Undergraduate Program

Undergraduate FAQ

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  1. What courses do I need to take in order to declare the sociology major?
    Sociology 1, 5 and a course in either statistics or logic. Students may declare as soon as they are enrolled in their last prerequisites. They will also sign a statement indicating that if they drop the prerequisite they will be dropped from the major.
  2. I took Sociology 3 instead of Sociology 1, can I still declare the sociology major?
    Students cannot take Soc. 1 if they have already taken Soc. 3 or 3AC. The provision we make for students who take Soc. 3 is that we waive the Soc. 1 requirement and require that they complete an additional core class (4 instead of 3) to complete the major.
  3. What is the difference between Sociology 1 and Sociology 3?
    Sociology 1 is an introductory course designed for students who will be majoring in the field. It has mandatory discussion sections and in general is a better preparation for majoring in sociology. Sociology 3 is also an introductory course, but is more of an overview of the subject areas in the field and is geared for students who do not plan on majoring in sociology. It is a large lecture course without discussion sections.
  4. What courses at UCB will count for the statistics/ logic requirement?
    Any introductory course in basic statistics or logic (or critical thinking) will satisfy this prerequisite. Though all students have the option to take logic for this requirement, a statistics course is highly recommended. At UCB these courses may include Statistics 2, 2X (if for 3 or more units), 5, 20, 21, 131A, or Psychology 101(Research and Data Analysis). UCB Philosophy 12A or 14A will satisfy the logic requirement. This course may be taken for a letter grade or Pass/No Pass.
  5. What kind of G.P.A. must I have to get into the sociology major?
    Students must have a 2.0 cumulative G.P.A. and a 2.0 major G.P.A. to declare the major. This is a C average and is considered to be academic good standing in the College of Letters and Science.
  6. Is this an impacted major?
    Although the major is consistently growing, we are not impacted. This means there is no competitive admission process in which there is a set limit of students we can accept. If students have taken or are taking the prerequisites, and are in good academic standing, they are admitted to the major.
  7. When should I declare?
    If a student has decided that this is what they want to major in, we recommend they officially declare as soon as they are prepared, which means they have taken, have in progress or are enrolled in their prerequisites. Declared majors will have priority consideration for enrollment in upper division sociology courses so it is to their advantage to declare as soon as possible.
  8. I am a junior and I need an Advisor Code to register on Tele-BEARS, but I'm not prepared to declare yet?
    Send all students who think they might have an academic block to Allison, Joel, or Alma. Letters and Science requires juniors and seniors with 85 units of completed coursework to get an Advisor Code from their intended major. We would like to talk to any student who hasn't declared and is approaching their senior year.
  9. What must I do to declare the sociology major?
    Students who are ready to declare should make an appointment to see Allison, Joel, or Alma. They need to bring the completed Data Sheet for Sociology Majors (blue form outside of 424 Barrows), and a (official or unofficial) transcript of any sociology prerequisites they completed at another college or university. Students can also bring a copy of their Degree Audit Report (or DARS).
    *Students must make an appointment to declare.*
  10. Can I take any of the sociology course requirements for a P/NP grade?
    All sociology courses must be taken for a letter grade if they are to be used towards satisfaction of the major requirements, except for courses taken in Fall 1992 and Fall 1998 (due to the T.A. strikes and the chancellors mandates on P/NP). However, the statistics or logic requirement may be taken for a P/NP grade.
  11. Are there any minimum grade requirements that I must achieve in any sociology courses?
    Yes. Sociology 5, 101A, and 101B must be passed with a C- grade or better. Your major G.P.A. must stay at or above 2.0.
  12. How many courses and units must I complete in sociology?
    There are 12 courses required in the major, totaling between 49-53 units.
  13. Can I use courses from other departments to satisfy sociology major requirements?
    All courses for sociology major requirements must be in the sociology department with the exception of statistics or logic.
  14. Once I complete all the sociology requirements will I be eligible to graduate?
    The sociology requirements are only a portion of the requirements necessary for the degree. Students should consult with the College of Letters and Science regarding other requirements such as breadth, unit, residency and upper division units outside the major. They can also order a DARS Report via BearFacts to review all of their requirements for the degree.
  15. Must I take Sociology 101A before 101B? And if so, why?
    Yes. This course is set up as a year-long sequence course. What is taught in 101B is based on the foundation that is taught in 101A. Furthermore, students should try to take these courses from the same instructor or the instructor who might take over the class in his/her absence.
  16. When should I take the theory sequence?
    We encourage students to try to take 101A/B as soon as possible, usually in their junior year, because the theoretical perspective they learn is very helpful in other upper division courses.
  17. How often are the sociology courses offered?
    The department tries to offer each core class once a year. Soc 1, 5, 101A and 101B are offered every semester (except in SP07and F07 in which 101A and 101B will not be offered, respectively). Soc H190A/B and 107A/B are usually offered once a year. We try to offer sociology electives once a year depending on teaching resources available. Some courses are only taught once every 3-4 semesters.
  18. May I use a sociology independent study (Soc. 197, 198, 199) in satisfaction of the sociology elective requirement?
    No. Independent studies will not count for sociology major requirements. The units will count towards unit requirements in the college.
  19. What kind of courses will count for sociology electives?
    Any upper division sociology course, numbered 101C-196W (or graduate sociology courses) that are not already being used to satisfy another requirement.
  20. When should I take the seminar requirement?
    We recommend you take a seminar when you find a topic that interests you. We offer 5-9 different ones each semester. We generally offer one Seminar in the Summer, but this is not guaranteed. The 190's have Soc. 1 as a prerequisite. Priority for enrollment in these seminars is given to sociology majors, in priority of graduation needs.
  21. What is the difference between enrolling in my Sociology upper division courses in Phase I and Phase II?
    Some courses may fill up entirely with sociology majors in Phase I or the early part of Phase II, particularly smaller courses (less than 100 spaces). Thus it is advisable to make those courses a Phase I priority. We do not reserve space for sociology majors during the Adjustment Period, but they are usually given priority off the waitlist as space opens up.
  22. How does the waitlist priority work?
    With the exception of Soc3 and 3AC, students are added selectively, rather than in numerical order, based on pre-established priorities. Once classes begin, the instructor and/or GSI decide which students to add off the waitlist. . In most cases they use established departmental priorities: 1) Sociology majors; 2) Social Welfare, American Studies and Interdisciplinary Studies Field Majors; then 3) Other majors and undeclared students. Further priority is usually given within each of these categories by class level - seniors first, then juniors, etc. and even further by the order those groups of students are listed on the waitlist. Instructors also tend to give priority to students attending class.
  23. What is a DARS report? What if it isn't accurate?
    A Degree Audit Report, commonly called a "degree check," is a report that compares your record to the requirements for the degree. The University creates two separate audits, one for the College requirements and one for the major requirements. As soon as you spot an error, visit the college office or major department and point it out. DARS is NOT your official record, so its inaccuracy will not effect your eligibility to graduate or progress in any way.