Requirements for the Major

Join the Sociology BruinLearn (Canvas) site for access to important department resources. This Canvas page is open to current declared majors and students who are working towards declaring the Pre-Sociology or Sociology major. 

 

Pre-Sociology Major: Continuing students who have less than 90 units completed (excluding AP) AND have completed Sociology 1 or Sociology 20 with a grade of C or higher may declare the Pre-Sociology major. The course must be complete with a final grade posted on the Degree Audit Report. Any student with more than 90 units is not eligible for the Pre-Sociology major and must complete all prep to switch directly into the Sociology major.

I. Preparation for the Major

Any student who wishes to become a Sociology major must complete the three preparatory courses listed below. All of these courses must be taken for a letter grade. A minimum grade of C or better is required in each of the preparatory courses. Students with a grade point average below 2.0 in the preparation coursework are not eligible for admission to the major. Students who repeat any preparation course more than once are automatically denied admission to the major. It is recommended that students complete all prep as early as possible in order to be declared a Sociology major. This is because our upper division major courses are restricted to Pre-Soc or Soc majors only (with the exception of Soc 101) during the first pass. All non-declared students will be able to enroll in Soc courses during the second pass. All courses must be taken for a letter grade.

Sociology 1 (Introductory Sociology)

Sociology 20 (Introduction to Sociological Research Methods)

One Introductory Statistics requirement (choose one from the following):

  • AP Statistics Score of 3 or Higher
  • Political Science 6 (Introduction to Data Analysis)
  • Statistics 10 (Introduction Statistical Reasoning)
  • Statistics 13 (Introduction to Statistical Methods for Life and Health Sciences)

 

II. Requirements for the Major

The major in sociology requires 11 upper division courses (numbered 100-199). At least seven of the upper division sociology courses must be taken in residence at UCLA (Soc 101 & 102, Methods, 3 core, and 1 elective). Students are encouraged to prioritize Soc 101, 102, and all core courses before completing all electives. Soc 101 and 102 must be completed with a grade of “C” or higher. Soc 101 must be taken before 102, the courses cannot be taken concurrently. All other upper division courses will require a D- or above. Students are required to maintain a 2.0 overall GPA average in all upper-division sociology courses. All courses must be taken for a letter grade.

Two theory courses:

  • Sociology 101 (Development of Sociological Theory)
  • Sociology 102 (Contemporary Sociological Theory)

One methods course, choose one of the following courses:

  • Sociology 106A, 106B, 110, 111*, 112, 113, 114, CM124A*, 191H OR Statistics 112 (Statistical Methods for Social Sciences)

Three core courses, one course from each of the following Core areas:

  • Interactions (Soc 111*, CM124A*, CM125, 126, 128, 130, 132, 133, 134, 135, 140, 145, 152, 191V: Digital Hyperconnectivity, 191V: Talk & Mass Comm)
  • Institutions and Social Processes (Soc 116, 117, 121, M137, M139, 140, 143, 151, 158, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, M174, M175, M176, 180: Prison Religion, 181B, 191V: Forced Migration, 191V: Media and Immigration)
  • Power and Inequality (Soc M115, 122, 123, 135, 147A, 154, M155, 156, 157, M161, M162, M163, M164, M165, 180: Reproductive Politics & Everyday Life, 180: Sexuality & Sexual Identities, 180: Governing the Mosaic: Israel’s Minority Politics, 180: Israel as a Microcosm of Global Trends, 181A, 182, 183, 185, 186, 191D, 191V: Sexuality & Social Theory, 191V: Global Sociology of Urban Inequality)

Five upper division Sociology electives:

  • Any upper division Sociology course will satisfy the Sociology major elective requirement (except Soc 189s)
  • Any course on the approved upper division elective page will satisfy the Sociology major elective requirement (limit of 4 courses from this list)
  • At least one Sociology elective for the major must be a Sociology upper division course from our department

 

III. Declaring the Major

If you have met the requirements to declare the Pre-Sociology major (Soc 1 or Soc 20 is complete with final grade posted on the Degree Audit Report AND you have less than 90 completed units), submit major change request here: Pre-Sociology Major Declaration Form. 

If you have met the requirements to declare the Sociology major (all 3 prep courses are complete with final grades posted on the Degree Audit Report), submit major change request here: Sociology Major Declaration Form. 

 

NOTES:

  • Any upper division Sociology course not listed under a core area will count as a Sociology elective. If multiple courses are taken within the same core area, the second course will default to a Sociology elective.
  • Any course listed in more than one area will not count for both core areas (ex: Soc 111). The DAR will place it in one area but if you want it moved to the other, email Simbi or Dreama.
  • Up to 4 Sociology electives can be taken from the approved Sociology elective webpage (https://soc.ucla.edu/content/approved-sociology-upper-division-electives), study abroad, or upper division courses from another 4-year university (upon department approval). At least one elective for the major must be a Sociology course from our department.
  • Sociology 180 and 191 courses are variable topics courses. This means the course number stays the same but the topic changes each quarter (ex: 180A, 180B, 191D, 191V, etc). Select variable topic courses can count for a major core area if outlined above. If the exact title is not listed above, it will not count for a core area and instead it will count as a Sociology elective. 
  • The department only allowed Pass/No Pass grading between Spring 2020-Summer 2022 terms during Covid instruction. Starting Fall 2022 and any quarter after, the department will return to letter grading only.

 

 

For more information please contact either of the Sociology advisors for assistance: https://soc.ucla.edu/undergraduate-study/sociology-department-counseling/