Sociology BA

Beyond studying inherently interesting subject matter - groups, organizations, social relationships, and cultural change - a major in sociology provides an excellent foundation for a wide range of career and graduate school pursuits.

Internships

Students learn both qualitative and quantitative skills

Careers

What can you do with a Sociology degree?

Student Engagement

How to get engaged with the community

The Sociology program provides the opportunity for students to think sociologically and challenges them to be actively engaged in the world around them. Students in our program graduate with a broad understanding of the major branches of sociological thought, a robust foundation in research that covers both quantitative and qualitative analysis, and a strong grounding in critical thinking and analysis.

With our faculty’s rich academic background and interest in race relations, crime and law, gender studies, environmental sociology, medical sociology, and urban and regional planning, the sociology program offers an interdisciplinary and community-based learning experience that positions our students for employment opportunities and graduate studies in diverse fields in the public, private, and not-for-profit domains.

Central to our work is our commitment to student-centered learning and collaboration, as evidenced by the Sociology program’s creation of the annual Social Science Symposium that attracts participation across diverse disciplines. Our faculty and students have made meaningful contributions to local, regional and national news networks including CNN and the BBC. They have published and presented their research findings at national and international forums. In addition to extensive community engagement in the Southwest Florida area, our faculty are currently engaged in community-based initiatives and work in Africa and Asia. Our students have also highlighted their work at the annual University-wide Research Day event, where they have won top awards.

Did you know?

There are numerous remarkable individuals across industries who have trained in the discipline of sociology. A few of the most notable include:

Rev. Martin Luther King
Michelle Obama, Former First Lady of the United States
Ronald Reagan, Former President of the United States
Richard Walker, Senior Vice President and Special Advisor to the President on Community Development, Federal Reserve Bank, Boston
Emily Balch, Social Reformer, 1946 Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Saul Bellow, author
Paul Shaffer, Band leader on David Letterman Show/Saturday Night Live

Department Contacts

Meij, Jan-Martijn

Interim Director OPPE, Program Coordinator Sociology BA/Associate Professor, Sociology

MERWIN 0184

239-590-1884

jmeij@fgcu.edu

Accreditation
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Admissions Information
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Admissions Information for the 2024-2025 Catalog Year
If you are not yet an FGCU student, visit the Admissions Office Website
If you are a newly-admitted FGCU student please be sure to sign up for an Eagle View Orientation session. As part of this session you will be meeting with an academic advisor who will assist you in registering for classes for your major.
Admission Deadlines
Visit the Admissions Office Web site for information on admission deadlines of the university.
Program Requirements
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Program Requirements for the 2024-2025 Catalog Year
The General Education Program Website is located at https://www.fgcu.edu/academics/undergraduatestudies/generaleducation/
Program Progression and Additional Graduation Requirements
- Attend an orientation session.
- Sign an Advising Agreement document.
In addition to the program requirements, students must:
- Complete a minimum of 120 credits.
- Complete a minimum of 48 of the 120 credits at the upper division (3000-4999 level).
- Earn a cumulative GPA of 2.0 for all coursework attempted at FGCU.
- Satisfy the College-Level Skills and foreign language entrance requirements.
- Satisfy the Service-Learning requirement.
- Satisfy Civic Literacy requirement.
- Satisfy the residency requirement: 30 of the last 60 credits must be completed at FGCU.
- Complete the summer course enrollment requirement.
- Submit an Application for Graduation by the deadline listed in the FGCU Academic Calendar.
Program Requirements
1. FGCU General Education Program (https://www.fgcu.edu/academics/undergraduatestudies/generaleducation/)
  
  To prevent or minimize excess hours, select general education courses that satisfy common prerequisite requirements for your intended major.
2. Common Prerequisites
  A minimum grade of C is required in each course
  
  FGCU Course: Any 6 credits of lower division (1000-2999 level) courses with the prefix of SYA, SYD, SYG, SYO or SYP
  Acceptable Course: SYAX000-X999 or SYDX000-X999 or SYGX000-X999 or SYOX000-X999 or SYPX000-X999
3. Required Courses in the Major (9 credits)
  A minimum grade of C is required in each course
  
  SYA 3010 Sociological Theory (3)
  SYA 4935 Senior Capstone (3)
  SYG 2000 Introduction to Sociology (3)
4. Restricted Electives in the Major (21 credits)
  A minimum grade of C is required in each course
  
  Select one of the following:
  SYA 3300 Social Research Methods (3)
  SYA 3310 Qualitative Research Methods (3)
  
  Select 18 credits from the following:
  
  Any upper division (3000-4999 level) course with the prefix of SYA, SYD, SYG, SYO, SYP (3)*
  
  *Courses used to satisfy one restricted elective category cannot be used to satisfy another restricted elective category.
5. University Requirements (3 credits)
  Select one of the following:
  IDS 3920 University Colloquium (3)
  Or at least 3 credits in sustainability coursework (SCGR Attribute)
6. Additional Electives - as needed to reach total credits required for the degree
Total Credits Required: 120
Degree Map
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Degree Maps are to be used as a general guideline for students. Some students scheduling needs may vary based upon completed courses and transfer credits. Please see your advisor for assistance and verification.
2024-2025 Sociology BA Degree Map

