Developmental Curriculum
Our curriculum is developmental in character.
- Gateway courses expose students to foundational principles, contemporary theories, and a variety of rigorous methodologies.
- Theory and research courses hone skills in data gathering and analysis of complex problems and policy formulations.
- Substantive topic courses apply disciplinary ideas and analytical tools to real world problems.
- The capstone experience, under close faculty supervision, applies critical thinking skills to research questions, policy evaluation, and program implementation.
Studying Sociology
Requirements for the Major
The department's requirements begin with an introductory course and includes three research methods courses and eleven additional courses of sociology. This includes seven required courses and eight electives. Majors must fulfill the requirements in the checklist, exclusive of work needed to meet general college and core requirements. For course descriptions, consult the university bulletin.
In addition to fulfilling undergraduate Core Curriculum requirements for the bachelor of science degree, students majoring in sociology must complete the following departmental requirements:
- SOCI 1
- SOCI 35, 118, 119, 120, 198
- SOCI 121 or 122
- Eight electives: Seven upper-division sociology electives and one lower-division from among the following: SOCI 30, 33, 49, 60, 65, or 91
Students must declare a major by the end of their sophomore year. The Program Petition Form must be signed by the student’s advisor and the chair in sociology and promptly returned to the registrar.
Requirements for the Minor
The Sociology Minor consists of seven courses: three core courses and four electives. Core courses are designed to provide a strong analytical foundation and the flexibility of electives permits students to take courses to satisfy their academic interests or to concentrate in one of several areas of the sociological discipline. For course descriptions, consult the university bulletin.
Students must fulfill the following requirements for a minor in sociology:
- SOCI 1, 35, 119
- Your choice:
- Choose one of SOCI 30, 33, 49, 60, 65, or 91 and three upper-division sociology electives
- OR Choose four upper-division sociology electives
Concentrations
For students who want to focus their studies in one area of sociology, the department has three concentrations open to all majors and minors:
- Technology and Social Entrepreneurship
- Community and Social Justice Studies
- Diversity and Inclusion
Students completing any of the concentrations will be awarded a department certificate of completion. The concentrations are voluntary and not mandatory for graduation. Consult the list of classes in each concentration in Sociology Voluntary Concentrations (pdf). If you would like more information about these areas of study, consult your academic advisor. After completing all requirements, fill out this form to receive your certificate
Requirements for Graduation
In addition to the required courses for the major, students at Santa Clara need to accumulate 175 units and fulfill the University's Core requirements. Students can find helpful information about graduation requirements on the following university pages:
- Graduation Frequently Asked Questions - Office of the Registrar
- The Core Curriculum
- Pathways Core Curriculum Requirement
- Academic Policies - The Undergraduate Bulletin