Four-year Undergraduate Plan
With careful planning and an average of 15 credits per academic term (excluding summer), a UO student will complete their undergraduate degree in four (4) years. To aid students in their planning we have developed two (2) Four-year (4-year) Planner resources for sociology students. Click on the links for downloadable/printable PDF planning charts, and read on for an explanation of each year’s goals.
Sociology Concentration FAQs
What is a concentration?
A concentration is a specific track or subject of study within a major, designed to help students tailor their choices of electives towards a particular interest or career goal. Choosing a concentration in sociology can help you to identify and strengthen your passion in the field and deepen your knowledge in that specific area. A concentration also serves as a guide to make it easier to choose classes that meet your academic and professional goals. Lastly, a concentration can be listed on your resume as an area of emphasis.
Am I required to choose a concentration?
No. Sociology majors are not required to choose a concentration; the Sociology Generalist track follows the basic major requirements, and serves as the default concentration for students who do not choose another one. If you’re unsure if a concentration is right for you, check in with your undergraduate program team in the ASU2 offices.
Does adding a concentration increase the required credits for the major?
No! Sociology majors pursuing any track are required to take 16 credits of core major requirements and 32 credits of upper-division SOC electives courses; choosing a concentration provides a framework to use when choosing these classes.
How do I add a concentration?
Use this form to let us know which concentration you’d like to add. Requests are submitted to the Registrar for processing, and the concentration will appear on your degree guide, typically in two to three (2-3) weeks.
Inequalities, Crime & Social Justice
Students will focus on the law, public policy, and the public service side of sociology by looking at inequalities within the United States. Students will examine the causes and consequences of racial, gender, and class inequality, as well as explore urban, deviance, and crime issues.
Jobs in this arena:
Lawyer, Public Policy, Public Service, Politics, Community Organization, and Criminal Justice
Student Gains:
- Ability to analyze social institutions
- Skills to evaluate contemporary social problems
- Consideration of solutions to social problems
*Required Electives:
- SOC 345 - Race & Ethnicity
- SOC 380 - Intro to Deviance, Control & Crime
- SOC 484 - Issues in Deviance, Control & Crime [Topic]
- Pick one (1) from:
- SOC 301 - American Society
- SOC 304 - Community, Environment & Society
- SOC 313 - Social Issues & Movements
- SOC 355 - Sociology of Gender
- SOC 370 Urban Sociology
- Pick two (2) from:
- SOC 442 - Issues in Urban Sociology [Topic]
- SOC 445 - Race & Ethnicity [Topic]
- SOC 451 - Social Stratification
- SOC 465 - Political Sociology
- SOC 475 - Marxist Sociological Theory
- 12 credits from any SOC courses (not including core major requirements)
SOC 410- Inside Out courses offered through the Prison Education program may also count toward the Sociology: Inequalities, Crime, & Social Justice concentration. Students taking such classes are encouraged to reach out to the department for more details.
View the full list of required courses in the UO Catalog here.
*In addition to core major requirements, check the full list of requirements for more details.
Major Planning Worksheet – Inequalities, Crime & Social Justice
Environment, Health, & Community
This concentration looks at the environmental and human conditions within the community and how they affect people living within them. Students learn about how communities work, what makes up communities, and solutions to problems that could be implemented.
Jobs in this arena:
Policy, Climate Change, Community Worker/Advocate, and Environmental Science
Student Gains:
- Deep understanding of human-environment interactions
- Comprehension of how historical and spatial contexts shape human and community health
- Society and environment problem-solving skills
*Required Electives:
- SOC 304 - Community, Environment & Society
- Pick two (2) from:
- SOC 346 - Work & Occupations
- SOC 370 - Urban Sociology
- SOC 385 - Medical Sociology
- Pick three from:
- SOC 416 - Environmental Sociology [Topic]
- SOC 442 - Issues in Urban Sociology [Topic]
- SOC 446 - Sociology of Work [Topic]
- SOC 485 - Medical Sociology [Topic]
- Eight (8) credits from any SOC courses (not including core major requirements)
View the full list of required courses in the UO Catalog here.
