In the Bachelor of Arts in Sociology program, students build a foundation in sociological research methods, data analysis and theory. Courses include topics as varied as Sociology of Sports, Sociology of the Holocaust and Genocide, Alternatives to Imprisonment, Race and Minority Relations and much more.
Outside the classroom, many BA in Sociology students engage research opportunities or take on internships at social advocacy organizations in the Washington, D.C., area.
Sociology majors are required to take SOC 4195: Senior Research Seminar. During the course, students bring together their accrued knowledge of sociological research methods, theory and specialized topics in sociology and apply them to a comprehensive, empirical research project. The seminar aims to help every student walk away with a thoughtful, original piece of research that can serve as a high-quality writing sample for students seeking jobs or admission to a graduate program.
Students may take SOC 4195 in either the fall or spring semester of their senior year. The course is limited to seniors, though exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis. Students must have completed at least one research methods course (SOC 2101 or 2102) and one theory course (SOC 2103 or 2104) before registering for the senior research seminar. There are no exceptions to this requirement.
Each senior research capstone course will focus on a selected sociological subject (such as race, immigration, gender or the sociology of food, among others) and will be taught by faculty with expertise in the given area. Students who have taken a regular subject area course in a particular topic may take a senior research seminar on a similar topic. For example, students who have completed SOC 2179: Race and Minority Relations may register for a SOC 4195 section on race and ethnicity. Topic area courses in SOC 4195 will largely cover new materials, focusing on empirical research and methodological and theoretical approaches to the topic.
