Bachelor of Arts in Sociology

About

The Bachelor of Arts in Sociology will provide you with a degree that can launch you into a variety of careers. Not only will you have the opportunity to specialize within a specific area of sociology, but you will also build skills in social science foundation courses. The program is flexible enough to allow you to also complete an interdisciplinary certificate.

Curriculum & Requirements

What You'll Learn

The following information comes from the official EWU catalog, which outlines all degree requirements and serves as the guide to earning a degree. Courses are designed to provide a well-rounded and versatile degree, covering a wide range of subject areas.

Sociology Major, Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Within the Bachelor of Arts degree, the Department of Sociology and Justice Studies offers a program in sociology, blending career education and the liberal arts. The education goal is not to train students; neither is the goal to educate students solely in sociology. Rather, the goal is to use the discipline as a way to critically synthesize what is learned in a liberal arts program. The program envisaged here provides a general background which will enable the student to move into a variety of career paths, while retaining the opportunity for particular specializations within sociology and thematically related disciplines.

The Department of Sociology and Justice Studies believes that a university must educate broadly to enrich both career and life. Accordingly, students in the Sociology Program complete social science foundation courses, as well as core disciplinary courses. In order to assist students as they move into a variety of career paths, students complete elective courses selected under the guidance of a Sociology major advisor.

Note: two years of a single high school world language or one year of a single college-level world language is required.

Required Introduction and Social and Behavioral Science Foundation
SOCI 101INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY5
SOCI/CRIM 356INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL STATISTICS5
or CSBS 320 STATISTICS FOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCES
SOCI 357METHOD FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH5
or CRIM 330 SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH METHOD
SOCI 465CONTEMPORARY SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY5
Required Disciplinary Core
SOCI 351SOCIAL STRATIFICATION5
SOCI 363SOCIOLOGY OF DEVIANCE5
SOCI 385GLOBAL MIGRATION5
SOCI 470SOCIAL CHANGE5
SOCI 481SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY5
Required Disciplinary Electives–choose any three sociology courses with the direction of a sociology advisor and with approval of the department chair.15
Required Discipline-Based Capstone
SOCI 490SENIOR CAPSTONE: SOCIOLOGICAL PRACTICE5
Total Credits65

The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.

Courses may be offered in different terms and not all courses are offered every term, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. There may be some courses that have required prerequisites not listed in the plan, review the course descriptions for information. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.

This major requires the completion of the World Language requirement. Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree must complete two years of a single language in high school or one year of a single language in college.

First Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
ENGL 1015ENGL 2015Sociology Elective25
SOCI 101 (Social Science BACR 1)5MATH 1075Humanities & Arts BACR 215
Humanities & Arts BACR 115Social Science BACR 215Natural Science BACR 115
 15 15 15
Second Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
SOCI 357 or CRIM 3305SOCI 356, CRIM 356, or CSBS 3205Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Sociology Elective (Diversity - graduation requirement)25Sociology Elective25Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Natural Science BACR 215Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
 15 15 15
Third Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
SOCI 3515SOCI 385 (Global Studies - graduation requirement)5SOCI 4815
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
 15 15 15
Fourth Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
SOCI 3635SOCI 4705SOCI 490 (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement)5
SOCI 4655Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
 15 15 15
Total Credits 180
1

University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate.  Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

2

Required Disciplinary Electives–choose any four sociology courses with the direction of a sociology advisor and with approval of the department chair.

Sample Courses

SOCI 357. METHOD FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: SOCI 101.
This course seeks to realize two complementary objectives: First, to acquaint you with the origins of sociological inquiry and the variety of styles and logical systems which shape such research; secondly, to demonstrate the nature of the research techniques which follow.

Catalog Listing

SOCI 363. SOCIOLOGY OF DEVIANCE. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: SOCI 101.
Examines the conditions under which deviance as a social reality emerges, develops, and changes over time. Typical concerns are the process of social typing; official responses to deviances; managing the deviant identity; and the role of bureaucracies and social class in promoting deviance as a political construction.

