy of staffing for demand just because that demand may stem from the MCAT. What other fields should be limited at an introductory level because these 18- year olds may change their minds?</p>

15

<p>I think the issue is that profs are hired for research, teaching, etc…and that simply hiring to teach more 101 sections isn’t exciting…or maybe cost effective? </p>

<p>I’m not sure what you mean in regards to fields being limited at the intro level. There are a lot of sociology choices. </p>

<p>If you are referring to my comment that Bama may not want to add a lot more sections just to accommodate a bunch of frosh premeds when 75% will never apply to med school (and not just because they changed their minds, BTW) , I now see that Bama doesn’t really need to add any more sections. The 101 sections are in large lecture halls so they all have lots of empty seats…plenty to accommodate those frosh premeds. And, there are also online offerings if the regular sections don’t fit in someone’s schedule.</p>

<p>here are all the sociology classes that can be picked from to make a minor. It sure looks like a person could do a “create your own major” thru New College that would practically be a bachelors in sociology. Frankly, with all of those offerings, I wonder why there isn’t a major. I wonder how many do use New College to create one?</p>

<p><a href=“http://courseleaf.ua.edu/artssciences/criminaljustice/#courseinventory”>http://courseleaf.ua.edu/artssciences/criminaljustice/#courseinventory&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Sociology (SOC) Courses</p>

<p>SOC 101. Intro To Sociology. 3 sem. hrs.</p>

<p>Introduction to the scientific study of human social behavior.</p>

<p>SOC 202. Analysis Social Problems. 3 sem. hrs.</p>

<p>Study of contemporary social problems, including definition, description, and analysis. Emphasis is on social change perspectives and cultural complexity.</p>

<p>SOC 205. Social Psychology. 3 sem. hrs.</p>

<p>Not open to students who have earned credit in PY 372. Study of the interrelationships between the individual and the group. Includes perception, cognition, attribution, attitudes, helping behavior, aggression, personal relationships, prejudice, and gender in social life. Also includes aspects of applied social psychology.</p>

<p>SOC 210. Juvenile Delinquency. 3 sem. hrs.</p>

<p>Extent and patterns of delinquency; its development in individuals and gangs; group therapy with delinquents; and juvenile courts, training schools, probation, and aftercare supervision.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 101.</p>

<p>SOC 300. Research Methods. 3 sem. hrs.</p>

<p>Theoretical and specific instruction in both the conduct and application of research methods in criminal justice settings. Includes problems of research and policy dimensions of both direct and applied approaches.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 101.</p>

<p>SOC 301. Social Statistics. 3 sem. hrs.</p>

<p>Elementary statistical techniques applied to sociological data; tables and graphs, central tendency and dispersion, probability and sampling, tests of significance, and measures of association.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 101 and MATH 110 or MATH 112.</p>

<p>SOC 302. Sociological Theory. 3 sem. hrs.</p>

<p>The course will provide a review of the major systems of thought about society. Special emphasis is given to historical context and philosophical background as they relate to the development of sociological theories. Students will be introduced to view points and idea about how society functions, the role of conflict in society and the forces of social change.</p>

<p>SOC 315. Race And Ethnic Relations. 3 sem. hrs.</p>

<p>Analysis of American social structure, race and ethnic relations, and demographic and institutional trends; studies of racial and ethnic issues.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 101.</p>

<p>SOC 350. Criminology. 3 sem. hrs.</p>

<p>Theories of criminality, types of delinquent and criminal behavior, crime causation, crime control by police, and the criminal courts.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 101.</p>

<p>SOC 352. Social Inequality. 3 sem. hrs.</p>

<p>Analysis of inequities of wealth, power, and prestige; major theories of racial and cultural minorities; behavioral correlates of stratification; social mobility.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 101.</p>

<p>SOC 360. Sociology of HIV/AIDS. 3 sem. hrs.</p>

<p>Study of the social dimensions of HIV/AIDS. Discussions cover how HIV/AIDS is socially constructed in terms of gender, sexualities, race/ethnicity and social class. Writing proficiency within this discipline is required for a passing grade in this course.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 101.</p>

<p>SOC 390. Selected Topics In Soc. 3 sem. hrs.</p>

<p>The course may be taken a total of four times, with different topics. Social behavior; science, technology, and society; Latin American life; small-group dynamics; environmental sociology; medical sociology.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 101.</p>

<p>SOC 404. Health and Society. 3 sem. hrs.</p>

<p>The health consequences of social deviance and the impact of criminalization for individual and societal wellbeing. Seminar discussions cover the criminalization of mental and physical illness and illnesses arising from criminal behavior and incarceration.</p>

<p>SOC 405. Gender & Society. 3 sem. hrs.</p>

<p>A sociological approach to the study of women & men, focusing on: the social construction of genders in institutions and in everyday life, feminist theories of masculinity, gender inequality, and social change.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 101.</p>

<p>SOC 444. Environmental Sociology. 3 sem. hrs.</p>

<p>Sociological analysis of environmental issues including the background of environmental issues, population, planning, limits to growth, food and energy resources, and social impacts of environmental alterations. Writing proficiency within this discipline is required for a passing grade in this course.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 101.</p>

<p>SOC 450. Sociology Of Law. 3 sem. hrs.</p>

<p>Study of social origin and consequences of law and legal process; analysis of social factors that determine legal outcomes.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 101.</p>

<p>SOC 460. Body Politics. 3 sem. hrs.</p>

<p>Study of how human bodies are politicized in modern society. Discussions cover how the human body is politically constructed according to gender, race/ethnicity, occupation and social class. Writing proficiency within this discipline is required for a passing grade in this course.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 101.</p>

<p>SOC 490. Seminar In Sociology. 1-3 sem. hr.</p>

<p>The course may be taken a total of four times, with different topics. Social behavior; science, technology, and society; advanced deviant behavior; juvenile delinquent behavior; Latin American life; small-group dynamics; environmental sociology; medical sociology.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 101.</p>

<p>SOC 499. Ind Study in Sociology. 1-6 sem. hr.</p>

<p>1-6 hour independent study course allowing students to conduct sociological research under faculty supervision.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 101.</p>