to a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science

Degree in Sociology

Northern Illinois University
Department of Sociology
DeKalb, Illinois 60115 ­2854

All degree requirements are subject to the provisions and notices in the Undergraduate Catalog.

Northern Illinois University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, status based on the Victims' Economic Security and Safety Act (VESSA), or status as a disabled or Vietnam-era veteran. Further, the Constitution and Bylaws of Northern Illinois University provides for equal treatment regardless of political views or affiliation, and sexual orientation. 

B.A. or B.S. Degree

in

Sociology

What Is Sociology?

Sociology is the study of society. Generally, sociologists study groups, organizations, and cultures, and how individuals function within them. Some aspects of sociology focus on specific areas of societal concern, such as crime and criminal justice, health care, or aging. After graduation, sociology majors take jobs in business, social services, criminal justice, health care, and other fields, or continue their educations in graduate school or law school.

Sociology At NIU

Distinguished Faculty. All of our permanent faculty have earned the Ph.D. degree, and most have national reputations in their fields of specialization.

Good Teachers. When recruiting faculty members, we have paid particular attention to faculty candidates' records of (or potential for) superior teaching. As a result, our faculty includes an unusually high proportion of truly excellent teachers.

Modest Class Sizes. Our 100- and 200-level courses are usually taught in sections of 50-55 students, and our upper-division courses typically have 40-45 students in each section.

Writing Across the Curriculum. Every sociology class is required to have some sort of writing requirement. These may include essay exams, book reviews, journals, term papers, or other assignments. We believe it is important for our graduates to be able to communicate effectively in writing.

Advising. The Department of Sociology maintains its own staff of advisers to help students plan their courses of study, clarify graduation requirements, and deal with unusual problems or circumstances.

Computer Lab. The SOCQRL (Sociology Quantitative Research Laboratory) has over 20 networked computers with many useful software applicationsBWordPerfect, SAS, SPSS, Netscape Communicator, and others. The lab is available to sociology students and faculty only, and is staffed by graduate assistants familiar with both the software and the computer assignments given by various faculty members. As a result, the quality of assistance available is greater than is typical of most general-access computer labs.

Decisions, Decisions

As a student, you need to make two major decisions about your course of study. You need to decide whether to pursue a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree, and you need to select an emphasis within sociology (criminology, sociology of health and aging, applied sociology, or general sociology).

Students who have strengths in studying foreign languages usually pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree, while those whose strengths are greater in math and computer science typically pursue a Bachelor of Science degree.

The criminology emphasis is usually chosen by students with career aspirations in the criminal justice system or related social services. The sociology of health and aging emphasis is chosen by students with interests in health care services and/or gerontology. The applied sociology emphasis is chosen by students who want to put their knowledge into action in other social service and community agencies.  The general sociology emphasis is chosen by students seeking teaching certification and those with diverse interests in sociology.

How Do I Get In?

Due to the number of interested students, sociology at Northern is a limited admissions major. To declare a major in sociology, you must have a GPA of 2.00 or better, and must have completed each of the following NIU courses (or their community college equivalents) with a grade of C or better: ENGL 104 or ENGL 105, SOCI 170, and STAT 208 (for B.A. students) or MATH 206, MATH 210, MATH 229, or STAT 301 (for B.S. students). Although it is possible to declare a Apre-sociology@ major, you are encouraged to fulfill these requirements as soon as possible.

What Courses Should I Be Taking Now?

If you are planning to complete a B.A. at Northern, you should take the equivalents of NIU's ENGL 104, SOCI 170, SOCI 250 or SOCI 260 (if available), and STAT 208 at your community college, as well as the foreign language sequence. If you are planning to complete the B.S., you should take the equivalents of ENGL 104, SOCI 170, SOCI 250 or SOCI 260 (if available), and MATH 210 and MATH 211 at your community college. If you are interested in the criminology emphasis at NIU, it would be useful to take the equivalents of SOCI 288 (Criminology) and SOCI 289 (Criminal Justice System). Your adviser can check the Articulation Handbook to identify the appropriate courses for you.

Where Can I Get More Information?

Your community college adviser can advise you further on appropriate courses to take at your community college. Your adviser also has the NIU Articulation Handbook, which identifies comparable courses at NIU and your community college.

For more information about sociology at NIU, call the director of undergraduate studies or the department chair at (815) 753-0365, visit our home page (www.sociology.niu.edu), send a fax to us at (815) 753-6302, or write us:

Department of Sociology
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, Illinois 60115 ­2891

For a current NIU Undergraduate Catalog and application materials, contact:

Office of Admissions
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, Illinois 60115 ­2857
(800) 892 ­3050 (toll-free in Illinois) or
(815) 753 ­0446
 

Suggested Semester Plans

Following is a generic 2+2 plan for a B.A. or B.S. in sociology. You will need to consult an adviser about the specific electives to take to be sure all graduation requirements are being met.

Fall			Spring
ENGL 103	3		ENGL 104		3
SOCI 170	3		SOCI 250 or 260		3
For Lang1/MATH2	3-4		For Lang1/MATH2		3-4
Soc Science Gen Ed	3		Science Gen Ed3		3-4
Humanities Gen Ed	3		Humanities Gen Ed		3
	15-16				15-17
MATH Core/SOCI Elec4	3		SOCI 200 level		3
COMS 100	3		Soc Science Gen Ed		3
For Lang1/MATH2	3-4		For Lang1/MATH2/Elective		3-4
Science Gen Ed	3-4		Interdisciplinary Gen Ed		3
Humanities Gen Ed	3		Gen Ed Elective		3-4
	15-17				15-17
SOCI UL Core5	3-4		SOCI UL Core		3-4
SOCI 200/300/4006	3		SOCI 300/400		3
Elective 300/400	6		Elective 300/400		6
Elective (any level)	3		Elective (any level)		3-4
	15-16			15-16
SOCI UL Core	3-4		SOCI UL Core		3-4
SOCI 300/400	3		SOCI 300/400		3
SOCI 300/400	3		SOCI 300/400		3
Elective (any level)	6		Elective (any level)		6
	15-16				15-16

¹Required for B.A. degree. Previous foreign language background may reduce or fulfill this requirement; consult the NIU catalog for further information on the B.A. requirement in foreign language.

²Required for the B.S. sequence.

³Students who are pursuing a B.A. should complete STAT 208 in the science area of distributive studies.

⁴The choice of 200-level electives depends upon the emphasis chosen in sociology. B.A. students must fulfill the core competency requirement in mathematics.

⁵The SOCI upper-level core is SOCI 370, SOCI 377A, SOCI 377B, and SOCI 473.  They may be taken in any order.

⁶The choice of 300/400 electives depends upon the student's emphasis.

Minimum 120 total; 40 at the 300-400 level