Undergraduate Course Catalog 2006-2007
College of Liberal Arts
» http://www.unh.edu/liberal-arts/
Sociology (SOC)
» http://www.unh.edu/sociology/
» Click to view course offerings
Professor: Michele Dillon, Cynthia M. Duncan, David Finkelhor, Lawrence C. Hamilton, Murray A. Straus, Heather A. Turner, Sally Ward
Associate Professor: Linda M. Blum, Benjamin C. Brown, Sharyn J. Potter, James Tucker
Research Associate Professor: Glenda Kaufman Kantor
Assistant Professor: Cesar Rebellon, Karen VanGundy
Research Assistant Professor: Wendy A. Walsh
Clinical Professor: John T. Kirkpatrick
Lecturer: Jean Elson, Catherine L. Moran, Priscilla S. Reinertsen, Nena F. Stracuzzi
Sociology focuses on how society works. Sociology majors study human
behavior at the micro level of small groups, the macro level of social
movements and comparative development, and the intermediate level of
neighborhoods or organizations like corporations and schools. Sociology
emphasizes links between the individual and the larger social processes
and structures in society, and the sociologists conduct empirical
analysis of the social world.
Majoring in sociology provides a solid, multifaceted foundation in the
liberal arts, including analytical thinking and writing, and skills in
collecting and analyzing data. Students learn diverse theoretical
approaches to the social world and acquire tools for conducting and
understanding social science research. The wide range of substantive
areas taught in the UNH sociology department includes courses
concentrating on family and work; environmental sociology; social
policy; inequalities of race, class, and gender; and criminology,
social control, and deviant behavior; medical sociology; and religion.
Undergraduate training in sociology is an excellent background for a
variety of careers, including the business world, where majors might
work in marketing and sales or human resources, or government or
private services, where a major might work in education, health
services, social welfare, criminal justice, or research. An
undergraduate degree in sociology is also excellent preparation for
graduate work in law, social work, counseling, public administration,
public health, business administration, urban planning or further
studies in sociology.
To declare a major in sociology, students must have completed at
least one introductory level sociology course with a grade of C or
better. New students who declare the major upon admission to UNH must
enroll in Sociology 400 during their first semester and earn a grade of
C to maintain status in the program.
Majors must complete a minimum of 40 semester credits in sociology
courses with grades of C- or better in each course and a GPA of 2.00 or
better in sociology courses. SOC 400, 502, 599, 601, and 611 are
required; majors must take 599 no later than their junior year. At
least two of the additional major courses must be at the 600 or 700
level. Students can count SOC 595 toward the fulfillment of one of
their lower level (500 level) electives. Sociology 502 (Statistics) may
not be used by sociology majors for General Education requirement
category 2 (Quantitative Reasoning). Statistics courses in other
disciplines are generally acceptable as a substitute for Sociology 502.
Conjoint minors (allowing double-counting of one or two courses) are
available for justice studies; gerontology; American studies; race,
culture, and power; women’s studies; and other approved minors.
Students also have the opportunity to pursue a second major including
Justice Studies. Students interested in social work or teaching can
develop programs in conjunction with the appropriate departments. The
departmental honors program is recommended for students with cumulative
grade-point averages over 3.20, and especially for those anticipating
graduate study.
Students interested in majoring in sociology should consult with the
chair of the undergraduate committee in the sociology department for
guidance. It is the responsibility of all sociology majors to obtain
the latest information from the department office. A minor consists of
any five 4-credit courses in sociology with a C- or better in each
course and a grade-point average of 2.00 or better in these courses.
Sociology Language Requirement
The Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of New Hampshire requires
that a student satisfy the foreign language proficiency requirement.
The requirement may be met by demonstrating language proficiency equal
to a one-year college-level course (401 and 402, 501, or 503 and above
in spoken language).
The Department of Sociology requires all students declaring the major
after August 28, 2006 to choose from one of the following languages:
Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Latin,
Portuguese, Russian, Spanish.
Exceptions to this list must be petitioned and approved by the
Department of Sociology's Undergraduate Committee and a student's
adviser.
