Welcome to Cal! We know that the transition from a community college to Cal is a big one, and that you are likely to have a whole host of questions. We strongly encourage you to review the information provided since it may help to answer a few of your questions. You should also feel free to contact an Undergraduate Advisor for additional questions or concerns.
Transferring Pre-reqs. Most California Community College transfer students have already completed at least 2 out of the 3 prerequsites, such as Introduction to Sociology and Statistics/Logic. For information about transferring credits from a community college, please visit Assist.org.
Steps to Declare. Even though you applied Cal as a Sociology major, you still must go through the declaration process to officially declare your major. To declare, you must have the last of your three pre-requisites in progress, submit an unofficial transcript documenting your prerequisites, and complete a Data Sheet for Declaring Sociology. For more information, please see Declaring the Major.
Suggested Courses for New Transfer Students.
Soc 5 - Many new transfers have not taken the prerequisite Sociology 5, since it is not offered at many community colleges. If you haven't taken Soc 5 yet, it is highly recommended that you take it your first semester at CAL. It is best to enroll in it during Phase I, as it sometimes fills up in Phase II.
Soc 198BC - Berkeley Connect - This is a 1-unit class and mentorship program, P/NP, designed to provide you with a Sociology graduate student mentor and to help you connect with other students who share your academic interest. Through this course you also have the opportunity to begin getting introduced to faculty and alumni. The class will consist of small group meetings, one-on-one mentorship, and special events. This is an excellent way to get to know others in our department and is highly recommended for new transfer students. It is also available in 12 other departments besides Sociology.
Soc 101 - If you would like to take the theory sequence in your junior year, you may enroll in the course after you are officially declared in the major. For issues with enrollment, please consult with the undergraduate advisors.
1 or 2 Upper Division Soc Courses - Most any upper division sociology courses you take at Cal will satisfy one of the major requirements. We recommend reading the Sociology Course Descriptions and choosing courses that sound very interesting to you. Most transfer students will take 2 Sociology courses in their first semester.