About Our Sociology Program
The Sociology Program at Tougaloo College prepares students to understand the complexities of human social behavior, society, and culture through the application of scientific methods. Our program emphasizes critical thinking, research skills, and theoretical insights that help students analyze social phenomena and contribute to positive social change.
Rooted in the liberal arts tradition and committed to social justice, our curriculum provides students with a broad understanding of social institutions, social inequality, and social processes. We prepare graduates who can think critically about social issues, conduct meaningful research, and work effectively in diverse professional settings where understanding human behavior and social dynamics is essential.
Our program builds upon core sociological principles including scientific inquiry, social justice, and cultural competency. Students develop analytical skills, research abilities, and communication competencies that are highly valued in today's interconnected world, preparing them for careers in research, education, human services, and public policy.
Scientific Method
Learn to apply scientific research methods to understand social phenomena, analyze data, and draw evidence-based conclusions about society and human behavior
Social Analysis
Develop skills to critically examine social institutions, inequality, and change processes in both local and global contexts using sociological theory
Critical Thinking
Build analytical abilities to evaluate social issues, understand multiple perspectives, and propose evidence-based solutions to complex social problems
Why Study Sociology?
Sociology provides excellent preparation for careers that require understanding of human behavior, social dynamics, and cultural diversity. Our graduates develop versatile skills in research, analysis, and communication that are highly valued across many professional fields, from social services to data analysis to policy development.
Research & Analysis
- Social Research Analyst
- Market Research Specialist
- Policy Research Associate
- Data Analyst
- Survey Research Coordinator
- Statistical Analyst
Human Services
- Community Outreach Coordinator
- Program Administrator
- Case Manager
- Nonprofit Program Officer
- Human Resources Specialist
- Victim Services Advocate
Education & Training
- Secondary Education Teacher
- Corporate Training Specialist
- Community Education Coordinator
- Academic Research Assistant
- Student Affairs Administrator
- Educational Program Developer
Government & Public Service
- Government Social Scientist
- Public Affairs Specialist
- Community Development Specialist
- Legislative Research Analyst
- Urban Planning Assistant
- Criminal Justice Analyst
Course Descriptions
The Sociology Program at Tougaloo College provides a comprehensive foundation in sociological theory, research methodology, and critical analysis of social phenomena. Our curriculum is designed to develop students' understanding of human social behavior, social institutions, and the complex dynamics that shape our world.
Students progress through a carefully structured sequence of courses that build from foundational concepts to advanced theoretical frameworks and research skills. The program emphasizes hands-on learning through research projects, field experiences, and community engagement opportunities that connect classroom knowledge with real-world applications.
Our curriculum integrates core sociological principles with contemporary issues, preparing graduates who can think critically about social problems, conduct rigorous research, and contribute meaningfully to their communities and chosen careers. Each course pathway develops essential skills in data analysis, written communication, and ethical reasoning that are highly valued across diverse professional fields.
Course Descriptions: Sociology, B.A.
Admission and Retention Policies
Any student who is meeting the current Tougaloo College standard or maintains a 2.00 average is eligible to become a major in the Department. To remain in the major, students must strive to keep their average above 2.00. Any grade of “D” received in a required Sociology course mandates that students repeat the course before they enroll in another course. Three “Ds” in required courses result in suspension as a major, but reinstatement is possible if all courses have been successfully repeated with “C” or higher grades.
To graduate with a major in Sociology or any subsidiary program, a student must maintain an average of 2.50 or better in all Sociology courses and complete a Senior Comprehensive paper. Also, students are strongly urged to take the GRE prior to their graduation.
Transfer Students
Students transferring from other institutions or other departments within the College who wish to major in Sociology should consult with the Department Chairperson before selecting a course of study.
The Major in Sociology
Students who choose to major in Sociology are required to take at least 33 semester hours (8 core courses & 3 elective courses) in Sociology and 37-39 hours of General Education requirements. Sociology majors in the program are also encouraged to take theory, research methods, and computer-oriented courses in related fields such as Psychology, Political Science, Economic, Social Work, and Mathematics, and are strongly encouraged to take the GRE.
