So, you've been away from school for a while and you've decided to come
back. Congratulations! We're glad to have you here at Missouri State and to
learn that you have an interest in studying Sociology with us.
About Sociology...
Your decision to return to college and to study Sociology was a considered
one, I am sure. And, in that regard, we have faculty advisers in
our department who will be happy to help you in choosing courses to take in
the department, and in other departments, and to help guide you through the
maze of higher education. We'll also help you through the process of
transferring credits you may have earned elsewhere, if you need that kind of
assistance.
Sociology is, as you may know, a
social science that describes and explains social interaction. What
is sociology? It's probably fair to say that it is something a
little different to each person who studies it. For
some it's a way to know one's self. For others, it leads to an understanding
of the social forces that influence our thinking and our actions. For all
sociologists, it is a way to see individuals in a broad social and cultural
context.
About the Sociology Program...
Our department offers both a Sociology Major
and a Sociology Minor in
either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science
format. While the
General Education Requirement consumes only about 45 credit hours toward the
125 hours needed for graduation, the Major takes an additional 33-36
hours and the Minor only 18 hours. That leaves plenty of breathing room
for you to explore other departments and subjects.
You can see a list of all the majors and minors you have to choose from at
Missouri State depending upon whether you are seeking a B.A.
degree or B.S. degree.
Our faculty teach, advise our
students, conduct research, and
participate in both the community and in their profession. You'll
have an opportunity to meet and get to know several of them as you progress
through the Sociology program.
Starting out...
A good place to start your studies in sociology (or to check out whether
sociology is the way you want to go) is to enroll in SOC 150
(Introduction to Society).
Since SOC 150 partially satisfies the Core requirement
for a Sociology Major and Minor and partially satisfies your General
Education Requirement, it is a good course to take.
What you have to look forward to...
Because
one-half of the Major or Minor are elective courses in Sociology, you have
lots of flexibility - you can pick and choose among our course offerings so
that what you take is what you're interested in.
Perhaps you're returning to college to better yourself in your current career
or, if you haven't already established yourself in a career, perhaps
you're interested in an entry-level position in some field. Your
background in Sociology should help prepare you for entry-level
positions in many different occupations.
Sociology Majors must take a minor in another field. And Sociology Minors will have a major
in a different field. In both cases, the way in which you
configure your degrees will likely have an impact on how attractive you are to
potential employers. Our Career
Planning and Placement office can provide you with additional assistance
and our faculty will also be happy to help you.
Drop in any time...
My door is open most of the working day and you are invited to drop by and
say "Hi." You'll find me in the Strong
Hall, Room 451. Our office phone number is 417-836-5640 or you
can email the
department.