The University of New Mexico

Undergraduate Program

Major Study Requirements

Major in Sociology

All sociology majors must complete at least 37 hours of course work, including the following 19 hours of required courses: 101, 280, 371, 381, 471 and 481L. The 18 elective hours (six courses) are drawn from all sociology courses not specifically required above but must include at least 12 hours (four courses) at the 300 or 400 level. The student may select from a number of designated courses that provide a concentration in one of the following subfields of sociology:

  1. Pre-Law. Provides background for careers or further training in police, correctional or legal institutions.
  2. Human Services and Social Policy. Appropriate for future work in public and private agencies, as preparation for law school or for graduate study in social work, public administration and business administration.

Pre-Law Concentration

The concentration in Pre-Law is designed for students interested in law school or other careers in the legal field, and highlights those aspects of law that overlap with crime and criminal justice. The concentration provides students with an introduction to the causes of crime and deviance as well as social and institutional responses to this behavior. Students can choose from courses focusing on the personal and social forces that give rise to crime, as well as courses that examine the role of the legal and criminal justice systems in dealing with criminals and reducing crime rates. To complete this concentration, students must complete 12 hours from the following list (Note: 9 of these hours must be selected from the 300/400 level courses listed below):

SOC 205 Crime, Public Policy and the Criminal Justice System
SOC 211 Social Problems
SOC 213 Deviance
SOC 312 Causes of Crime and Delinquency
SOC 313 Social Control
SOC 412 Sociology of Police and Social Control
SOC 414 Sociology of Corrections
SOC 416 Sociology of Law
SOC 418 Selected Topics in Criminology
SOC 423 Gender and Crime
SOC 424 Race, Class, and Crime
SOC 425 From Youthful Misbehavior to Adult Crime
SOC 426 Drugs, Crime, and Social Control
SOC 488 Field Observation and Experience
SOC 491 Directed Study in Criminology
  

Human Services and Social Policy Concentration

The concentration is designed for students interested in pursuing a graduate degree or a career in human services, social work, social policy, health care, mental health, or education (K-12 and post-secondary). The concentration aims to provide broad thematic coverage of these fields by drawing upon elective courses that address topics critical to understanding the context within which welfare, health, mental health, and educational institutions operate, including social problems, race/ethnic relations, and socio-economic inequality. Students must complete 12 hours from the courses listed below. (Note: 9 of these hours must be selected from the 300/400 level courses listed below.) This concentration is recommended as an alternative to the Social Welfare minor for students majoring in Sociology. Students majoring in fields other than Sociology but who have an interest in social work, social policy, health care, mental health, or education are encouraged to pursue a minor in Social Welfare.

SOC 200 Foundations of Social Welfare
SOC 211 Social Problems
SOC 216 Dynamics of Prejudice
SOC 225 Marriage, Family, and Their Alternatives
SOC 300 Social Welfare: Programs and Policies
SOC 303 Sociology of Political Behavior
SOC 308 Sociology of Gender
SOC 310 Sociology of Aging and the Aged
SOC 340 Sociology of Medical Practice
SOC 342 Social Epidemiology
SOC 345 Youth and Society
SOC 400 The Welfare State
SOC 415 Social Stratification
SOC 420 Race and Cultural Relations
SOC 421 Sociology of Education
SOC 441 Complex Organizations
SOC 445 Sociology of Work
SOC 488 Field Observance and Experience
SOC 490 Directed Study (limited to topics approved for the concentration)
  
Further details are available on each concentration from the Department of Sociology and undergraduate advisors in the Department.
  

The Department will accept the grade of C- in required and elective Sociology courses as counting toward graduation but requires that the student achieve a minimum grade point average of 2.00 in the Sociology major or minor and a 2.00 overall grade point average. A cumulative grade point average of 2.25 or better in all courses completed is required for regular admission to the sociology major.

Major in Criminology

The Sociology Department offers a specialized program in criminology, designed to give students a comprehensive introduction to the field. Courses focus on the characteristics and causes of crime and deviance and on the origins, nature and consequences of societal reactions to crime and deviance, giving particular attention to the criminal justice system. Basic instruction is also given in sociological theory and research methods.

The Department will accept the grade of C- in required and elective courses in the Criminology major and minor as counting toward graduation but requires that the student achieve a minimum grade point average of 2.00 in the Criminology major or minor and a 2.00 overall grade point average. A cumulative grade point average of 2.25 or better in all courses completed is required for regular admission to the criminology major.