*In addition to core major requirements; check the full list of requirements for more details.
Major Planing Worksheet – Environment, Health & Community
Critical Thinking with Data
Critical Thinking with Data focuses on using social science data to understand social behavior and to inform policy decisions. The capstone of this concentration is the required SOC 413 course in which students will execute an independent research project using a primary data source.
Jobs in this arena:
Data Science, Marketing, Survey Design and Administration, Program Review, and Public Opinion Research
Student Gains:
- Ability to analyze qualitative and quantitative data (emphasis on quantitative data)
- Familiarity with social science techniques
- Independent research skills
*Required Courses:
- SOC 412 - Sociological Research Methods I (replaces SOC 312 requirement)
- SOC 413 - Sociological Research Methods II
- Pick one (1) from:
- SOC 416 - Environmental Sociology [Topic]
- SOC 442 - Issues in Urban Sociology [Topic]
- SOC 450 - Sociology of Developing Areas
- SOC 456 - Feminist Theory
- SOC 457 - Sex & Society
- SOC 475 - Marxist Sociological Theory
- SOC 484 - Issues in Deviance, Control & Crime [Topic]
- Pick one (1) from:
- SOC 425 - Sociology of the Family [Topic]
- SOC 445 - Race & Ethnicity [Topic]
- SOC 446 - Sociology of Work [Topic]
- SOC 447 - Sociology of Organizations [Topic]
- SOC 452 - Issues of Migration [Topic]
- SOC 465 - Political Sociology
- SOC 467 - Economic Sociology
- SOC 491 - Sociology of Education
- 12 credits from any 300- or 400-level SOC courses (not including core major requirements)
- Eight (8) credits from any SOC courses (not including core major requirements)
View the full list of required courses in the UO Catalog here.
*In addition to core major requirements, check the full list of requirements for more details.
Major Planing Worksheet – Critical Thinking With Data
Culture, Identities & Institutions
Students will examine how cultures, identities, and institutions influence human behavior, life opportunities, and outcomes. This concentration will look at how power operates and how inequalities emerge and will also consider solutions to social problems. Theories and methods will be used to analyze organizations, trends, and group experience.
Jobs in this arena:
Social Work, Education, Counseling, Politics, Social Justice, and Research and Planning
Students Gain:
- Engagement in critical thinking and writing
- Scientific literacy through theories and methods
- Understanding of how culture and institutions shape life chances and outcomes
*Required Electives:
- SOC 328 Self & Society
- Pick one (1) from:
- SOC 345 - Sociology of Race & Ethnicity
- SOC 355 - Sociology of Gender
- Pick one (1) from:
- SOC 317 - Sociology of Mass Media
- SOC 330 - Sociology of the Family
- SOC 346 - Work & Occupations
- SOC 370 - Urban Sociology
- SOC 385 - Medical Sociology
- Pick three (3) from:
- SOC 425 - Sociology of the Family [Topic]
- SOC 445 - Race & Ethnicity [Topic]
- SOC 446 - Sociology of Work [Topic]
- SOC 447 - Sociology of Organizations [Topic]
- SOC 451 - Social Stratification
- SOC 452 - Issues of Migration [Topic]
- SOC 455 - Issues in Sociology of Gender [Topic]
- SOC 457 - Sex & Society
- SOC 458 - Cultural Sociology [Topic]
- SOC 465 - Political Sociology
- SOC 467 - Economic Sociology
- SOC 491 - Sociology of Education
- Eight (8) credits from any SOC courses (not including core major requirements)
View the full list of required courses in the UO Catalog here.
*In addition to core major requirements, check the full list of requirements for more details.
Major Planing Worksheet – Culture, Identities & Institutions