Required Core Courses (24 hours)
This course introduces the basic principles and concepts of sociology and examination of the elements of social structure and social behavior. Focus is placed on the fundamental structure of American society and the basic changes occurring in recent years, with tentative projections into the future. This course is a prerequisite for all required courses in the Sociology major. Offered each semester.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
Offered each semester.
This course is a study of the origin development and functioning of culture; an examination of the variations of social structure and social behavior in various societies around the world; an analysis of the relationship between culture and personality.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
This course is an introduction to the foundations of statistical thinking and exploratory data analysis. This course is designed to help students acquire fundamental skills in organizing, displaying, reading, and interpreting data including the use of standard computer software, such as the BIDP package to analyze their data. The computer analytic skills are taught in a two-hour computer applications lab which meets once a week. Offered every fall; this course is required of all majors within the School of Social Sciences.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
PREREQUISITES: MAT 103, or MAT 106, or advanced level math with a "C" average
Offered every fall; this course is required of all majors within the School of Social Sciences.
This course is a survey of social problems which are of current concern to American Society, with attention given to major contributing factors, potential solutions, and research needs.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
PREREQUISITE: SOC 111
This course is a survey of sociological Theories of contemporary relevance. Marx, Durkheim, Weber, Dubois, Park, and others considered against the background of the intellectual and social currents of their time; contributions of These thinkers to modern social Theory are evaluated.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
PREREQUISITES: SOC 111, two other courses in the Department, and junior standing, or permission of the instructor
Co-listed As: SWK 341
In this course, consideration will be given to the nature, methods, principles, and techniques of scientific social research. The application of statistical techniques (both descriptive and inferential) to various kinds of research problems and methodologies will be delineated. Students will be expected to conduct a group/individual sociological research project as well as be familiar with the use of computers in research.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
PREREQUISITE: SSD 215
COREQUISITE: SOC 341
Co-listed As: SWK 380
The course objective is to enable senior sociology majors to analyze topics related to social issues using sociological perspective and develop an empirical (primary or secondary data) research proposal for later execution in Senior Seminar IL The exit requirement for the course is an oral presentation, a written copy of the completed proposal, development of a survey instrument, and completing the IRB requirements to conduct the study. This course is offered during the fall semester of the senior year. Prerequisite: SSD 215 & Corequisite SOC 380.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
PREREQUISITE: SSD 215
COREQUISITE: SOC 380
This course is offered during the fall semester of the senior year.
This course is designed as a follow-up to SWK 443 - Skills in Interview and Licensure Exam. The course objective is to provide senior Social Work majors an opportunity to execute the research proposal developed in their SWK 443 course. Students will collect the data, analyze the data using SPSS, and complete the paper in fulfillment of the College's Senior Paper requirement. The exit requirement for the course is an oral presentation (senior paper defense) on and a written copy of the completed paper following the Department's guidelines. The written copy is to be submitted by the date published by the College's Writing Commission, which will be made known to students at the beginning of the course. Offered during the spring semester. Students are also required to take the comprehensive exam for Sociology.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
PREREQUISITES: SWK 400 & SWK 443; Student must have senior standing
Offered during the spring semester.
