Undergraduate Course Catalog 2008-2009
College of Liberal Arts
» http://www.unh.edu/liberal-arts/
Sociology (SOC)
» http://www.unh.edu/sociology/
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Chairperson: James Tucker
Professor: Michele Dillon, Cynthia M. Duncan, David Finkelhor, Lawrence C. Hamilton, Kenneth M. Johnson, Murray A. Straus, Heather A. Turner, Sally Ward
Associate Professor: Linda M. Blum, Benjamin C. Brown, Sharyn J. Potter, James Tucker, Karen VanGundy
Research Associate Professor: Glenda Kaufman Kantor
Assistant Professor: Rebecca Glauber, Cesar Rebellon, Priscilla S. Reinertsen, Thomas G. Safford
Research Assistant Professor: Kristin E. Smith, Nina Stracuzzi, Wendy A. Walsh
Clinical Professor: John T. Kirkpatrick
Lecturer: Jean Elson, Catherine L. Moran
Sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies, and how people interact within these contexts.
Since human behavior is shaped by social factors, the subject matter of sociology ranges from the intimate family to the hostile mob; from organized crime to religious cults; from the divisions of race, gender, and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture.
Majoring in sociology provides a solid, multifaceted foundation in the liberal arts, including analytical thinking and writing, and skills in collecting and analyzing data. Students learn diverse theoretical approaches to the social world and acquire tools for conducting and understanding social science research. The wide range of substantive areas taught in the UNH sociology department includes courses concentrating on family and work; environmental sociology; social policy; inequalities of race, class, and gender; criminology, social control, and deviant behavior; medical sociology; and religion.
Undergraduate training in sociology is an excellent background for a variety of careers, including the business world, where majors might work in marketing and sales or human resources, or government or private services, where a major might work in education, health services, social welfare, criminal justice, or research. An undergraduate degree in sociology is also excellent preparation for graduate work in law, social work, counseling, public administration, public health, business administration, urban planning, or further studies in sociology.
To declare a major in sociology, students must have completed at least one introductory level sociology course with a grade of C or better. New students who declare the major upon admission to UNH must enroll in sociology 400 during their first semester and earn a grade of C to maintain status in the program.
Majors must complete a minimum of 40 semester credits in sociology courses with grades of C- or better in each course and a GPA of 2.00 or better in sociology courses. Soc 400, 502, 599, 601, and 611 are required. At least two of the additional five major courses must be at the 600 or 700 level (upper-level electives). SOC 502 and 599 are both prerequisites for SOC 601, and majors must take SOC 599 no later than their junior year. SOC 595 can be used to fulfill one lower-level elective or SOC 699 can be used to fulfill one upper-level elective. SOC 502 (Statistics) may not be used by sociology majors for General Education requirement Category 2 (Quantitative Reasoning). Statistics courses in other disciplines are generally acceptable as a substitute for SOC 502.
Conjoint minors (allowing double-counting of one or two courses) are available for justice studies; gerontology; American studies; race, culture, and power; women’s studies; and other approved minors. Students also have the opportunity to pursue a second major including justice studies. Students interested in social work or teaching can develop programs in conjunction with the appropriate departments. The departmental honors program is recommended for students with cumulative grade-point averages over 3.20, and especially for those anticipating graduate study.
Students interested in majoring in sociology should consult with the chair of the undergraduate committee in the sociology department for guidance. It is the responsibility of all sociology majors to obtain the latest information from the department office. A minor consists of any five 4-credit courses in sociology with a C- or better in each course and a grade-point average of 2.00 or better in these courses.
Sociology Language Requirement
The bachelor of arts degree at the University of New Hampshire requires that a student satisfy the foreign language proficiency requirement. The requirement may be met by demonstrating language proficiency equal to a one-year college-level course (401 and 402, 403 and 503, 501 [Latin only], or 503 and above in a spoken language).
The Department of Sociology requires all students declaring the major after August 28, 2006 to choose from one of the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
Exceptions to this list must be petitioned and approved by the Department of Sociology’s Undergraduate Committee and a student’s adviser.
