Sociology (B.A., B.S.)

30 Major Hours, 120 Degree Hours

Students in this major must also complete requirements for a degree in the College of Arts & Sciences .

Departmental Requirement (30 hours)

• SOC 100 - Introduction to Sociology (C) [SGR #3, HSDC]
• SOC 281 - Socio Cultural Theory
• SOC 309 - Statistical Research Methods
• SOC 410 - Methods of Social Research (C)

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• Complete one of the following courses:

• SOC 356 - Sociology of Religion (C)
• SOC 471 - Medical Sociology (C)
• SOC 480 - Sociology of Education
• SOC 490 - Seminar (C)

Double Major (Psychology and Sociology)

Note: Students double-majoring in Psychology and Sociology may use PSYC 241 - Introduction to Social Psychology  / SOC 241 - Social Psychology  in both majors and may use either statistics course, SOC 309 - Statistical Research Methods  or PSYC 371 - Statistics in Psychological Research (C) , and either methods course, SOC 410 - Methods of Social Research (C)  or PSYC 373 - Research Methods in Experimental Psychology (C)  (NOT PSYC 275), to fulfill requirements for both majors.

Double Major (Social Work and Sociology)

Note: Students double-majoring in Social Work and Sociology may use either statistics course, SOC 309 - Statistical Research Methods  or SOCW 321 - Statistical Applications in Social Work , and either methods course, SOC 410 - Methods of Social Research (C)  or SOCW 320 - Social Work Research Methods , to fulfill requirements for both majors.

B.A./B.S. to USD Social Work, MSW Accelerated program

Undergraduate Sociology majors may elect to complete both the B.A./B.S. and M.S.W. concurrently. Students who pursue the accelerated option will be awarded their undergraduate degree first, but may be awarded both degrees upon completion of the graduate requirements. Students may apply for admission to the M.S.W. program after completing 75 undergraduate credit hours and may begin taking graduate level courses upon completion of 96 undergraduate credit hours that include the required courses for the sociology degree, a minor, and pre-requisites for the MSW program and acceptance into the accelerated graduate program. Up to 24 credit hours from the MSW program can be used to complete the undergraduate sociology degree. 

Additional information about the accelerated degree can be found on the accelerated program catalog page  for the M.S.W. in Social Work.

Four-Year Program Guides and Costs

USD encourages students to take 15 credits per semester or 30 credits within the academic year in order to graduate in 4 years. To help students complete their academic degree program in four years, we provide a sample academic plan. Please work with your academic advisor to confirm your plan. 

• Sociology, B.A. 4-year plan guide
• Sociology, B.S. 4-year plan guide

Accelerated programs: 

• Sociology, B.A. to Masters in Social Work, M.S.W. (3+2) 5-year plan guide
• Sociology, B.S. to Masters in Social Work, M.S.W. (3+2) 5-year plan guide

Related Programs:

• Sociology (B.A) 4-year plan guide at USD-Sioux Falls
• Sociology (B.S.) 4-year plan guide at USD-Sioux Falls
• Sociology (B.A.) to Masters in Social Work (M.S.W.) (3+2) 5-year plan guide at USD-Sioux Falls
• Sociology (B.S.) to Masters in Social Work (M.S.W.) (3+2) 5-year plan guide at USD-Sioux Falls

Location Matters for Non-Licensure Track Programs

This program is not designed or advertised to lead to a professional license or certification required for employment.

USD is permitted to operate under the terms of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA) policies and standards in offering online courses/degree programs to residents in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.  Online courses/programs may also be offered to residents of California (a non-SARA state) because it does not regulate out-of-state public institutions.

Additionally, this program is authorized to offer supervised field study experiences (internship, externship, clinical, rotation, practicum, independent study, study away, etc.) in South Dakota. Please be aware that there may be some restrictions on your ability to engage in supervised field study outside of South Dakota. Please contact a program representative if you have questions regarding supervised field study.

Distance education courses or programs will not be offered outside of the United States without prior written approval from the University, which may be withheld for any reason. If you are taking distance courses while physically located outside of the United States, it is your responsibility to confirm the following: (a) if the country will recognize an online degree; (b) the availability of supervised field study opportunities in the country; and (c) if the country charges any additional taxes, withholdings or fees associated with online distance education programs.

For more information, please visit USD’s State Authorization page or contact your admissions counselor.