Dec 05, 2025

2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Sociology - Law and Society Concentration (BA)

Sociology - Law and Society Concentration

Upon completion of a bachelor’s degree in Sociology, students will be able to demonstrate:

1. Knowledge of the basic elements of a sociological perspective, including an understanding how human behavior is shaped by a set of overlapping social, political, cultural, and economic forces.

2. How to ask and answer key questions addressed by the discipline and the ways in which social structure and social interaction shape human behavior.

3. Explain how contemporary social inequalities and social problems are shaped by broad social and historical forces and critically examine social institutions, understanding their role in perpetuating broader economic, racial, and gender-based social inequalities.

4. Familiarity with sociological methods of research as well as the social theories that underlie this research.

5. The ability to critically examine the use of social science in the public sphere and be prepared for careers related to the social sciences.

Additionally, upon completion of a concentration in Law and Society, students will additionally be able to demonstrate:

6. Have a knowledge of the basic elements of a sociolegal perspective, understanding the interactions among legal norms and institutions and social, political, cultural, and economic forces.

7. Have a working knowledge of sociolegal methods of research as well as the foundation and critical social theories that underlie this research.

8. Possess the ability to critically examine the use of social science in the legal sphere and be prepared for careers related to legal and social justice institutions.

Four Year Plan

Please refer to the Four-Year Plan for departmental recommended path toward graduation.

University Requirements:

ENGL 110 - First-Year Writing (C- minimum)
First Year Seminar (FYS) (0-4 credits)
Discovery Learning Experience (DLE) (three credits)
Multicultural Requirement (three credits)
University Breadth Requirements (C- minimum):
- Creative Arts and Humanities (three credits)
- History and Cultural Change (three credits)
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (three credits)
- Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Technology (three credits)
Capstone Experience

College Requirements:

College Breadth Requirements:

The College Breadth requirements are in addition to the University Breadth requirement. Up to three credits from each of the University Breadth Requirement categories may be used to simultaneously satisfy these College of Arts and Sciences Breadth Requirements. Minimum grade C- required for courses used to satisfy College Breadth.

GROUP A: Creative Arts and Humanities (Nine credits of courses representing at least two departments or appropriate instructional units)
GROUP B: History and Cultural Change (Nine credits of courses representing at least two departments or appropriate instructional units)
GROUP C: Social and Behavioral Sciences (Nine credits of courses representing at least two departments or appropriate instructional units)
GROUP D: Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Technology (Ten credits of courses representing at least two departments or appropriate instructional units and including a minimum of one course with an associated laboratory)

*If the grade earned is sufficient, a course may be applied toward more than one requirement (e.g., breadth and major requirements), but the credits are counted only once toward the total credits for graduation. If all but one course in a group has been taken in one department or program, a course cross-listed with that program will not satisfy the distribution requirement.

Foreign Language:

Completion of the intermediate-level course (107 or 202) in an ancient or modern language with minimum grades of D-.
- The number of credits (0-12) needed and initial placement will depend on the number of years of high school study of foreign language.
- Students with four or more years of high school work in a single foreign language, or who have gained proficiency in a foreign language by other means, may attempt to fulfill the requirement in that language by taking an exemption examination through the Languages, Literatures and Cultures Department.

Mathematics:

The math requirement must be completed by the time a student has earned 60 credits. Students who transfer into the College of Arts and Sciences with 45 credits or more must complete this requirement within two semesters.

Complete one of the following four options (minimum grade D-):

Option One:

MATH 113 - Contemporary Mathematics Credit(s): 3 (designed for students who do not intend to continue to the study of mathematics)

Option Two:

One of the following:

MATH 114 - College Mathematics and Statistics Credit(s): 3 (designed for students who do not intend to continue the study of mathematics)
MATH 115 - Pre-Calculus Credit(s): 3 (designed for students who intend to continue the study of mathematics)
MATH 117 - Pre-Calculus for Scientists and Engineers Credit(s): 4 (designed to prepare students for MATH 241 )

Option Three:

Successful completion of any 200-level or higher mathematics course except: MATH 201 , MATH 202 , MATH 205 , MATH 251 , MATH 252 , MATH 253 , and MATH 266 .

Option Four:

Successful performance on a proficiency test in mathematics administered by the Department of Mathematical Sciences (0 credits awarded).

