Students interested in the Sociology major should take SOC 101, SOC 102, or SOC 105 during their first year. These courses serve as prerequisites for most 200-level and above courses in the major. Students typically take SOC 200 or SOC 205 during their sophomore year, as well as SOC 304. Sociology students are encouraged to consider studying abroad for a semester. The ideal plan ensures that students study abroad, have taken at least two Sociology electives, and have taken the following courses prior to senior year: SOC 101 (please add: SOC 102 or SOC 105; SOC 200 or SOC 205; SOC 304; and SOC 305, SOC 306, or SOC 310. Up to two courses taken in Sociology departments while abroad count towards the major electives.
Placement Information
No placement exams are specifically required for the Sociology major.
Sample 4-Year Plan
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Curricular Notes
Internships
The department, in concert with the Hameetman Career Center, keeps files on available internships in law, criminal justice, and various social and community agencies.
Sociology Transfer Student Advice
Transfer Course Limit for Transfer Students: 20 units
Expected preparation for transfer students wanting to major in Sociology:
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Transfer students intending to declare the major at Occidental should have completed the equivalent of SOC 101, and as many of Occidental's Core Requirements as possible before transferring to Occidental. For rising juniors it will be possible to complete at most one or two more core requirements while at Occidental.
General advice for transfer students wanting to major in Sociology:
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It is preferable to take all the required Sociology classes, except for SOC 101, at Occidental. Once at Occidental, it is wise to take Sociological Inquiry, a sociology theory course, and a sociology methods class as soon as possible. It is especially challenging for students not to have taken a methods class before their senior year.
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The only course for the major that must be taken at Occidental is the Senior Seminar.
What courses should a transfer student take during their first semester at Occidental?
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Rising junior transfer students (those with four semesters remaining) who start Occidental in a fall semester should enroll in SOC 304: Sociological Inquiry and a sociology theory course (SOC 200 or SOC 205). Those who start in the spring semester must enroll in a methods course (SOC 305 or SOC 306) in order to be prepared for their Senior Seminar in the next year. They should also enroll in a sociology theory course (SOC 200 or SOC 205), and if it is offered in the spring, SOC 304: Sociological Inquiry
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Rising sophomores or students starting midway through their sophomore year (with six or five semesters remaining) who start Occidental in the fall would be best served by also following the advice above. Those who start in the spring should enroll in SOC 304: Sociological Inquiry if it is offered, and a sociology theory course (SOC 200 or SOC 205)