MAJOR & MINOR
Choosing a Major is Very Important
Choosing a major is one of the most important and yet, frustrating decisions facing most college students. Finding the right major is not an easy task. Research tells us that a large majority (over 70%) of college students change their major at least once in college, and even some students wait as late as their junior year to declare a major. Most first year advisors will encourage you to declare a major as soon as possible. The purpose of declaring a major so soon is to get you into the right sequence of courses so that you can graduate in four years. But you might be hesitant to declare a major because you are not sure as to what career you wish to pursue. What happens to you if you choose a major like “Hotel Management,” only to find out in your senior year that you don’t want to spend the rest of your life working in hotels?
Many Fear Choosing the Wrong Major
With the costs of a college education increasing substantially each year, careful planning is essential. You may be like many students who fear choosing a major because it might not be a “good fit” for you. What happens if you find out that you don’t like the job that your major has prepared you to do? Or worse, what happens to you in ten years from now if you want to go into another profession? How easy will it be for you to change professions? Just look at the lives of your own parents, relatives, or close family friends. How often have they changed careers in their lives? Research states that most people have at least 3 major career changes during their life. For your generation, there may be even more necessary changes.
Choosing a Major that Gives You Career Options
Some students prefer to choose a major that will choose the career for them. And that is perfectly fine, if that is what you want. If you have always wanted to be a 3rd grade teacher and you hope to teach 3rd grade the rest of your life, plan on majoring in elementary education. If you have always wanted to be a nurse, major in nursing. However, you may not be sure of what career you want, or you might think that you will not be satisfied with doing the same thing for the rest of your life (you really do enjoy changes); then, perhaps choosing a major that gives you many career options may be the right choice for you. Majoring in sociology may be a viable option for you.
Sociology Does Not Train You for a Job, but Rather Prepares You for Life.
Sociology is a social science that studies human behavior from a scientific perspective. Sociology studies all kinds of behavior in all kinds of social settings. It examines everything from behavior of individuals to behavior of social structures and systems. The knowledge you obtain from sociology can be applied anywhere human beings are found. Jobs change with time, some even become obsolete, but knowledge of human behavior will last forever. The knowledge you obtain from sociology can be applied in a number of careers. That is the reason so many sociology majors have chosen a variety of career paths. Our sociology graduates are in such careers as: ministry, urban studies, missions, criminal justice, law, teaching, community development, social work, advocacy groups, and environmental issues, to name a few. A sample of our recent graduates is found on the back of this brochure.
Sociology is Not for Everyone
But sociology is not an easy major. It deals with abstract concepts, such as inequality, power, stratification, justice, systems, structures, institutions. It requires a lot of work from those of you who venture into this broad area. You are required to do a lot of reading and writing of papers. Additionally, you are required to use the scientific method in objectively gathering of data, and statistically analyzing and interpreting that data. If that wasn’t enough, you are required to develop critical and analytical skills by engaging some of the greatest social thinkers and theoretical frameworks of the last couple of centuries. But you may be like many of our majors who enjoy a great challenge and find sociology to be one of the most stimulating and thought provoking subjects at the university.
Be Careful, Sociology Will Change You
But majoring in sociology has its risks. As most sociology majors will testify, sociology will change you-- for the better. In sociology, we like to talk about the “sociological imagination.” What we mean by that concept is studying sociology will change your understanding of how the world operates. You will develop an understanding of social patterns and social forces at work, shaping yourself and your world that is not immediately apparent to most people around you. You will see education, politics, economics, religion, culture, and the American society quite differently. At first you may find the sociological imagination troubling, perhaps frightening, but our majors now actually find it quite refreshing and liberating. For many students it is the first time in their lives that they can “think outside of the box” and they love it.
Sociology is Not Status Quo
Because of the sociological imagination, most of our graduates are not satisfied with working a traditional “status quo” job. They often seek positions that are intrinsically rewarding with the goal of making a difference in the lives of people, and communities in which they live and work. Graduates with a sociology major from Eastern University have a strong and long history of finding positions that make a significant difference in their corner of the world.