The program is particularly appropriate for students wishing to pursue one of the following career options:

  • graduate work in the social sciences with a special emphasis on criminology or criminal justice
  • a career in criminal justice (e.g., law enforcement, corrections, crime prevention), especially in agencies or departments involved in planning and evaluation
  • a career in law, social work or counseling

Students must complete 40 hours of course work in criminology–34 hours core and 6 hours of pertinent electives as advised.

Core courses: 101; 205; one of 211 or 213; 280; 312; 313; one of 371 or 471; 381; two of 412, 414, 416, 418, 423, 424, 425, 426; and 481L. Generally, students should follow core courses in sequence, beginning with 100-level requirements, proceeding to 200-level requirements, and so on. Electives: students must choose electives from an approved list available from the Department of Sociology. Students may not count the same course as both a core course and an elective. Some upper-division electives require other courses as prerequisites.

Minor Study Requirements

Minor in Sociology

A sociology minor requires 21 hours (seven courses). The core courses are 101, 280 and either 371 or 471. The 12 elective hours (four courses) are drawn from all sociology courses not specifically required above but must include at least 6 hours (two courses) at the 300 and 400 level. If desired, a student may use 371 for the specific requirement and 471 as an elective. If 481L is chosen as an elective, the total number of elective hours will be 13, and the total in the minor will be 22.

Criminology majors may not minor in sociology without a specially approved degree plan constructed in consultation with the undergraduate advisor.

Minor in Social Welfare

The minor in social welfare is designed to accompany a major in criminology, political science, economics, psychology and disciplines other than sociology. Sociology majors with a strong interest in social welfare and related topics should pursue the Human Services & Social Policy Concentration offered as part of the sociology major.

A social welfare minor requires at least 21 hours. The core courses are 101, 200, 300, and 400. In addition, students must choose at least 9 hours of electives from the following list of courses.

  Sociology
211 Social Problems
213 Deviant Behavior
216 The Dynamics of Prejudice
225 Marriage, Family, and Their Alternatives
230 Sociology and Personality
303 Sociology of Political Behavior
308 Sociology of Gender
310 Sociology of Aging and the Aged
326 Sociology of New Mexico
340 Sociology of Medical Practice
342 Social Epidemiology
345 Youth and Society
351 The Urban Community
415 Social Stratification
420 Race and Cultural Relations
488 Field Observation and Experience
490 Directed Study (limited to topics approved for the concentration)
  Anthropology
345 Spanish-speaking Peoples of the Southwest
  Economics
331 Economics of Poverty & Discrimination
335 Health Economics
341 Urban & Regional Economics
  Political Science
270 Public Policy & Administration
372 Urban Politics
470 Public Policy Analysis
  Psychology
220 Developmental Psychology
231 Psychology of Human Sexuality
331 Psychology of Personality
332 Abnormal Behavior
  

Substitution of a course not on the elective list is possible only with the approval of a sociology undergraduate advisor.

Students minoring in social welfare must adhere to all prerequisite requirements attached to the electives. Finally, courses applied toward a student’s major may not be applied toward a minor in social welfare.

Minor in Criminology

The criminology minor requires a total of 21 hours (seven courses). The core courses are 101; one of 205, 211 or 213; 312; 313; and one of 412, 414, 416, 418, 423, 424, 425 or 426 (one of these is required, but additional courses from the set may be used as electives). The 21 hours must also include 6 hours from a list of designated electives approved by the department.

Departmental Honors

Superior sophomore or junior students majoring in sociology or criminology with a GPA of 3.5 in the major and 3.25 overall are invited to apply for admission to the department's six-credit Undergraduate Honors Thesis Program, beginning in their junior year. Students participating in this program are eligible to graduate with departmental honors if recommended by the faculty on the basis of outstanding performance. Honors students are required to take Sociology 399 (Advanced Workshop in Sociology) in the Spring term to be followed by 499 (Senior Honors Thesis) in a subsequent semester. See the Department's Honors Coordinator for specific requirements.

