Sociology, Civic Engagement and Social Change Specialization, BA

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Curriculum

Sociology is the study of society, human behavior, and social interaction. The focus of study is the application of critical thought to social processes and social issues. Specific areas of interest include social institutions, symbolic meaning, bureaucratic organizations, socialization, deviance, political systems, class society, social interaction, the family, gender, minority relations, social movements, and social change.

A degree in sociology prepares students for policy, research, and supervisory work in the public and private sectors, including such diverse fields as government agencies, advocacy groups, the criminal justice system, educational institutions, social services, counseling, business management, office administration, mass media, and the political arena. Students may choose the applied sociology specialization, civic engagement and social change specialization, social research specialization, or health and society specialization.

Curriculum

Students in this specialization develop an understanding of core concepts and theories in sociology with a particular emphasis on the interaction between civic engagement, social movements, and social change. Students explore the ways that engaged citizens have worked to transform social structures and cultural relations in order to address social problems. This specialization provides students with real-world experience through service-learning courses in multiple disciplines and culminates in a 200-hour internship with an organization working in an area of interest to the student. This specialization prepares students for a wide variety of careers in government and non-governmental organizations that are addressing societal problems, as well with groups advocating for social change such as unions and a wide range of social movement organizations.

Introductory Courses (4 Credits)

SOC 105 - Introduction to Sociology 3 Credit(s)
FYS 101 - First Year Seminar 1 Credit(s)

Core Requirements (22 Credits)

Two of the core courses must be service learning.

SOC 202 - Civic Engagement and Social Activism 3 Credit(s)
SOC 355 - Social Theory (W) 3 Credit(s)
SOC 227 - Social Movements and Social Change 3 Credit(s)
or
SOC 225 - Unions, Labor, and Society 3 Credit(s)
SOC 382 - Research Design for Sociology 3 Credit(s)
SOC 405 - Sociology Seminar 1 Credit(s)
Three additional sociology electives 9 Credit(s)

Internship (6 Credits)

SOC 423 - Sociology Internship 3-9 Credit(s)

Related Fields (3 Credits)

(one non-sociology service learning course or one of the following)

HIST 371 - Women and Work in the 20th Century United States 3 Credit(s)
HIST 383 - The Civil Rights Movement 3 Credit(s)
Or any course from Widener’s Sustainability and Civic Engagement General Education Pathway.

Total Credits: 35

The program of study that appears here applies to students who were admitted for the summer session of this catalog year and later. Students admitted prior to that term should select the appropriate catalog year of their admission. Choose previous catalogs from the Home, Graduate, or Undergraduate Catalog Page at http://Catalog.widener.edu.