Web Page: http://www.umsl.edu/divisions/artscience/sociology
Degrees and Areas of Concentration
The sociology department offers courses leading to the B.A. in sociology and the B.S. in sociology; in cooperation with the College of Education, the B.A. in sociology with teacher certification; in cooperation with the College of Business Administration, the B.A. in sociology with a business option; and cooperative minor or certificate programs in American studies, black studies, legal studies, urban studies, religious studies, women's and gender studies, and international studies.
Students completing the B.A. or B.S. degree in sociology are well-prepared for graduate study in sociology or careers in industry, health and social services, and urban, intergroup, political, or community issues. Since the sociology department also offers work leading to the M.A. degree in sociology (see below), opportunities are available for graduate-level instruction to selected undergraduate students. The graduate emphasis areas include (1) demography and population; (2) social problems and social change; (3) social and family networks; and (4) applied analysis, measurement, and program evaluation.
In addition to a balanced program of basic undergraduate to advanced graduate courses, the department provides a range of opportunities for students to develop specialized research methods seminars, and internship placements are offered in support of this goal and are typically designed around the ongoing research interests of department faculty. The department provides students with opportunities for intensive direction and guidance from faculty. Students and faculty working in particular subject areas consult freely with members working in other areas. Research interests of sociology faculty extend beyond the department into a wide variety of joint projects with faculty in other departments and programs, including criminology and criminal justice, engineering, political science, trauma studies, women's and gender studies, gerontology, public policy research centers, and the Center for International Studies.
A minor in sociology at UM-St. Louis is available to students majoring in related areas.
Department Awards
The department offers several annual awards to outstanding students on the basis of merit.
The Ray Collins Alumni Award is given annually by the Sociology Alumni Association to the top graduating senior. The awardee is selected by the faculty on the basis of GPA, and the award consists of first-year membership dues in the Sociology Alumni Association and a cash award.
Honors Program Student Association Awards are given annually to exceptional students. The awards include student affiliate memberships in the Honors Program Student Association of the American Sociological Association to aid the establishment of a network of colleagues who are at similar points in their career development.
The Alumni Agent Scholarship and the Sociology Alumni Scholarship are given to deserving sociology majors annually. The awardees are selected by the faculty on the basis of merit.
A series of undergraduate awards are given to outstanding students. The Freshman Sociology Award is given to the outstanding freshman student in lower-division sociology course work; the Outstanding Junior Sociology Major Award is given to the outstanding junior sociology major; the Outstanding Sociology Minor Award is presented to the graduating student with the most outstanding minor GPA record; and the Outstanding Sociological Statistics and Methods Award is given to the sociology major with the best overall record in Sociology 220(3220), 230(3230), and 231(3231). This award carries a stipend for the student to serve as an undergraduate course assistant for Sociology 220(3220), or 230(3230) and 231(3231).
Department Honors
The sociology department will award department honors for those B.A. and B.S. degree candidates in sociology with an overall grade point average of 3.2 or better. They must also successfully complete an independent study through Soc 350(4350), Special Study.
Career Outlook
The following career information is adapted from the American Sociological Society Web site. For more information, see http://www.asanet.org/.
A BA or BS in sociology is excellent preparation for graduate work in sociology for those interested in an academic or professional career as a professor, researcher, or applied sociologist.
The undergraduate degree provides a strong liberal arts preparation for entry level positions throughout the business, social service, and government worlds. Employers look for people with the skills that an undergraduate education in sociology provides. Since its subject matter is intrinsically fascinating, sociology offers valuable preparation for careers in journalism, politics, public relations, business, or public administration fields that involve investigative skills and working with diverse groups. Many students choose sociology because they see it as a broad liberal arts base for professions such as law, education, medicine, social work, and counseling. Sociology provides a rich fund of knowledge that directly pertains to each of these fields.
The MA offers students access to an even wider variety of careers. Sociologists become high school teachers or faculty in colleges and universities, advising students, conducting research, and publishing their work. Over 3000 colleges offer sociology courses. Sociologists enter the corporate, non-profit, and government worlds as directors of research, policy analysts, consultants, human resource managers, and program managers. Practicing sociologists with advanced degrees may be called research analysts, survey researchers, gerontologists, statisticians, urban planners, community developers, criminologists, or demographers. Some MA sociologists obtain specialized training to become counselors, therapists or program directors in social service agencies.
Today, sociologists embark upon literally hundreds of career paths. Although teaching and conducting research remains the dominant activity among the thousands of professional sociologists today, other forms of employment are growing both in number and significance. In some sectors, sociologists work closely with economists, political scientists, anthropologists, Psychologists, social workers and others reflecting a growing appreciation of sociology's contributions to interdisciplinary analysis and action.