If you have any questions about the sociology major here at Eastern, contact your sociology professor, or:
Dr. Michael Roberts, Chair
Office: HHC/Warner 138
Phone: (610) 225-5683
e-mail: mroberts@eastern.edu
I. MAJOR REQUIREMENTS (42 Credit Hours)
8 Core Classes: (24 Credit Hours)
3 Electives: Any SOC course: not specifically required or taken for a concentration (9 Credit Hours)
One Concentration: Each major must choose one concentration and take at least 3 courses in that concentration of which one must be at the 400 level: (9 Credit Hours)
Sociology Electives: These optional courses are designed for those students who wish to enhance their preparation for graduate school and/or career.
II. MINOR REQUIREMENTS (18 Credit Hours)
III. SUGGESTED FOUR-YEAR PLAN
1st Year: The Sociology major or “prospective” student should take the following courses to develop an understanding of sociology.
|
SOC 100 |
Introduction to Sociology
|
SOC 105 |
Contemporary Social Problems
|
2nd Year: The student should take the following courses including at least one sociology elective of choice.
|
SOC 220 |
Social Statistics
|
SOC 245 |
Socialization and Group Relations
|
SOC XXX |
A Sociology Elective of Choice
|
3rd Year: The major should take the following courses and begin taking 1 or 2 courses in one’s concentration of choice.
|
SOC 315 |
Gender, Race, and Class
|
SOC 318 |
Research Methodology
|
SOC XXX |
Sociology concentration course
|
SOC XXX |
Sociology concentration course
|
SOC XXX |
A Sociology Elective of Choice
|
4th Year: The major should take the following courses and finish requirements for the concentration and sociology electives.
|
SOC 401 |
Sociological Theory |
| SOC 418
| Senior Seminar |
SOC XXX |
Sociology concentration course |
SOC XXX |
A Sociology Elective of Choice |
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
100 Introduction to Sociology 3
The nature of society with special emphasis on the basic concepts, social processes, social institutions and social change.
Back to top
105 Contemporary Social Problems 3
Selected social problems such as poverty, ethnic relations, the population explosion and pollution are examined. How sociological insights can inform Christian value judgments concerning social structural conditions will be emphasized.
Back to top
SOC 220 Social Statistics 3
An introduction to descriptive and inferential statistics employed in the social sciences. This course emphasizes the organizing, calculating, and the interpreting of data.
Back to top
SOC 245 Socialization and Group Relations 3
This course (a) explores the process of socialization across different social environments and how, through this process, people construct their sense of reality, values, and worldviews, (b) examines intergroup processes focusing on the sociocognitive, motivation, prejudice, language, social status, and cultural factors in these intergroup processes with the objective of learning about how socialization is a springboard for these determinants of people’s roles in intergroup processes, and (c) analyses socialization contexts and how these contexts frame people’s worldviews, thought patterns, and service orientations.
Back to top
305 Collective Behaviors 3
This course will review national and international social movements in the context of recent social movement theory and research, considering whether they reflect Christ’s call to usher in the Kingdom of God. Prerequisite: Minimum grade of C in SOC 100.
Back to top
310 The Family 3
Course covers historical background and cultural comparisons of families, premarital and martial behavior and family disorganization and reorganization. No prerequisites.
Back to top
315 Gender, Race, Class 3
The course deals with the unequal and stratified distribution of wealth, income, social power and life changes in society, focusing on how class, race / ethnicity and gender pattern these uniquely and in interlocking ways. Prerequisite: Minimum grade of C in SOC 100.
Back to top
318 Research Methodology 3
A survey of research methods employed in the social sciences. Emphases will include theory construction, measurement and data gathering, techniques, sampling, data analysis and research ethics. Prerequisite: six hours credit in sociology and / or anthropology with minimum grades of C.
Back to top
320 Church-Based Economic Development 3
This course will survey models for the organization of micro and macro programs in the context of urban churches. The theological dimensions of community development also will be explored. The purpose of this course is to develop a rudimentary model for microeconomic programs in a church setting.
