BA in Sociology
A BA in sociology allows you to build upon your sociology coursework through the elective-credit flexibility it affords. It's not required, but if you are pursuing the BA, you are encouraged to choose a minor that pairs well with your post-graduation plans. Our sociology advisor can help you choose a minor or focus that matches your goals.
A bachelor of arts (BA) degree requires students to complete four semesters of foreign language studies. The language curriculum complements many students' interests in cross-cultural studies, contributes to the development of a global worldview, and facilitates study abroad experiences.
Questions?
Meet with our advisor and learn more about the major.
Planning your courses?
View our worksheet for sociology BA degree requirements (PDF).
Requirements
Capstone and Honors Proseminar Sequence
Both the BA and BS in sociology require the same number of core and sociology elective courses and include the Capstone requirement. Learn more about the major project requirement or the Honors Proseminar Sequence.
CLA Requirements
Learn more about the College of Liberal Arts BA degree requirements, including the second language requirement.
Transfer Students
Effective fall 2014, transfer students from outside the Twin Cities campus must take at least six upper-level courses from the University of Minnesota Department of Sociology. Find more information for transfer students.
Transfer Guide
Recommendations from the Department
SOC 1001- Introduction to Sociology is the required preparatory course for the Sociology BA and BS majors. It serves as an introduction to the discipline and is the recommended prerequisite for many upper division (3xxx-5xxx level) SOC courses.
The Sociology BS major requires MATH 1142 - Short Calculus or MATH 1271 - Calculus I. Depending on your math skills and background, you may need to take prerequisite math courses before you can take MATH 1142 or MATH 1271.
A grade of C- or better is required in all major courses.
See the University Catalog for all courses in the major.
Remember, when using Transferology to plan courses for the major, look for courses that transfer as direct equivalents to UMTC major courses. In Transferology, a direct equivalent shows as the UMTC course number. For example, COMM 1101 is a direct equivalent, while COMM 1T*** is not.
In CLA, each department has a process to declare the major. This is a necessary step for the major to be added to the student record. New transfer students do not declare their majors until after they attend orientation.
To declare the sociology major (BA or BS), students must either complete an online information session and then meet with a sociology departmental advisor or peer adviser, or attend an in-person information and declaration session.
Before declaring sociology as a major, completion of SOC 1001 or an equivalent transfer course is recommended.
Declaring the major is an important step. While most upper-division major courses are open to all students, the sociology department does reserve some seats for declared majors in the core classes: SOC 3701, SOC 3801, and SOC 3811.
We recommend that you meet with the sociology advising staff during your first semester in CLA to discuss your interests and the declaration process. This meeting allows the departmental advisor to help you stay on track in the major and to tell you about opportunities within the major, which include research, scholarships, and service-learning options.
Lower-division coursework
SOC 1001 is the only lower-division (1xxx-level) course that can count towards the Sociology BA or BS majors.
Major residency requirement
At least six SOC upper-division courses must be completed at UMTC. This means that you may be allowed to apply up to three upper-division transfer courses to satisfy sociology BA or BS major requirements. The sociology BS sub-plan requires a minimum of two of the four courses in the sub-plan be completed with UMTC courses.
Transfer courses are evaluated by the department for use towards the major. Check Transferology to see if an evaluation already exists for the courses you would like to use toward the major. If you find a course that has not been evaluated you can submit the course for review. A copy of the course syllabus is required.
The Department of Sociology website provides information on all sociology programs, including the law, criminology and justice majors, sociology minors, and the public health minor.
Planning for a BA or a BS with a sociology major
- If you are planning to complete a BA degree, consider completing or starting your second language before you transfer to CLA. Be sure to talk with a CLA transfer advisor about any questions you have about completing the CLA Second Language requirement.
- If you are planning to complete the BS Sociology major, completing a MATH 1142 or MATH 1271 equivalent before you transfer to CLA is recommended.
Transfer students are strongly encouraged to plan to complete the majority of the sociology major courses at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. By taking the majority of courses here, you have the opportunity to make the most of the faculty and courses offered through our top-ranked, world-renowned program.
Sub-plan requirement for BS major
The BS major includes a required sub-plan chosen from Health Care and Careers; Organization, Business, or Nonprofit; Policy Analysis; or Quantitative Emphasis. If you are considering the BS, take time to review the sub-plan information on the department website and in the catalog. Please note that all subplan courses are upper-division (3xxx-level or higher).
Related courses and minors
Many students majoring in Sociology take courses or minor in psychology, political science, communication studies, geography, and the family social science minor in the College of Education and Human Development. These are only some of the many interesting options on campus.
Career Paths
All liberal arts degrees help CLA students develop their Core Career Competencies, and sociology majors develop specific skills that are applicable to lots of different careers. These skills include the ability to recognize trends and patterns, strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communications skill, research, analysis, and statistical skills, and the ability to work well with diverse groups.
Students who take the SuperStrong Interest Inventory receive a three-letter interest code, which identifies their top three areas of interest, work activities, potential skills, and personal values. The interest code "IES" is often associated with this major, however, the SuperStrong assessment can help you understand how your interests connect to a variety of majors and career options. You can learn more about common employer types and occupations associated with this major. You can also see CLA specific examples of alumni careers below.
Internship & Job Search Websites
- Handshake
- UMN Sociology Undergraduate Resources-Internship Listings
- American Sociological Association Job Board
- American Society of Criminology Job Board
- The Social Service Job Site
- USA Jobs
- Corrections Job Board
- Police Officer job Board
- Sociology at Work
- Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
- Idealist (Nonprofit positions in the US and internationally)
- USA Jobs
- Public Service Careers (Check out “Why Public Service?”)
Student Groups
Professional Organizations
- Council on Social Work Education
- Association for Humanist Sociology
- Association for Applied & Clinical Sociology
- Society for the Study of Social Problems
- Justice Studies Association
- American Probation and Parole Association
- American Correctional Association
- National Narcotic Officer Association
- National Association of Paralegal Association
- American Sociological Association
- International Sociological Association
- National Council for Social Studies
- Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences
- American Society of Criminology
Graduate Programs in Sociology
- PhD, Sociology, University of Arizona. Postgrad job: Assistant Professor of Sociology, University of Arizona
- MA, Sociology, University of Chicago. Postgrad job: Director, Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood
- PhD, Sociology, University of Minnesota
- PhD, Sociology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
- PhD, Sociology, The Ohio State
- PhD, Sociology, Northwestern University
Alumni Career Examples
Below is a small sampling of what alumni with this major have pursued, organized by the most common career fields they go into (although keep in mind that there are alumni in all eight of the career fields). You can also utilize the LinkedIn's Alumni Tool and the Maroon and Gold Network to further explore alumni career pathways and connect directly with professionals.
Click to expand each accordion panel below for opportunities pursued by alumni in this major!
Note: *Asterisks denote that further education and/or training is often required
Internships
- Senate Intern, State Senator Kenneth Kelash
- Probation Intern, Hennepin County
- Program Intern, City of St. Paul
- Research Assistant, Minnesota Fourth Judicial District Drug/DWI Court
- Project Assistant, Seager, Tufte & Wickhem LLC
- Intern, Scott County Community Corrections
- Resettlement Intern, International Institute of Minnesota
- Law Intern, Battered Women's Legal Advocacy Project
- Judicial Intern, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- Crime Analyst, Minneapolis Police Department
- Sentence to Serve Intern, Hennepin County Department of Community Corrections
- Government Relations and Communications Intern, Minnesota Department of Human Rights
- Intern, Mark Dayton for a Better Minnesota
- Congressional Relations Intern, Library of Congress
- Legislative Intern, American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota
- Corrections Intern, Hennepin County Department of Community Corrections
- Court Monitoring Intern, WATCH
- Researcher, Hennepin County, Sex Offenders Unit
- Adult Probation Intern, Dakota County Corrections
- Intern, United States Marshal Service
- US Senate Intern, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute
- Urban Scholar, City of Minneapolis
- Program and Evaluation Intern, Metropolitan Council
- Public Policy Intern, AARP
- Law Clerk, Minnesota Legal aid Minneapolis office
- Legal Intern, Ramsey County Attorney’s Office
- Special Operations Security Intern, Mall of America Security Department
- Research Intern, Center for Homicide Research
- Diversity & Outreach Intern, Hennepin County District Court
- Legal Assistant Intern, LegalCORPS
- Predatory Offender Registration Intern, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
- Intern, US Postal Inspection Service
- FBI Honors Intern, FBI
Entry-Level
- Adult Probation Aide, Hennepin County
- Law Clerk, Arnold, Rodman, & Kretchmer PLLC
- Legal Secretary, Hennepin County Attorney's Office
