Intensive Sociology Major

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The Intensive Sociology major at UCSC is an option for students wishing to major in Sociology and focus in the area of Global Information and Social Enterprise Studies (GISES).

Students must file a study plan and declare a major no later than the end of the sixth quarter of enrollment and/or when they have reached 90 credits. Junior transfers must declare their major during their second quarter at UCSC.

Prerequisites to Declaring the Intensive Sociology Major

Before students can declare the Intensive Sociology major, they must complete the six lower-division courses (Socy 1, 10, 15 30A, 30B, & 30C) with a GPA of 3.0 or better in those courses. In addition, they must submit a self-evaluation and project plan proposal to declare. The project plan will summarize their performance in Sociology 30A, 30B, and 30C, including a description of their technology skills (e.g. web design or data base applications), an assessment of their completed projects and a rough draft proposal describing their capstone project for Sociology 196G.

Declaration Advising Sessions

Once students have completed the necessary prerequisites, they can begin the declaration process by signing up for a declaration advising session. Group advising sessions for Sociology are scheduled each quarter before the declaration deadline listed in the campus Academic and Administrative Calendar. Eligible students will be given an overview of the Intensive major, department policies, and be assigned a faculty advisor. For more information about the declaration sessions, please see our Declaration Session page.

Intensive Sociology majors are required to take a total of eighteen courses: six prescribed lower-division courses in preparation for the major, four prescribed upper-division core courses, seven upper-division electives, and a project practicum course. In addition, they must successfully meet the comprehensive requirement.

All Intensive Sociology majors are required to take the following lower-division courses or their equivalent prior to declaring the major, with a GPA of 3.0 or better in those courses.

Four upper-division courses are required as the foundation of theoretical and methodological training in the discipline. Students should take these courses early in their academic careers.

• Sociology 103A, Statistical Methods
• Sociology 103B, The Logic and Methods of Social Inquiry
• Sociology 105A, Classical Sociological Theory
• Sociology 105B, Contemporary Sociological Theory

Seven additional upper-division Sociology courses are required for the Intensive Sociology major, including one in each of the three undergraduate clusters: institutional analysis, social psychology, inequality and social change. The other four elective choices must be from the GISES Approved List of Elective Courses, and must also be approved by the project advisor or GISES director prior to enrolling in Sociology 196G, Project Practicum.

Project Practicum

Prior to graduation, all Intensive Sociology majors must complete a GISES capstone project. While working on the project students should enroll in Sociology 196G, Project Practicum.

Prior to graduation, all Intensive Sociology majors are required to complete one of the following comprehensive requirements:

1) Capstone Course: Complete the Sociology Capstone Course, SOCY 196A, Capstone: The Sociologist as a Public Intellectual

2) Senior Thesis: As a prerequisite for the senior thesis, students must complete Sociology 103B by the junior year and be in good academic standing. A thesis proposal must be submitted to the preferred faculty thesis sponsor by the second week of spring quarter (four quarters prior to graduation). The propsal consists of a 1-3 page thesis abstract and draft research plan or design, a brief bibliography, and narrative evaluations from course 103B and any other relevant courses. For detailed information regarding the Senior Thesis, consult the Sociology Undergraduate Student Handbook (pdf).