Catalog Listing

SOCI 385. GLOBAL MIGRATION. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: English competency.
Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–global studies.
This course introduces students to critical debates in the study of migration in social sciences and related disciplines. Furthermore, the course investigates the causes and consequences of modern population mobility from a comparative perspective by posing a core question: what are the socio-cultural, economic, and political outcomes of migration across sending and receiving countries?

Catalog Listing

SOCI 481. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: SOCI 101.
An analytic approach to the social-psychological consequences of social structure. Focal concerns may include alienation, anti-psychiatry, personality and social class, role behavior, and socialization.

Catalog Listing

Career Possibilities

  • Social Worker
  • Case Manager
  • Community Outreach Coordinator
  • Human Services Specialist
  • Nonprofit Program Manager
  • Housing Advocate
  • Youth Counselor
  • Family Support Specialist

  • School Counselor
  • Higher Education Administrator
  • College Admissions Advisor
  • Education Policy Analyst
  • Curriculum Developer
  • Teacher or Instructor (with appropriate certification)
  • Academic Advisor
  • Research Assistant

  • Policy Analyst
  • Urban Planner
  • Public Affairs Specialist
  • Government Program Manager
  • Community Development Officer
  • Legislative Aide
  • Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator
  • Social Policy Advisor

  • Public Health Advocate
  • Healthcare Administrator
  • Mental Health Counselor (with additional certification)
  • Patient Advocate
  • Health Policy Analyst
  • Community Health Worker
  • Medical Social Worker
  • Public Health Program Coordinator

  • Probation Officer
  • Parole Officer
  • Correctional Program Specialist
  • Crime Analyst
  • Victim Advocate
  • Juvenile Justice Coordinator
  • Police Department Administrator
  • Forensic Interviewer

  • Human Resources Specialist
  • Diversity and Inclusion Manager
  • Training and Development Coordinator
  • Employee Relations Manager
  • Organizational Development Consultant
  • Talent Acquisition Specialist
  • Workforce Planning Analyst
  • Benefits Administrator

 

  • Nonprofit Program Director
  • Volunteer Coordinator
  • Grant Writer
  • Advocacy Specialist
  • Community Organizer
  • Fundraising Manager
  • Social Justice Advocate
  • Outreach Program Developer

  • Market Research Analyst
  • Public Relations Specialist
  • Communications Manager
  • Social Media Strategist
  • Brand Consultant
  • Consumer Behavior Analyst
  • Content Developer
  • Cultural Consultant

  • International Aid Worker
  • Global Development Specialist
  • Human Rights Advocate
  • NGO Program Manager
  • Cultural Liaison
  • United Nations Program Specialist
  • International Policy Analyst
  • Refugee Services Coordinator

  • Environmental Policy Advisor
  • Sustainability Coordinator
  • Community Sustainability Advocate
  • Conservation Program Specialist
  • Environmental Researcher
  • Green Infrastructure Planner
  • Environmental Justice Advocate
  • Public Outreach Specialist

  • Social Issues Journalist
  • Documentary Producer
  • Media Analyst
  • Cultural Critic
  • Content Creator
  • Editor for Social Justice Publications
  • Public Broadcasting Specialist
  • Film or TV Research Consultant

  • Corporate Social Responsibility Manager
  • Diversity and Inclusion Consultant
  • Workplace Culture Specialist
  • Consumer Behavior Analyst
  • Sales and Marketing Specialist
  • Business Development Coordinator
  • Ethics and Compliance Officer
  • Operations Analyst

  • Mental Health Advocate
  • Rehabilitation Specialist
  • Addiction Counselor (with certification)
  • Grief Counselor
  • Crisis Intervention Specialist
  • Behavioral Health Researcher
  • Social Services Counselor
  • Community Mental Health Coordinator

A Sociology major gives you a deep understanding of social structures, relationships, and institutions. You’ll gain the tools to think critically, communicate effectively, and engage with diverse perspectives.

Through hands-on research and analysis, you’ll explore complex social issues like inequality, justice, and community development. You’ll also learn how to address those challenges.

Whether you’re drawn to social services, public policy, education, healthcare, or research, the Sociology degree prepares you to make a meaningful impact. Its versatility opens career pathways in the public and private sectors, with a shared focus on improving communities and organizations.

Explore the countless career paths for Sociology Majors: