What is Sociology? Isn't it social work?

Is Sociology for me?

What degrees are offered in Sociology at Missouri State?

How many hours are required for a degree in Sociology?

Which degree is right for me?

Where is the Sociology & Anthropology Department located?

How do I declare a major or minor in Sociology?

Do I get an advisor in the department?

What minor(s) or other major should I take with Sociology?

What kind of job can I get with a degree in Sociology?

What courses does the program offer?

Is there an Honor's Program?

Are there any scholarship opportunities?

How many students are in the program?

How many faculty are in the program?

Where can I get additional information?

What is Sociology?  Isn't it social work?

You can click here to learn what sociology is about. It is not social work. Students who graduate with a degree in sociology enter a wide range of occupations, some of them may become social workers but, more and more, social work positions require no less than a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree. Missouri State has a School of Social Work. It's completely separate from the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Back to the Top

Is Sociology for me?

The study of sociology usually attracts students of human behavior. If you wonder about what impact one's family has on the way he or she behaves, if you are interested in how groups influence the behavior of their members, then you will probably enjoy the field of sociology. Within the field of sociology are such specializations as criminology, gerontology, gender studies, and African-American studies. Missouri State offers degrees in these specializations, and each of them include sociology courses within their curriculum. Back to the Top

What degrees are offered in Sociology at Missouri State?

Both a Sociology Major and Sociology Minor are offered at Missouri State.  Sociology majors and minors can earn either a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S). Both require a sampling of courses in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences as part of the university's General Education Requirement. Back to the Top

In addition to the courses taken by B.S. students, B.A. students also take 12 hours of a foreign language, 6 hours of fine arts, 6 hours of western civilization, and three hours of philosophy. For some sociology-related careers, being able to communicate in a foreign language is beneficial.  Back to the Top

How many hours are required for a degree in Sociology?

The Sociology Major requires 36 hours of study while the Sociology Minor requires 18 hours.  Back to the Top

Which degree is right for me?

Both the B.A. and the B.S. give students a good foundation in sociology, and either will prepare you for an entry-level job. Some sociology majors plan to go to graduate school in law, social research, gerontology, criminal justice, political science, and other fields.

Consider the B.A. if you enjoy languages or if you think learning a foreign language might give you more job opportunities. Familiarity with Spanish, for example, might make you more competitive for jobs both in government agencies and in the private sector. 

At the end of the day, as the British say, the best major or minor for you is the one that interests you the most. If you're interested you'll find studying the subject an enjoyable task and you'll likely perform well in class and on tests.  Back to the Top

How do I declare a major or minor in Sociology?

To declare your major or minor all you have to do is visit the department and request a Degree Application Form. A department secretary will help you complete the form, the department Head will sign it, and you will be assigned an adviser in the department. 

It's easy to do and, should you later decide to change your degree (from a major to a minor or visa versa, or leave the Sociology program all together), that is also easily done. Our primary interest is in making sure you major and/or minor in a field of study that genuinely interests you and serves your purposes best.   Back to the Top

Do I get an advisor in the department?

A good academic and vocational advisor is a blessing. A bad one is a curse. Several of the sociology faculty are Master Advisors, advisors who have had extensive training in providing students with the best advisement possible. If you don't feel that your advisor is serving your purposes well, tell him or her what you want. If you don't get that, please ask the Department Head for a different advisor.  Back to the Top

What minor(s) or other major should I take with Sociology?

What a great question! Since the Sociology Major is only 36 hours, and most minors are 15-21 hours, you may still have over 20 hours of general electives to take in order to graduate with 125 hours (the minimum needed for graduation). 

Distribution of Hours with a Major in Sociology

125 Hours needed to Graduate - 46  General Education Requirement ___   79 Hours Remaining - 36 Sociology Major ___   43 Hours Remaining - 21 Minor in ___? ___ - 23 Hours remaining You could have a major in Sociology and two minors in other fields or a major in Sociology with a major in another department.

In other words, you could conceivably take three minors and a Sociology Major and still graduate with 125 hours. It's all a matter of early planning, determination, and having a good advisor. 

Since a student with two Majors is not required to have a Minor, you could earn a Major in Sociology and use the remaining 40+ hours to complete a second major. That's called double-Majoring. We encourage you to think seriously about the benefits of double Majoring or in taking more than one Minor with your Major in Sociology. If, however, you want a more eclectic program, no problem! There are many interesting courses to choose from and taking a major in Sociology, a minor in another field, leaves you with as many as 29 hours to use across departmental offerings.  Back to the Top

What kind of job can I get with a degree in Sociology?

Students graduating university's with a degree in Sociology may enter a wide range of careers. Careers that require working with people (as opposed to those careers that require working with ideas or things), are of interest to sociology graduates.

A sociology degree is also good preparation for graduate studies in sociology as well as in areas such as social welfare, public administration and government, teaching, and related social science disciplines.  Back to the Top

What courses does the program offer?

The Sociology Program offers over 30 different and interesting courses.

Is there an honors program?

Visit the Missouri State Honors College for information on this subject.  Back to the Top

How many students are in the program?

In 2001 there were approximately 70-80 students majoring in Sociology. There are additional students minoring in the program. Several thousand students take Sociology courses at Missouri State during any academic year.  Back to the Top

Where can I get more information?

You can visit with us, give us a call at 417-836-6416, send us a fax at 417-836-6416, send us an email, or contact the Missouri State Office of Admissions for additional information. 
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