- Sociology Major
- Law, Justice, and Social Change Minor & Sub-major
- Sociology of Health and Medicine Minor & Sub-major
- Sociology & Social Work Sub-major
- Major of the Month
- What can I do with a Sociology degree?
- Declaring & Advising
- Academic & Registration Policies
- Curriculum Resources
- Project Community
- Sociology Undergraduate Research Opportunity
- Senior Thesis + Honors Program
- SOUL
- Transfer Credit
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- Releases & Graduation
The study of Sociology will provide you with the tools you need to understand today’s most vexing social problems. From inequality to immigration, poverty to mass incarceration, Sociology teaches skills for thinking critically, collecting and interpreting data, and making evidence-based arguments. Sociology is the study of the social causes and consequences of human behavior.
Sociologists study a wide range of subjects: family, education, health, sex, race, religion, law, crime, poverty, inequality, immigration, rights, labor, organizations, globalization, and much more. This broad scope gives Sociology majors the unique opportunity to study many aspects of social life. In addition, Sociologists adopt a variety of social science methods to collect and examine empirical data critically and rigorously, including quantitative data analysis, survey research, content analysis of written and visual materials, in-depth interviews, ethnography, and historical analysis.
Don't be afraid - Whether it's going out of your comfort zone to interact with others on the street for a methods course, traveling to pursue research for your honors thesis, presenting in front of a large class, or taking on a new challenge you didn't think you were previously capable of accomplishing. This major and department offered its share of opportunities to challenge ourselves as students, thinkers, and social beings. It's important that we continue to seek these opportunities to grow and challenge ourselves in the future.
Prerequisite to Declare
Before declaring the Sociology major, students must complete one pre-requisite course with a C- grade or better:
- First and second year students should enroll in either SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology or SOC 102 Introduction to Sociology: Special Topics
- Third and fourth year students should enroll in either SOC 300 Sociological Principles and Problems or SOC 302 Health and Society: An Introduction to Sociology
Note that students should only take ONE prerequisite course (SOC 100, 102, 300, or 302); no credit will be granted for the second prerequisite course taken (the second course will have a “Not For Credit” designation on the transcript). If you have questions or concerns about this policy or exceptions to the policy, please email socadvisor@umich.edu.
Sociology Major Requirements
The Sociology major provides a strong foundation in sociological research methods and theory while also allowing students to choose from a broad range of elective options to explore specific interests.
Students must complete at least 33 credit hours of Sociology coursework (excluding the prerequisite), which consist of:
- Three required courses - SOC 210 or STATS 250 (Statistics), SOC 310 (Sociological Research Methods), and SOC 305 (Sociological Theory)
- Electives (200-level or above), with a minimum of 14 elective credits elected at the 300-level or above (excluding SOC 300 and 302)
Major Example by Course:
Prerequisite to declare - SOC 100 or 102 or 300 or 302 (choose one)
SOC 210 or STATS 250 (4 credits)
SOC 310 (4 credits)
SOC 305 (4 credits)
SOC 200-level or higher elective (3 credits)
SOC 200-level or higher elective (4 credits)
SOC 300-level or higher elective (3 credits)
SOC 300-level or higher elective (3 credits)
SOC 300-level or higher elective (4 credits)
SOC 300-level or higher elective (4 credits)
___
33 total major credits
Explore the LSA Course Catelog > Subject > LSA: Sociology for course options and descriptions. Also consider pursuing the Senior Thesis track.
Policies & Credit Limits
Students must earn at least C- grades in major courses.
A maximum of 6 credits in the major may come from SOC 394 SURO, SOC 395, and SOC 396.
The department will allow up to two courses with significant sociological content from other LSA departments (NOT the Soc department) to be included in the plan for the major. Students interested in petitioning to include a non-SOC course in their major should complete the petition process, which includes submitting a petition form and the course syllabus.
Up to 15 approved transfer credits may count in the major.
For a complete list of Sociology major requirements, guidelines, and credit limitations, please carefully read the 'Sociology Major Requirement Information Sheet' linked below.
Students who major in Sociology cannot add a minor in the same department (please choose a submajor).
| Sociology Major Example 4-Year Plan | |
First-Year – Fall Term: • Prerequisite to declare - SOC 100 or 102 |
First-Year – Winter Term: • SOC 200-level or higher elective (3 credits) |
Sophomore Year – Fall Term: • SOC 200-level or higher elective (4 credits) |
Sophomore Year – Winter Term: • SOC 210 or STATS 250 (4 credits) Declare Sociology Major before registration |
Junior Year – Fall Term: • SOC 305 (4 credits) • SOC 300-level or higher elective (3 credits) |
Junior Year – Winter Term: • SOC 310 (4 credits) • SOC 300-level or higher elective (3 credits) |
Senior Year – Fall Term: • SOC 300-level or higher elective (4 credits) |
Senior Year – Winter Term: • SOC 300-level or higher elective (4 credits) |
| Sociology Major Example 2-Year Plan | |
Junior Year – Fall Term: • Prerequisite to declare - SOC 300 or 302 • SOC 200-level or higher elective (3 credits) • SOC 210 or STATS 250 (4 credits) |
Junior Year – Winter Term: • SOC 305 (4 credits) • SOC 200-level or higher elective (4 credits) • SOC 300-level or higher elective (3 credits)
|
Senior Year – Fall Term: • SOC 300-level or higher elective (3 credits) |
Senior Year – Winter Term: • SOC 300-level or higher elective (4 credits) • SOC 300-level or higher elective (4 credits) |