Required Electives (9 hours)
Students have the option to choose any 3 from the following:
This course is a study of the family; and an examination of courtship, love, marriage, husbandwife and parentchild relationships, and family disorganization.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
This course examines survey types, rates, and trends in juvenile offenses in the United States and selected other nations and explores a wide range of Theories explaining juvenile delinquency. This course examines past, present, and emerging procedures for reducing antisocial behavior and administering juvenile justice and rehabilitation programs.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
This course provides an introductory analysis of the causes and consequences of crime and delinquency and an examination of society's reaction to criminal behavior, including the legal, judicial, and penal system.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
COREQUISITE: SOC 111 or POL 101
This course examines the relationship of sociological variables such as race, class, and income to the quality of health services and to the prevalence of disease. Additional topics include the organization and financing of medical care in the United States and cultural factors in the definition of illness.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
The course will investigate the nature of complex social and community organizations such as business, industry, and government. Students will apply key social Theories for bringing effective community-based social action. Special attention will be given to community-based disaster preparedness, recovery efforts, and management strategies. Students will be familiar with the strategies to build resilient community, community-mindedness, and cooperative relationships between disaster victims and recovery organizations. How disasters lead to rapid social change will also be explored.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
PREREQUISITES: SOC 111 or SWK 115 (for Sociology & Social Work majors). Non-majors (must complete one of the Theme areas of the General Education)
Co-listed As: SWK 331
This course provides seminars and independent studies in various subfields within sociology and anthropology, with emphasis on areas not represented in regular offerings in the department. Individual study projects will be encouraged. Topics include A. Independent Study B. Research Seminar in Sociology C. Selected Topics in Sociology, e.g., Black Institutions, Population and Environment, Sociology of Deviant Behavior, or Social Movements. This course may be taken more than once as different topics are treated each time.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
PREREQUISITE: SOC 111
This course is a study of the biological process of aging, the response of society to the aged, special problems common to the elderly, and the effects of industrialization on the roles and attitudes of this stage category. Special emphasis on the Black elderly.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
COREQUISITES: SOC 301, 306, 316
The course objective is to enable students to understand individual behavior within the social environment. Topics to be studied include the self, social perception, social cognition and information processing, attitudes, and persuasion, prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination, social influence and group behavior, romantic relationships, aggressive behavior, helping behavior, and applied social psychology.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
PREREQUISITE: SOC 111
The course examines the impact of race, ethnicity, class, and gender by engaging students in major topics and Themes currently shaping political and cultural institutions in the United States. A major focus of the course is on the social construction of race, racial, ethnic, class, and gender identity. It will include a historical perspective from pre-colonial times to the present to examine the experiences and contributions of marginalized groups and how the status quo has been maintained by dominant group. The course will also explore current strategies to build an inclusive society. The course can be used by other departments and interdisciplinary programs such as education, history, political science, psychology, economics, and some humanities.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
Co-listed As: SWK 412
This course examines how the rise of metropolitan area has impacted both city-dwellers and rural communities. The seminar introduces students to the key Theoretical and methodological trends in urban and rural sociology. Topics include the changing nature of community, the development and structure of neighborhoods, the relationship between social processes and the built environment, and variation in urban, suburban, and rural social problem and policy issues. The course draws on the sociological study of cities while integrating perspectives from history, political science, economics, anthropology, and geography so students gain a holistic understanding of the American physical and cultural landscape.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
Co-listed As: SWK 422
Course Descriptions: Sociology Minor
The minor incorporates essential courses in Sociology to provide students a basic understanding of social structure and social interaction. The Sociology minor provides a sequence of courses that will help enhance students’ understanding of the world in which we live, regardless of their undergraduate major. Students who choose a Sociology minor will have a competitive advantage in several job sectors, particularly those who plan to pursue careers in the health professions or business.
Courses for Sociology Minor
To obtain a minor in Sociology, students must complete 18 credit hours in Sociology. This includes four courses 12 hours as core requirements and 2 elective courses 6 hours. Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.00 to graduate with a Sociology minor.
This course introduces the basic principles and concepts of sociology and examination of the elements of social structure and social behavior. Focus is placed on the fundamental structure of American society and the basic changes occurring in recent years, with tentative projections into the future. This course is a prerequisite for all required courses in the Sociology major. Offered each semester.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
Offered each semester.
