Transfer Articulation: Sociology

Sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies, and how people interact within these contexts. The subject matter of sociology ranges from the intimate family to large bureaucracies, from education to the environment, from race, gender and social class differences and inequalities to the shared beliefs of a common culture. Because sociology addresses the most challenging issues of our time, it is a rapidly expanding field whose potential is tapped by those who craft policies and create programs.

Mission

Sociology is a discipline concerned with equality, justice, and social responsibility within society’s cultural, political, and economic systems. The mission of the Sociology Department at Sam Houston State University is to cultivate sociological mindfulness, which involves understanding how social forces and cultural contexts shape people’s experiences, how personal troubles are connected to broader social issues, and how social arrangements create both constraints and opportunities for individuals and groups. Sociological mindfulness promotes critical and analytical thinking and equips students with the theoretical, methodological, and communication skills to work with others to solve problems and improve social conditions in local communities and the broader society.

Highlights

• The Sociology Department focuses on excellent teaching. 
• The sociology faculty collaborate with undergraduates on research and the Sociology Department sponsors undergraduate research, including presentations at regional and national conferences.  
• The Sociology Department offers an internship program that provides students with hands-on experience and work experience.  
• Members of the Sociology Department have published books, textbooks, and journal articles, as well as, maintain active research programs in diverse areas.

Marketable Skills 

• Knowledge and experience at problem solving, data analysis, and critical thinking.
• Interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills.
• The skills necessary to be productive members of diverse teams.
• The use of conceptual frameworks to understand and assess equality, justice, and social responsibility within society’s cultural, political, and economic systems.

• The skills to solve problems and improve social conditions in local communities and the broader society.

Contact Information 

Chair: Jason Konefal: (936) 294-1511 

Information:  Tamara Draper (936) 294-1512; CHSS 270X

Location: Department of Sociology, CHSS, Suite 270

1901 Ave. I
P.O. Box 2446
Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, TX 77341

Program Specific Requirements

Sociology Major: Bachelor of Arts Degree

• 120 total credit hours
• 36 credit hours in Sociology taken from:
• Entire sequence of courses in the Sociology Core
• Two courses in the Applied Sociology Core
• Five courses in the Sociology Electives  
• Four semesters of a foreign language (14 hours)
• NGLI 1101 (1 hour)

Sociology Major: Bachelor of Science Degree

• 120 total credit hours
• 36 credit hours in Sociology taken from:
• Entire sequence of courses in the Sociology Core
• Two courses in the Applied Sociology Core
• Five courses in the Sociology Electives
• 3 hours from Mathematics, excluding the Component Area II course
• Select 8 additional hours from the natural sciences, excluding the Component Area III courses
• NGLI 1101 (1 hour)

Sociology Minor: Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science Degree

• 18 credit hours in Sociology
• Required: SOCI 1301, SOCI 4340 and SOCI 4344
• Three courses in the Sociology Electives

Courses Transfer Students Should Take at the Community College:*

 *Note: Other courses may transfer, depending upon the selected degree or program.  Meet with your academic advisor to confirm whether coursework will transfer from another institution. For a complete listing of degree-specific requirements, please, review the degree plan within the Undergraduate Catalog. 

• Bachelor of Arts, Major in Sociology

• Bachelor of Science, Major in Sociology

• Minor in Community Leadership

• Minor in Sociology

• Minor in Applied Ethics and Critical Thinking

Field of Study

Sam Houston State University supports the State of Texas Fields of Study. 

Applicants seeking the Bachelor of Arts must complete the university foreign language requirement.  Those seeking the Bachelor of Science must complete the university science requirement.  Both the foreign language and science requirements may be completed as transfer courses.

The Core Curriculum at Sam Houston State University (to be used by all incoming students as of fall 2014) contains 42 semester credit hours, encompassing nine component areas. Each component area has a minimum credit hour requirement and a selection of specific courses that may be used to satisfy the requirement. The Core Curriculum details Sam Houston State University courses and their Texas Common Course Number (TCCN) equivalents for college transfer students which comprise SHSU’s core curriculum.

Many SHSU disciplines including the sciences, business, and education require specific courses from the SHSU core as degree specific graduation requirements. To minimize cost and time to complete degree requirements always select SHSU/transfer core courses specified as degree requirements in your intended major.  If you have not decided on a major, select core courses supporting your intended area of academic concentration.

Prior to enrolling in core classes, students are encouraged to review specific degree requirements for their major. Selection of major-specified core courses reduces the total number of hours required for graduation.

If you do not see a Texas Common Course Number (TCCN) mapping a specific core course to your transfer institution, please go to Transfer Course Equivalency Guide and select your institution from the drop-down menu. The result will list all currently mapped transfer courses from your institution to SHSU courses.