Navigating the UCLA Sociology Major: A Comprehensive Guide

Sociology offers a powerful lens for understanding the complexities of social life, and UCLA's Sociology Department provides a robust program for students eager to explore this field. This guide provides a detailed overview of the requirements for the Sociology major at UCLA, drawing directly from the department's guidelines and resources.

Introduction to Sociology at UCLA

Sociology is the study of the organization, dynamics, and consequences of social life. Its scope is broad, encompassing social interactions, relationships, organizations, institutions, communities, and societies. Sociologists employ diverse methods, including observation, interviews, historical analysis, statistical analysis of census data, and large-scale surveys, to gain insights into the social processes shaping contemporary society.

The UCLA Sociology faculty is renowned, with scholars addressing a wide array of topics, from social interaction to globalization. The department also boasts outstanding teachers, with professors Vilma Ortiz and Megan Sweeney having received Distinguished Teaching Awards from the UCLA Academic Senate.

A sociology major contributes to a liberal arts education and prepares students for various career options and graduate studies. Graduates with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology can find employment in community service organizations, health agencies, government service, human resources, and other fields.

Declaring the Pre-Sociology Major

Continuing students with less than 90 units completed (excluding Advanced Placement credits) who have successfully completed Sociology 1 or Sociology 20 with a grade of C or higher may declare the Pre-Sociology major. The final grade must be posted on the Degree Audit Report.

Preparatory Course Requirements

Any student aspiring to become a Sociology major must complete three preparatory courses. These courses must be taken for a letter grade, and a minimum grade of C or better is required in each. Students with a GPA below 2.0 in the preparation coursework are ineligible for admission to the major. Students who repeat any preparation course more than once will be denied admission to the major. Completing the preparatory courses early is recommended, as upper-division major courses are generally restricted to Pre-Sociology or Sociology majors during the first enrollment pass (with the exception of Sociology 101). Non-declared students can enroll in Sociology courses during the second pass.

Upper Division Course Requirements

The major in Sociology requires 11 upper-division courses (numbered 100-199). At least seven of these courses must be taken in residence at UCLA, including Sociology 101, Sociology 102, the Methods course, three core courses, and one elective. Students should prioritize Sociology 101, 102, and all core courses before completing electives. Sociology 101 and 102 must be completed with a grade of C or higher. Sociology 101 must be taken before Sociology 102; these courses cannot be taken concurrently. A minimum grade of D- or above is required in all other upper-division courses. Students must maintain a 2.0 overall GPA in all upper-division Sociology courses.

Core Areas and Electives

Any upper-division Sociology course not listed under a core area counts as a Sociology elective. Courses listed in more than one area will not count for both core areas (e.g., Sociology 111). Sociology 180 and 191 courses are variable topics courses, meaning the course number remains the same, but the topic changes each quarter (e.g., 180A, 180B, 191D, 191V, etc.). Select variable topic courses can count for a major core area if outlined by the department.

The Sociology major includes five electives. At least one Sociology course from the Sociology department must count towards the Sociology elective requirement. Up to four Sociology electives can be taken outside the Sociology department, including courses from approved lists, study abroad programs, other universities, and UCLA Extension. Courses on approved lists are options if Sociology courses offered by the department are unavailable.

Pass/No Pass Grading Policy

The department only allowed Pass/No Pass grading between Spring 2020-Summer 2022 terms during Covid instruction.

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Important Considerations

The UCLA General Catalog is published annually in PDF and HTML formats and contains the most current, officially approved courses and curricula.
Courses, course descriptions, instructor designations, curricular degree requirements, and fees are subject to change or deletion without notice.
Additional information about UCLA can be found in materials produced by the various schools within the university.
Students are encouraged to join the Sociology BruinLearn (Canvas) site for access to important department resources.

Petitions for Elective Courses

If a student wishes to petition a course that doesn’t appear on the approved elective list, they should first check with Simbi or Meri to see if the course has been denied in the past. Classes that use literary analysis to explore social dynamics or understand a social group may provide an important perspective, but not a sociological one, and so such classes will be rejected.

For variable topics courses (e.g., Anthropology 139, CCAS 191, Gender 185), the course title the student is enrolled in must match the title on the approved list for it to count as a Sociology elective.

Approved Elective Courses Outside the Sociology Department

A variety of courses offered by other departments at UCLA can be used to fulfill the Sociology elective requirement. These courses often provide valuable interdisciplinary perspectives on social issues. One example of such a course is International Area Studies 160 (National Security vs.

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