COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Arts in Sociology at The University of Akron requires completion of 120 credit hours, including general education, college requirements, sociology core courses, and elective concentrations. General education courses, totaling 36 credit hours, provide a foundation in mathematics, statistics, logic, writing, speaking, arts, humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and diversity, with integrated and applied learning opportunities such as Social Inequalities, Sociology of Health and Illness, or American Families in Poverty. College of Arts & Sciences requirements include demonstrating proficiency in a second language through four semesters or American Sign Language, along with completion of at least 40 upper-level credits either within or outside the major. The 18-credit sociology core includes Introduction to Sociology, Social Research Design, Data Analysis, Social Inequalities, Sociological Theory, and a capstone experience such as Applied Research Methods, Field Internship, or Senior Honors Project. Students complete 12 elective credits through one of three concentrations: a general concentration, a social justice concentration focusing on issues like social movements, race and ethnic relations, and gender, or a health and society concentration emphasizing population health, aging, mental illness, and related interdisciplinary courses such as medical anthropology, biostatistics, and community nutrition. This curriculum prepares graduates to critically analyze social structures, address systemic challenges, and engage in meaningful social research and applied practice.