- Investigator, Minnesota Attorney Generals Office
- Research Associate, Robina Institute of Criminal Law and Criminal Justice
- Intake Coordinator, Hennepin County Family Court
- Assistant Probation Officer, Scott County
- Research Assistant, 4th Judicial District Court
Experienced
- Youth Program Coordinator, Hennepin County Library
- Police Officer, West St. Paul*
- Intelligence Assistant, FBI*
Graduate Programs
- Master of Public Affairs, Humphrey School of Public Affairs
- JD, William Mitchell College of Law
- JD, New York University
- JD, William Mitchell College of Law
- JD, New York University
Note: *Asterisks denote that further education and/or training is often required
Internships
- Research Associate, Hennepin County Medical Center
- Public Health Intern, Project Abroad-Philippines
- Science Communications Intern, BioTechnology UMN
Entry-Level
- Principal Account Specialist, Boynton Health Service, University of Minnesota
- Clinic Assistant, The Lorenz Clinic of Family Psychology
Experienced
- Residency Program Coordinator, University of Minnesota Physicians
- Project Manager, Land of Lincoln Health
- American Indian Community Liaison, Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota
Graduate Programs
- MPH, University of Minnesota School of Public Health. Postgrad job: Health Department Specialist, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- EdS, Clinical Mental Health, Loyola University
Note: *Asterisks denote that further education and/or training is often required
Internships
- College and Career Access Intern, Minnesota Internship Center Charter High School
- Teaching Assistant, Korean Institute of Minnesota
- Global Leader, Learning Abroad Center (UMN)
Entry-Level
- Corps Member, Teach for America
- Admissions Counselor, University of Minnesota
- Teacher, Miss Maries Learning Center
- Accounting Specialist, Carlson School of Management Executive Development Center
Experienced
- Social Studies Teacher, Blue Valley School District*
Graduate Programs
- MED, Teaching Second Language, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
- MA Elementary Education and Teaching, Marian University
- MS, Counseling and Student Personnel, Minnesota State-Mankato. Postgrad job: Academic Advisor, College of Liberal Arts
Note: *Asterisks denote that further education and/or training is often required
Internships
- Intern, Boys & Girls Club
- Intern, Domestic Abuse Project
- Communications & Marketing Intern, New America
- Intern, Amicus
- Political Leader of Tomorrow Intern, Womenwinning
- Research Intern, Center for Homicide Research
- Events and Programming Intern, Uptown Association
- Community Advocate, Tubman
- Training Assistant Intern, Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota
- Intern, University YMCA
- Nonprofit Intern, Open Arms of Minnesota
- Program Development Intern, CLUES
- Research Intern, Center for Homicide Research
- Intern, Neighborhoods Organizing for Change
- Spanish Speaking Outreach Intern, The Arc Minnesota
- Resource Counseling Advocate, Tubman
- Anti-Violence Program Intern, OutFront Minnesota
Entry-Level
- Homicide Research Assistant, Center for Homicide Research
- Administrative Assistant, Nacel Open Door
- Volunteer Coordinator, Minnesota Literary Council
- Case Manager, The Salvation Army
- Administrative Assistant, Partnership Resources, Inc.
- Employment Counselor, Employment Action Center
- Youth Development Program Assistant, Amherst H. Wilder Foundation
- Education Program Coordinator, Science Museum of Minnesota
- Clinic Assistant, Planned Parenthood
Experienced
- BeMore Campaign Coordinator, The Family Partnership
- Program Associate, Amherst H. Wilder Foundation
- Program and Administrative Assistant, Casa de Esperanza
Graduate Programs
- Master of Clinical Social Work, University of Chicago
- MA, Non-Profit Management, Metropolitan State University
- MA, Marriage and Family Therapy, Alfred Adler Graduate School. Postgrad job: Associate Therapist, Kente Circle, LLC
- MA, Nonprofit and Public Administration, Metropolitan State University
- Master of Clinical Social Work, University of Chicago
- Master of Science, Social Work, University of Minnesota. Postgrad job: Emergency Department Social Worker, North Memorial Health Care
Note: *Asterisks denote that further education and/or training is often required
Internships
- Marketing & Communications Consultant, Engage Mobile Solutions
- Marketing Intern, EcoWater Systems
- Human Resources Intern, NeighborhoodWorks Home Partners
Entry-Level
- Employment Branding Associate, PGi
- Marketing Assistant, Tunheim Santrizos
- Business Banking Assistant, Crown Bank
- Project Coordinator, Orman Guidance Research
- Research Assistant, Data Intelligence Consultants
- Bilingual Travel Consultant, Hobbit Travel
Experienced
- Human Resources Generalist, Capella University
- Senior HR Representative, C.H. Robinson*
- Executive Team Leader, Target
- Senior Marketing Specialist, Ecolab*
Graduate Programs
- MBA, Saint Mary's University. Postgrad job: Associate Marketing Manager, Renewal by Andersen