Courses

SOC 101. Introduction to Sociology. (3)


SOC 200. Foundations of Social Welfare. (3)


SOC 205. Crime, Public Policy and the Criminal Justice System. (3)


SOC 211. Social Problems. (3)


SOC 213. Deviance. (3)


SOC 216. The Dynamics of Prejudice. (3)


SOC 221. Global Issues. (3)


SOC 225. Marriage, Family and Their Alternatives. (3)


SOC 230. Society and Personality. (3)


SOC 280. Introduction to Research Methods. (3)


SOC 300. Social Welfare: Policies and Programs. (3)


SOC 303. Sociology of Political Behavior. (3)


SOC 305. Environmental Sociology. (3)


SOC 306. Peace and Conflict. (3)


SOC 307. Nonviolent Alternatives. (3)


SOC 308. Sociology of Gender. (3)


SOC 310. Sociology of Aging and the Aged. (3)


SOC 312. Causes of Crime and Delinquency. (3)


SOC 313. Social Control. (3)


SOC 326. Sociology of New Mexico. (3)


SOC 331. Social Movements. (3)


SOC 335. Sociology of Mass Communication. (3)


SOC 340. Sociology of Medical Practice. (3)


SOC 342. Social Epidemiology. (3)


SOC 345. Youth and Society. (3)


SOC 350. Rural Society in Latin America. (3)


SOC 351. The Urban Community. (3)


SOC 354. Introduction to Latin American Society I: Social Sciences. (3)


SOC 371. Classical Sociological Theory. (3)


SOC 381. Sociological Data Analysis. (3)


SOC 390. Latin American Thought II. (3)


SOC 398. Special Topics in Sociology. (3, no limit Δ)


SOC 399. Advanced Undergraduate Workshop in Sociology. (3)


SOC 400. The Welfare State. (3)


SOC 412. Sociology of Police and Social Control. (3)


SOC *414. Sociology of Corrections. (3)


SOC *415. Social Stratification. (3)


SOC 416. Sociology of Law. (3)


SOC *418. Selected Topics in Criminology. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)


SOC 420. Race and Cultural Relations. (3)


SOC 421. Sociology of Education. (3)


SOC 422. Sociology of Religion. (3)


SOC 423. Gender and Crime. (3)


SOC 424. Race, Class and Crime. (3)


SOC 425. From Youthful Misbehavior to Adult Crime. (3)


SOC 426. Drugs, Crime and Social Control. (3)


SOC 428. Sociology of Mexican Americans. (3)


SOC *441. Complex Organizations. (3)


SOC *445. Sociology of Work. (3)


SOC *461. Social Dynamics of Global Change. (3)


SOC 471. Contemporary Sociological Theory. (3)


SOC *478. Seminar in International Studies. (3)


SOC 481L. Research Methods in Sociology. (4)


SOC 488. Field Observation and Experience. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)


SOC 490. Directed Study. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)


SOC 491. Directed Study in Criminology. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)


SOC 499. Senior Honors Thesis. (3)


SOC 500. Classical Sociological Theory. (3)


SOC 506. Seminar: Comparing Nations. (3)


SOC 507. Topics in Sociological Theory. (3, no limit Δ)


SOC 508. Latin American Development and Planning. (3)


SOC 509. Gender and International Development. (3)


SOC 510. Social and Political Movements. (3)


SOC 513. Constructing and Analyzing Contemporary Sociological Theory. (3)


SOC 514. 20th Century European Theory. (3)


SOC 515. Criminological Theory. (3)


SOC 516. Crime, Law, and Social Control. (3)


SOC 518. Special Topics in Criminology. (3)


SOC 520. Racial and Ethnic Relations. (3)


SOC 521. Sociology of Education. (3)


SOC 523. Proseminar. (1)


SOC 528. Sociology of Mexican Americans. (3)


SOC 530. Sociology of Work. (3)


SOC 531. Sociology Teaching Practicum. (2)


SOC 532. Sociology of Religion. (3)


SOC 540. Medical Sociology and Health Policy. (3)


SOC 551-552. Problems. (2-3, 2-3, no limit Δ)


SOC 570. Sociological Research: Special Topics. (3, no limit Δ)


SOC 580. Methods of Social Research I. (3)


SOC 581. Advanced Social Statistics I. (3)


SOC 582. Advanced Social Statistics II. (3)


SOC 583. Special Topics in Advanced Social Statistics. (3, no limit Δ)


SOC 584. Interdisciplinary Seminar on Problems of Modernization in Latin America. (3)


SOC 585. Sociological Fieldwork Methods: Ethnography, Interviews, Focus Groups. (3)


SOC 595. Special Topics in Sociology. (3, no limit Δ)


SOC 596. Professional Paper. (1-6, no limit Δ)


SOC 599. Master’s Thesis. (1-6, no limit Δ)


SOC 699. Dissertation. (3-12, no limit Δ)


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Office of the Registrar

MSC 11 6325
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131

Phone: (505) 277-8900
 Fax: (505) 277-6809