Back to top
321 Crime and Delinquency 3
A critical analysis of various theories of crime and delinquency, emphasizing how well the theories explain empirical data. The implications of theory for treatment will be examined. Prerequisite: Minimum grade of C in SOC 100 or permission of department.
Back to top
322 Criminal Justice 3
This course will attempt to convey an understanding of how the criminal law actually operates. It will deal in part with the following areas: the concept of punishment, role of the police, the role of the attorney, bail, trials, pleas, sentencing and corrections. One objective of the course is to raise questions about the purposes of the criminal law and how those purposes can best be realized in modern society. Prerequisite: Minimum grade of C in SOC 100 or POS 103 or permission of department chair. May count as Political Science course.
Back to top
340 Urban Sociology 3
The course is designed to cover the basic concept of urban sociology. Special attention will be given to problems related to the contemporary urban crises such as ethnic tensions, poverty and environmental degradation.
Back to top
355 Sociology of the New Testament:
Jesus and His Social Environment 3
This course explores selected parts of the New Testament to focus on Jesus Christ and provide a social description of the world of the early Jewish Christian movement in Palestine. Apostolic Christianity and the social make-up and dynamics of the beginning Christian Church in other parts of the Roman world will also be considered, but only as an indication of the direction the Jesus movement took after his death and resurrection. The contextual nature of the New Testament documents will be highlighted by means of sociological perspectives and methods. Prerequisites: Minimum grades of C in BIB 101, 102, SOC 100 or ANTH 101.
Back to top
401 Sociological Theory 3
This course deals with both classical and contemporary sociological theories, studying the theories with the objective of applying them in shedding light on the constitutive elements and processes in society, and what the theories suggest could be done to improve people’s well-being. Prerequisite: Minimum grade of C in SOC 100 and must be at least a junior.
Back to top
405 Sociology of Religion 3
A survey of major sociological theories of religion. Topics include theories of conversion and retention, rational choice theory, new religious movements and cults. Class will consider the secularization of debate and recent theories of religious growth. Prerequisites: Minimum grades of C in SOC 100 and one other course sociology course.
Back to top
408 Social Institutions and Justice 3
The course explores the social justice opportunities and shortfalls in the social institutions of religion, economy, politics, education, family, healthcare, and entertainment. We examine the nature and how each social institution operates with the objective of identifying the opportunities and shortfalls in the practice of social justice in the institution. We draw upon Biblical insights and sociological arguments to explain how social institutions have compromised social justice, and propose ways of how they can uphold social justice. Prerequisite: Minimum grade of C in SOC 100 and must be at least a junior.
Back to top
410 Social Change and Modernity 3
An exploration of the nature of modernity and the impact of modernization. Models of large-scale social change will be considered as well as transformations occurring at the micro-level. Perspectives on modernity and post modernity as they have developed in the West will be critically examined with their impact on the non-Western world. Biblical and theological issues and resources will be explored in order to construct a Christian response to contemporary trends. Prerequisite: Minimum grade of C in SOC 100 and must be at least a junior.
Back to top
416 Research and Data Analysis 3
An introduction to how data is analyzed in the social sciences with the computer. The student will learn how to enter, analyze, and interpret data. Several data analyses (from univariate to multivate) are explored with the computer package of SPSS. Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C in SOC 220 Social Statistics or an equivalent statistics course in psychology, business, or math.
Back to top
417 Senior Thesis 3
An honors course for selected senior sociology majors who will work under the guidance of a professor. A written research proposal must be completed before the registration of this course. Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C in SOC 318.
Back to top
418 Senior Seminar 3
A topical seminar, the content of which will vary year by year. Emphasis on integrating one’s faith with sociological knowledge and examining the viability of such integrative endeavors. Prerequisite: Minimum grade of C in SOC 401.
Back to top
495 Sociology Internship 3
Internship provides a supervised work experience in a related field of sociology for those students desiring an opportunity for “hands-on” experience in an area of their choice. Prerequisite: Minimum grade of C in SOC 100 and must be at least a junior.
Back to top
|
