Sociology applies the methods of science to explain social behavior. The interactions of individuals in families, groups, or organizations, and the institutions, social class, or shared beliefs of a common culture are all subjects for sociological research. There are many career opportunities open to people who complete a major in Sociology, including business, counseling and social service, public policy, law, and criminal justice.
How to Get in
| Requirements | Details |
|---|---|
| How to get in | No application required. All students who meet the requirements listed below are eligible to declare. For information on how to declare, visit Advising & Careers. |
| Courses required to get in | None |
| GPA requirements to get in | None |
| Credits required to get in | None |
| Other | None |
Students must meet with the undergraduate advisor and review the requirements prior to declaring the major.
University Requirements
All undergraduate students must complete both the following Core General Education (Core GenEd) and University Degree and Quality of Work requirements. The requirements below apply to students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution is Summer 2026 or later.
Students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution occurred before Summer 2026 should refer to the archived Guide for the requirements that apply to them.
Core General Education (Core GenEd) Requirements
| Civics & Perspectives | 3 credits of Civics & Perspectives coursework. |
| Communication & Literacy | 6 credits of Communication & Literacy coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingenglishplacement |
| Humanities & Arts | 6 credits of Humanities & Arts coursework. |
| Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning | 6 credits of Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingmathplacement |
| Natural Science & Wellness | Complete both:
|
| Social & Behavioral Science | 3 credits of Social & Behavioral Science coursework. |
| Total Credits | 30 credits. |
For more information see the policy.
University Degree and Quality of Work Requirements
All undergraduate degree recipients must complete the following minimum requirements. Requirements for some programs will exceed these requirements; see program requirements for additional information.
| Total Degree | 120 degree credits. |
| Residency | Complete 30 credits in residence. A course is considered “in residence” if it is taken when in undergraduate degree-seeking status and:
|
| Quality of Work | Achieve at least the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, and/or academic program. |
| Math | Demonstrate minimal mathematics competence by: |
| English Language | If required to take the UW-Madison English as a Second Language Assessment Test (MSN-ESLAT), demonstrate minimal English language competence by:
|
| Language | Complete one:
|
| Major Declaration | Declare and complete the requirements for at least one major. |
College of Letters & Science Degree Requirements: Bachelor of Science (BS)
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in the College of Letters & Science must complete all of the requirements below. Some courses satisfy more than one L&S degree requirement (visit College of Letters & Science: Requirements for details).
This major can be paired with either the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science degree requirements.
Bachelor of Science Degree Requirements
| Communication | Complete both:
|
| Quantitative Reasoning | Complete both:
|
| Ethnic Studies | one 3+ credit course with the Ethnic Studies designation |
| Language | the third unit of a language other than English |
| Mathematics | Complete two courses of 3+ credits at the Intermediate or Advanced level in MATH, COMP SCI, or STAT subjects. A maximum of one course in each of COMP SCI and STAT subjects counts toward this requirement. |
| L&S Breadth: Humanities | Complete 12 credits with the Humanities or Literature designation, which must include at least 6 credits with the Literature designation. |
| L&S Breadth: Social Sciences | Complete 12 credits with the Social Science designation. |
| L&S Breadth: Natural Sciences | Complete 12 credits, which must include both:
|
| Liberal Arts and Science (LAS) Coursework | at least 108 credits |
| Depth of Intermediate/Advanced Coursework | at least 60 credits at the Intermediate or Advanced level |
| Major | Declare and complete at least one major. |
| Total Credits | at least 120 credits |
| UW-Madison Experience |
|
| Quality of Work |
|
Non–L&S students pursuing an L&S major
Non–L&S students who have permission from their School/College to pursue an additional major within L&S only need to fulfill the major requirements. They do not need to complete the L&S Degree Requirements above.
Requirements for the Major
A minimum of 30 credits in SOC courses is required for the basic major. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the Foundation courses as early as possible; these courses are prerequisites for most upper-level SOC courses.