This course is a study of the origin development and functioning of culture; an examination of the variations of social structure and social behavior in various societies around the world; an analysis of the relationship between culture and personality.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
This course is a survey of social problems which are of current concern to American Society, with attention given to major contributing factors, potential solutions, and research needs.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
PREREQUISITE: SOC 111
This course is a survey of sociological Theories of contemporary relevance. Marx, Durkheim, Weber, Dubois, Park, and others considered against the background of the intellectual and social currents of their time; contributions of These thinkers to modern social Theory are evaluated.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
PREREQUISITES: SOC 111, two other courses in the Department, and junior standing, or permission of the instructor
Co-listed As: SWK 341
Required Electives (6 credit hours)
Option to choose any 2 courses from the following:
This course is a study of the family; and an examination of courtship, love, marriage, husbandwife and parentchild relationships, and family disorganization.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
This course examines survey types, rates, and trends in juvenile offenses in the United States and selected other nations and explores a wide range of Theories explaining juvenile delinquency. This course examines past, present, and emerging procedures for reducing antisocial behavior and administering juvenile justice and rehabilitation programs.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
This course examines the relationship of sociological variables such as race, class, and income to the quality of health services and to the prevalence of disease. Additional topics include the organization and financing of medical care in the United States and cultural factors in the definition of illness.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
The course objective is to enable students to understand individual behavior within the social environment. Topics to be studied include the self, social perception, social cognition and information processing, attitudes, and persuasion, prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination, social influence and group behavior, romantic relationships, aggressive behavior, helping behavior, and applied social psychology.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
PREREQUISITE: SOC 111
The course examines the impact of race, ethnicity, class, and gender by engaging students in major topics and Themes currently shaping political and cultural institutions in the United States. A major focus of the course is on the social construction of race, racial, ethnic, class, and gender identity. It will include a historical perspective from pre-colonial times to the present to examine the experiences and contributions of marginalized groups and how the status quo has been maintained by dominant group. The course will also explore current strategies to build an inclusive society. The course can be used by other departments and interdisciplinary programs such as education, history, political science, psychology, economics, and some humanities.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
Co-listed As: SWK 412
This course examines how the rise of metropolitan area has impacted both city-dwellers and rural communities. The seminar introduces students to the key Theoretical and methodological trends in urban and rural sociology. Topics include the changing nature of community, the development and structure of neighborhoods, the relationship between social processes and the built environment, and variation in urban, suburban, and rural social problem and policy issues. The course draws on the sociological study of cities while integrating perspectives from history, political science, economics, anthropology, and geography so students gain a holistic understanding of the American physical and cultural landscape.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
Co-listed As: SWK 422
This course will help students to understand social welfare and social work. It focuses on the why, the what, the who, the when, the where, and in a beginning way, the how of social work. The course is for students who want to increase their general understanding about social welfare and social work and those who have a professional interest in social work.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
COREQUISITE: SOC 111
This course will introduce the student to the broad concept of social welfare policy. A critical framework will be developed for analyzing the process of social welfare policy formulation and program implementation. Attention will also be given to the social welfare policies in the history of American society with focus placed on those policies that are significant in the lives of black people and poor people and the development of their communities in the United States.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
COREQUISITES: SWK 115, SOC 111
This foundation course examines the role and interaction of social workers with vulnerable groups. This includes concepts of racism, sexism, homophobia, oppression, affirmative action, and xenophobia. These components will be discussed in relation to the role institutions of the larger society play for These groups. Implications for practice with individuals, families, and communities are examined, as are policy and research implications.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
PREREQUISITES: SWK 115, SWK 211
The course will investigate the nature of complex social and community organizations such as business, industry, and government. Students will apply key social Theories for bringing effective community-based social action. Special attention will be given to community-based disaster preparedness, recovery efforts, and management strategies. Students will be familiar with the strategies to build resilient community, community-mindedness, and cooperative relationships between disaster victims and recovery organizations. How disasters lead to rapid social change will also be explored.
CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS
PREREQUISITES: SOC 111 or SWK 115 (for Sociology & Social Work majors). Non-majors (must complete one of the Theme areas of the General Education)
Co-listed As: SWK 331
Understand Society, Shape the Future
Join a discipline that examines the complexities of human social life and provides tools for creating positive social change. Our Sociology program prepares you to analyze social issues, conduct meaningful research, and contribute to building a more just and equitable society.