Tuesday, 29 May 2012

Online Sociology Degree Program Options

Sociologists work to understand and improve social conditions by examining human institutions and populations across cultural and historical boundaries. An online bachelor's degree program in sociology is ideal for students interested in careers with government or social justice organizations.

Online Bachelor's Degree in Sociology Overview

Sociology is a field that examines at human and group behavior and population changes across cultures and time. In an online sociology bachelor's degree program, students complete general education classes and study culture, history and politics from a social perspective. Classwork requires strong skills in written communication and in mathematics, specifically statistical analysis. A bachelor's degree in sociology may be useful for students considering careers in social work, public policy, or government.

Online Program Information and Requirements

Some universities offer bachelor's degrees in sociology through programs that can be completed entirely online, with no campus visits required. Other programs make use of a hybrid format, providing some coursework online but requiring on-campus attendance for some classes. In most programs, coursework can either be completed full-time on a traditional 4-year schedule, or part-time to accommodate a student's work or family schedule.
Most universities offer online classes through a course management system (CMS), such as Blackboard, that stores readings, lectures and assignments and provides a discussion board for students and professors. Students may need software for playing audiovisual software. Textbook purchase is usually required.

List of Common Courses

Students in a bachelor's program must complete general-education coursework in the humanities, natural and physical sciences, and arts. Within the major, classes focus on various aspects of sociology and on statistical methods.

History of Social Theory Course

Courses in historical social theory look at the texts and theories of significant sociologists and their predecessors. Students can expect to study the work of noted sociologists such as Durkheim, Veblen, DuBois and Adorno.

Social Class and Status Course

A course on social class and status examines the inequalities in contemporary and historical societies. Racial, gender, class and sexuality-based groups are examined, as are the techniques employed by dominant groups to maintain inequalities.

Social Deviance Course

This class explores violence, sexual assault, criminal acts and other behaviors that deviate from social norms. Societal responses to deviance in the forms of sanctions and stigmatization are also covered.

Career Information for Graduates

Graduates of sociology programs may work in a wide variety of fields, from nonprofit leadership to urban planning or government work. Social work is particularly closely connected to a sociology major, and is a growing field that provides many entry-level opportunities for recent graduates. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, median annual wages for social workers in 2008 were $39,530 (www.bls.gov).

Continuing Education Information

Although sociology is a field in which advanced degrees are common, few universities currently offer fully online master's or doctoral programs. Some offer hybrid programs, in which students complete some courses online and come to campus for other classes or for periodic meetings with professors.

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