Additional Graduation Requirements include:
- A minimum of 120 credit hours.
- A minimum of 48 of the 120 hours must be at the upper division (3000 - 4999) level.
- A cumulative GPA of 2.0 for all coursework attempted at FGCU.
- A minimum grade of C for each course used to satisfy the following categories: common prerequisites, required courses in the major, and courses in the concentration.
- Satisfaction of the College-Level Skills and foreign language entrance requirements.
- Satisfaction of the Service Learning requirement (See www.fgcu.edu/connect).
- Satisfaction of the residency requirement: thirty of the last sixty credits must be completed at FGCU.
- Completion of the summer course enrollment requirement.
- Submit an online Application for Graduation via Gulfline by the deadline listed in the FGCU Academic Calendar.
- For All Majors: Students are strongly recommended to select required lower division electives that will enhance their General Education coursework and that will support their intended baccalaureate degree program. Students should consult with an academic advisor in their major degree area.
Course Description
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Official Course Descriptions

Search for official course descriptions by using the Course Description Search utility.

Go to the Course Descriptions Search Web page, then follow these steps:
1. Select an Academic Year from the TERM dropdown (required)
2. Select a course prefix from one of the SUBJECT dropdowns (required)
3. Enter search words in the TEXT field (optional, but will narrow the search results)
4. Press Search
Course Schedule
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Getting Started With the Course Schedule Search

Search for program courses by using the Course Schedule Search utility.

Go to the Course Schedule Search Web page, then follow these steps:
1. Select an Academic Year from the TERM dropdown (required)
2. Select one or more of the search options to narrow your results (for example, CAMPUS, COLLEGE, DEPARTMENT, LEVEL, PREFIX*, COURSE ATTRIBUTE**). For virtual or web courses, select VIRTUAL in the CAMPUS field.
3. Press Search.
*A course prefix is a three-letter designator for a major division of an academic discipline (for example, ACG for Accounting , BSC for Biological Science, ENC for English Composition). See the Degree Requirements page for a list of courses (with prefix and number) that can be used to fulfill degree requirements.

**A course attribute identifies specific characteristics of courses that can be used in a Degree Evaluation to satisfy a degree requirement. (Course attribute examples are Humanities courses - GEHM and Social Science courses - GESO.)
Learning Outcomes
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Academic Learning Compact

Consistent with its mission and guiding principles, Florida Gulf Coast University is committed to academic excellence and continuous quality improvement, as supported by a sound teaching-learning process. Within this process, students and instructors share responsibility for learning that is a movement from the simple to the complex, the concrete to the abstract, and the dependent to the independent. The Academic Learning Compact (ALC) initiative supports the teaching-learning process by clearly identifying expected core student learning outcomes in the areas of content/discipline knowledge and skills, communication skills, and critical thinking skills; aligning curricula with expectations; and using assessment to guide continuous improvement.

Content/Discipline Knowledge and Skills
Graduates will be able to:
1. Evaluate key concepts and theoretical perspectives in sociology.
2. Complete both qualitative and quantitative research projects.
3. Summarize knowledge gained from experiential learning in a term paper or comprehensive project.
4. Describe the relationship between the major branches of sociology.
5. Appreciate the relevance of diverse perspectives in problem identification, and in finding solutions to social problems.
6. Demonstrate initiative, independence, curiosity, and reflection in the pursuit of lifelong learning
Content/discipline knowledge and skills are assessed at the college and departmental levels through papers, exams, experiential learning, and other projects completed in the following required courses: SYA 3010 Sociological Theory orSYA 3120 Contemporary Theory; SYA 3300 Social Research Methods; SYA 3310 Qualitative Research Methods; SYA 4935 Senior Capstone; and additional 3/4000 level SYA, SYD, SYG, SYO, SYP courses.
Communication Skills
Graduates will be able to:
1. Employ the conventions of standard written English.
2. Select a topic, and develop it for a specific audience and purpose, with respect for diverse perspectives.
3. Select, organize, and relate ideas and information with coherence, clarity, and unity.
Communication Skills are assessed at the college and departmental levels through papers, exams, experiential learning, and other projects completed in the following required courses: SYA 3010 Sociological Theory orSYA 3120 Contemporary Theory; SYA 3300 Social Research Methods; SYA 3310 Qualitative Research Methods; SYA 4935 Senior Capstone; and additional 3/4000 level SYA, SYD, SYG, SYO, SYP courses.
Critical Thinking Skills
Graduates will be able to:
1. Select and organize information.
2. Identify assumptions and underlying relationships.
3. Synthesize information, and draw reasoned inferences.
4. Formulate an appropriate problem solving strategy.
5. Evaluate the feasibility of the strategy.
Critical Thinking is assessed at the college and departmental levels through papers, exams, experiential learning, and other projects completed in the following required courses: SYA 3010 Sociological Theory orSYA 3120 Contemporary Theory; SYA 3300 Social Research Methods; SYA 3310 Qualitative Research Methods; SYA 4935 Senior Capstone; and additional 3/4000 level SYA, SYD, SYG, SYO, SYP courses.
Tuition, Fees, and Financial Assistance
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Tuition and Fees

Information on Tuition, Fees and estimated total Cost of Attendance is available on the Office of the Bursar web site.

Financial Aid Opportunities

Visit FGCU's Financial Aid Web site for information about grants, additional scholarships, loans, and student employment.