Program Requirements
All standard majors require a minor in a second discipline or a second major.
In addition to satisfying the university's Western Watershed General Education requirements, B.A. majors in Sociology & Criminal Justice must complete the 21-credit Sociology & Criminal Justice core, 21 credits of supporting courses, and complete a minor in a second discipline or a major in a second discipline.
A minimum of 42 credits in Sociology & Criminal Justice course work is required including:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| POLS 301 | Constitutional Law II | 3 |
| SOC 110 | The Sociological Imagination (GT-SS3) | 3 |
| SOC 211 | Questionnaires and Survey Methods | 3 |
| SOC 259 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| SOC 302 | Origins of Sociological Theory | 3 |
| SOC 310 | Interviewing and Field Methods | 3 |
| SOC 498 | Capstone | 3 |
| One of the following: | 3 | |
| Social Class, Status, and Power | ||
| Ethnicity, Race, and Racism | ||
| Gender, Sexuality, and Power | ||
| Select at least two of the following: | 6-12 | |
| Criminology | ||
| Law Enforcement | ||
| Deviance | ||
| Juvenile Delinquency | ||
| Probation, Parole, and Incarceration | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Small Group and Conflict Management | ||
| Communities & Social Change | ||
| Social Movements | ||
| Politics of Social Movements | ||
| Psychopathology | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Self and Society | ||
| Homicide | ||
| Victims and Society | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Sociology of Health, Illness, and Medicine | ||
| Emotions and Social Bonds in Healthcare | ||
| Mental Health and Criminal Justice | ||
| Drugs and Society | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Intro Geographic Info Systems | ||
| Statistics and Data Analysis | ||
| Contemporary Sociological Theory | ||
| Sociology of Families | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Internship in Sociology | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Total Credits | 42-48 | |
Capstone Course Requirement
The following courses in the Sociology Major fulfill the capstone course requirement: SOC 498 Capstone.
Western Watershed General Education Requirements
Students must complete all Western Watershed General Education requirements to graduate.
Graduation Requirements
Undergraduate programs require a minimum of 120 semester credits for graduation. Of those 120 credits, 40 credits must be in upper-division courses (those marked 300 and above). Fifteen of these 40 upper-division credits must be earned in courses that are part of the standard or comprehensive major program being pursued.
Students are expected to review all graduation requirements, which can be found in the Western Undergraduate Catalog: Graduation Requirements.
Sample Plan
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| SOC 110 | The Sociological Imagination (GT-SS3) | 3 |
| ENG 102 | Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) (Western Watershed Fundamental Skills - Writing I) | 3 |
| MATH 113 | Statistical Thinking (GT-MA1) (Western Watershed Fundamental Skills - Mathematics) | 3 |
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed course (Scientific Inquiry suggested) | 3 |
| WWGE 101/102/103/104 | Headwaters (select one) | 2 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENG 103 | Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) (Western Watershed Fundamental Skills - Writing II) | 3 |
| SOC 225 or SOC 250 |
Self and Society or Homicide |
3 |
| SOC 259 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed course (Scientific Inquiry suggested) (Scientific Inquiry suggested) | 4 |
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed course | 3 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| SOC 211 | Questionnaires and Survey Methods | 3 |
| Elective | Elective course | 3 |
| SOC Elective | PSY 200, GEOG 340, or SOC 397 suggested | 3 |
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed course | 3 |
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed course | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Elective | Elective course | 3 |
| Elective | Elective course | 3 |
| SOC 285 | Criminology | 3 |
| SOC 302 | Origins of Sociological Theory | 3 |
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed course | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| Minor should be declared by the beginning of third year. | ||
| SOC 330 | Victims and Society | 3 |
| SOC Elective | One of SOC 322/325/335/355 suggested | 3 |
| SOC Elective | One of COM 374, POLS 340, SOC 303/320 suggested | 3 |
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed course | 3 |
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed course | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Elective | Elective course | 3 |
| POLS 301 | Constitutional Law II | 3 |
| SOC 310 | Interviewing and Field Methods | 3 |
| SOC Elective | Two of SOC 367/350/351 suggested | 6 |
| WWGE 301/302/303/304 | Delta course (select one) | 1 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| Elective | Elective Course | 3 |
| Elective | Elective course | 3 |
| Elective | Elective course | 3 |
| SOC Elective | SOC elective course | 3 |
| SOC Elective | SOC elective course (SOC 399 or 492 suggested) | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Elective | Elective course | 3 |
| Elective | Elective course | 3 |
| SOC 498 | Capstone | 3 |
| SOC Elective | SOC elective course | 3 |
| SOC Elective | SOC elective course (SOC 399 or 492 suggested) | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 121 | |
Western is committed to doing our part to provide each student a clear path to graduation. This four‐year degree plan is a sample map for fulfilling requirements in the major and General Education. The pathway that you take to your degree may differ somewhat from this illustration, depending on where you start and the detours and side trips you may take along the way. You are responsible for ensuring your overall, upper division, and major‐specific credits as well as GPA requirements are fulfilled for graduation.