Second Writing Requirement:

A Second Writing Requirement approved by the College of Arts and Sciences. This course must be taken after completion of 60 credit hours, completed with a minimum grade of C-, and the section enrolled must be designated as satisfying the requirement in the academic term completed.

Major Requirements:

Minimum grade of C- required in all SOCI courses. Minimum 31 credits in SOCI; maximum 45 credits.

SOCI 201 - Introduction to Sociology Credit(s): 3
SOCI 301 - Introduction to Sociological Research Credit(s): 4
SOCI 312 - Theories of Society Credit(s): 3
SOCI 345 - Sociology of Law Credit(s): 3
SOCI 442 - Law and Society Practicum and Seminar Credit(s): 4 *This course, SOCI 442 , is required but does not count as part of the thirty-one Sociology credits for the major.

One of the following:

CRJU 344 - Law Policy and Society Credit(s): 3
CRJU 355 - Inequality, Crime and Justice Credit(s): 3
CRJU 370 - Prison and Prison Subcultures Credit(s): 3
CRJU 417 - Sex Crimes and Punishments Credit(s): 3
CRJU 451 - Topics in Crime, Law and Society: Inside/Out Credit(s): 3
CRJU 452 - Drugs and the Criminal Justice System Credit(s): 3
SOCI 302 - Social Deviance Credit(s): 3
SOCI 304 - Criminology Credit(s): 3

Restricted Electives:

Five SOCI electives, including cross-lists (15 credits)
- No more than nine credits at the 200-level.
- At least six credits must be at the 400-level or higher, and may include CRJU 417 , CRJU 451 and/or CRJU 452 , but cannot be fulfilled with 400-level directed study courses (SOCI 466 ) or internship courses (SOCI 464 , SOCI 410 , SOCI 412, SOCI 426 , SOCI 441 , SOCI 442 , or SOCI 496).
- The following courses cannot be used to fulfill the restricted elective requirements: SOCI 399, SOCI 410 , SOCI 426 , SOCI 441 , SOCI 442 , SOCI 464 , SOCI 496).

Suggested Electives:

SOCI 213 - Men and Women in American Society Credit(s): 3
SOCI 215 - Race in Society Credit(s): 3
SOCI 303 - Juvenile Delinquency Credit(s): 3
SOCI 305 - Social Class and Inequality Credit(s): 3
SOCI 308 - The Family Credit(s): 3
SOCI 341 - Welfare and Society Credit(s): 3
SOCI 361 - Racial Inequality Credit(s): 3
SOCI 407 - Sociology of Sex and Gender Credit(s): 3
SOCI 415 - Race, Class, and Gender Credit(s): 3
SOCI 416 - Social Thought and Contemporary Society Credit(s): 3
SOCI 418 - Race, Gender, and Poverty Credit(s): 3
SOCI 428 - Corporate Crime Credit(s): 3
SOCI 450 - Politics and Society Credit(s): 3

Related Coursework:

Twelve credits from the following:

CRJU 320 - Introduction to Criminal Law Credit(s): 3
CRJU 324 - American Constitutional History Credit(s): 3
CRJU 357 - Seminar on the Police Credit(s): 3
CRJU 425 - Criminal Law and Social Policy Credit(s): 3
POSC 402 - The First Amendment Credit(s): 3
POSC 403 - Civil Liberties Credit(s): 3
POSC 404 - The Judicial Process Credit(s): 3
POSC 405 - Constitutional Law Credit(s): 3
PHIL 201 - Social and Political Philosophy Credit(s): 3
HIST 309 - Money, Markets and Mischief: U.S. Business and Political Economy Since 1865 Credit(s): 3

Electives:

After required courses are completed, sufficient elective credits must be taken to meet the minimum credit requirement for the degree.

Sociology - Law and Society Concentration (BA)

Four Year Plan

University Requirements:

College Requirements:

College Breadth Requirements:

Foreign Language:

Mathematics:

Option One:

Option Two:

Option Three:

Option Four:

Second Writing Requirement:

Major Requirements:

One of the following:

Restricted Electives:

Suggested Electives:

Related Coursework:

Electives:

Credits to Total a Minimum of 124

Last Revised for 2024-2025 Academic Year