Sociology Department
- Degree Requirements
Students may choose to pursue the core sociology major or they may opt for a specialized, interdisciplinary concentration within the major.Core Major
Sociology has a long-standing tradition as an excellent undergraduate major that applies to a number of fields from human services to criminal justice to business to public service. The foundation of the major at Augsburg is that it provides a clearly organized curriculum that is challenging, develops over the course of the major, and integrates and reinforces an excellent set of important skills; those
skills include abstract thinking, writing, critical analysis, basic research, integration of theory and data, and the connection of the individual and collective perspectives in the unique way of the sociological imagination. The five core courses intentionally
develop those skills in our students and serve them well. Thus, these required and sequenced courses are also the core of the concentrations that allow students to pursue their electives in a direction that adds other skills related to areas of interest.
Those concentrations include: community studies, crime and deviance, law and society, organizational studies, and social psychology.
The major includes a total of 10 courses: five required core courses and five electives, at least three of which are upper division courses from the specified list below:
Core major:
- SOC 121 Introduction to Human Society
- SOC 362 Statistical Analysis
- SOC 363 Research Methods
- SOC 485 Sociological Theory
- SOC 490 Senior Seminar
- SOC 320 Sociology of Law
- SOC 349 Organizational Theory
- SOC 375 Social Psychology
- SOC 377 Organizational Deviance
- SOC 381 City and Metro-Urban Planning
- SOC 387 Juvenile Delinquency
- SOC 390 Social Problems Analysis
- SOC 410 Field Studies of Organizations
Note: Majors must have a 2.0 or better in each required course to receive credit in the major.
The Critical Thinking (CT) graduation skill is embedded throughout the offered courses and is met by completing the major. The graduation skills in Speaking (S) and Writing (W) are embedded within the core courses—specifically SOC 363, SOC 485, and SOC 490—and are met by completing the major. Consult your department chair or academic adviser for requirements for meeting the Quantitative
Reasoning (QR) graduation skill. Transfer students must consult an adviser about potential adjustments to their course requirements to fulfill each of these skills.
Concentration in Community Studies
This concentration is designed to give sociology majors a concentration in urban community studies, which includes an applied sociology focus emphasizing city and community planning with a required internship. Courses required beyond the core major requirements are: SOC 111, SOC 381, SOC 399, and one additional elective. See Garry Hesser for advising and visit the department website for details.
Concentration in Crime and Deviance
Careers in criminal justice—corrections, federal investigation, probation, court work, law enforcement and crime prevention—will be supported by this concentration in the major. In addition to the five core major requirements and one elective, the courses are: Criminology (SOC 277); three courses from the following four upper division options—Juvenile Delinquency (SOC 387), Organizational
Deviance (SOC 377), Sociology of Law (SOC 320), or Social Problems (SOC 390); one interdisciplinary course—Psychology
and Law (PSY 265) or approved ACTC elective that meets student interests; and, an internship in a field related site which serves as the concentration capstone experience (SOC 399). The total number of courses for the concentration is 12. Please see Diane Pike for advising and visit the department website for details.
Concentration in Law and Society
This concentration is an interdisciplinary concentration that is intended for students who are considering law school and legal careers such as becoming lawyers or legal researchers. It emphasizes the development of reasoning and communications skills as well as courses that address legal issues. Courses required beyond the core sociology major requirements include: Sociology of Law (SOC 320), Sociology of Organizations (SOC 349), and Internship (SOC 399), and three courses in related fields—COM 111, COM 351, and POL 170. See Nancy Fischer for advising and visit the department website for details.
Concentration in Organizational Studies
This concentration is designed for students who plan to work in organizational settings including corporate, government, and non-profit sectors. Students will learn how organizations are structured, function, and change, how people relate in organizational settings, and how organizations succeed and why they sometimes fail. This concentration seeks to equip students with skills to effectively lead and manage organizations, and to succeed within organizations while achieving their personal career and professional goals. Courses required beyond the core major requirements are: Office Space (SOC 222), Sociology of Organizations (SOC 349), Organizational
Deviance (SOC377), Field Studies in Organizations (SOC 410), an Internship (SOC 399), and three courses in related fields—BUS 242 or BUS 340; ECO 113; and one from INS 325, COM 345, or COM 410. See Lars Christiansen for advising and visit the department website for details.
Concentration in Social Psychology
The intent of the social psychology concentration is to provide sociology and/or psychology students with a solid disciplinary foundation along with specific coursework to strengthen a cross-disciplinary social psychological perspective. Coursework will emphasize research skills, theoretical analysis, and applied work in areas intended to prepare students for careers in public relations, law, consulting, research, social policy, and more. Courses required beyond the core major requirements are: Social Psychology (SOC 375),
Social Problems Analysis (SOC 390), an Independent Research in Ethnography (SOC499), and three courses in Psychology—Principles of Psychology (PSY 105), Social Behavior (PSY 325), and the Advanced Research Seminar (PSY 491). See James Vela-McConnell for advising and visit the department website for details.
Teaching Licensure Major
The State of Minnesota has specific licensing requirements for teachers that may differ slightly in emphasis from the Augsburg major requirements. The state requirements may also be subject to change after publication of this catalog. Students therefore should consult with the Augsburg Department of Education to identify current Minnesota teacher licensure requirements.
Departmental Honors
To complete departmental honors in sociology, the student must have a minimum GPA of 3.50 in the major and overall. In addition, students must: (1) successfully complete an internship, independent study, or cooperative education experience; (2) submit a portfolio including an honors essay and completed papers and projects. See department chair and website for specific requirements. An application for departmental honors/graduation with distinction must be completed by spring of the junior year.
Minor
Five courses including SOC 121 and at least two upper division courses taken at Augsburg College. Students are required to have at least a 2.00 GPA in courses counting toward the minor.