Foundation (Core)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to SOC (1 course) | 3-4 | |
| Survey of Sociology | ||
| The Sociological Enterprise | ||
| Honors Introductory Seminar-The Sociological Enterprise | ||
| Research Methods 1 | ||
| SOC/C&E SOC 357 | Methods of Sociological Inquiry (Research Methods) | 3-4 |
| Statistics 2 | ||
| SOC/C&E SOC 360 | Statistics for Sociologists I | 3-4 |
| or ECON 310 | Statistics: Measurement in Economics | |
| or MATH/STAT 310 | Introduction to Probability and Mathematical Statistics II | |
| or PSYCH 210 | Basic Statistics for Psychology | |
| or STAT 301 | Introduction to Statistical Methods | |
| or STAT 371 | Introductory Applied Statistics for the Life Sciences | |
| Classical Theory | ||
| SOC/C&E SOC 475 | Classical Sociological Theory | 3 |
| Total Credits | 12-15 | |
- 1
Students may take methods and statistics in the same semester. If students take methods and statistics in different semesters, we recommend taking methods before statistics as an entry point to the methods and materials of the field.
- 2
Statistics courses taken outside of the SOC subject do not count for 30-credits required in the major, nor are they upper level in the major.
Distribution
4 courses from at least 2 of these areas:
Methods/Statistics
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SOC 351 | Introduction to Survey Methods for Social Research | 3 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 361 | Statistics for Sociologists II | 4 |
| SOC 362 | Statistics for Sociologists III | 4 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 365 | Data Management for Social Science Research | 3-4 |
| SOC 375 | Introduction to Mathematical Sociology | 3 |
| SOC 461 | Study Abroad in Additional Methods and Statistics | 1-6 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 618 | Social Network Analysis | 3 |
| SOC 631 | Applied Qualitative Methods for Social Science | 3-4 |
Theory
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SOC 462 | Study Abroad in Additional Theory | 1-6 |
| SOC 476 | Contemporary Sociological Theory | 3 |
| SOC/ILS/JEWISH 423 | Modern Jewish Thought | 3 |
Deviant Behavior
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SOC 421 | Processes of Deviant Behavior | 3-4 |
| SOC/SOC WORK 422 | Social Issues in Aging | 3 |
| SOC 441 | Criminology | 3-4 |
| SOC 446 | Juvenile Delinquency | 3-4 |
| SOC 463 | Study Abroad in Deviant Behavior | 1-6 |
| SOC/GEN&WS/LEGAL ST 425 | Crime, Gender and Justice | 3 |
| SOC/CHICLA/LEGAL ST 443 | Immigration, Crime, and Enforcement | 3-4 |
| SOC/CHICLA/LEGAL ST 440 | Ethnicity, Race, and Justice | 3-4 |
| SOC/GEN&WS/LEGAL ST 406 | Law, Sexuality, & Society | 3-4 |
Social Psychology
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SOC 444 | Social Psychology: A Sociological Perspective | 3-4 |
| SOC/PSYCH 453 | Human Sexuality | 4 |
| SOC 464 | Study Abroad in Social Psychology | 1-6 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 532 | Health Care Issues for Individuals, Families and Society | 3 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 533 | Public Health in Rural & Urban Communities | 3 |
| SOC 535 | Talk and Social Interaction | 3 |
| SOC 543 | Collective Behavior | 3 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 573 | Community Organization and Change | 3 |
| SOC 575 | Sociological Perspectives on the Life Course and Aging | 3 |
| SOC/AMER IND/C&E SOC 578 | Poverty and Place | 3 |
Social Organization
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SOC 465 | Study Abroad in Social Organization | 1-6 |
| SOC/CHICLA 470 | Sociodemographic Analysis of Mexican Migration | 3 |
| SOC/C&E SOC/URB R PL 617 | Community Development | 3 |
| SOC 624 | Political Sociology | 3 |
| SOC 626 | Social Movements | 3 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 630 | Sociology of Developing Societies/Third World | 3 |
| SOC 632 | Sociology of Organizations | 3-4 |
| SOC 633 | Social Stratification | 3 |
| SOC 640 | Sociology of the Family | 3 |
| SOC/LAW/LEGAL ST 641 | Sociology of Law | 3-4 |
| SOC/C&E SOC/URB R PL 645 | Modern American Communities | 3 |
| SOC 647 | Sociology of Sport | 3 |
| SOC/ED POL 648 | Sociology of Education | 3 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 650 | Sociology of Agriculture | 3 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 652 | Sociology of Economic Institutions | 3 |
| SOC/HISTORY 670 | Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy in America Since 1890 | 3-4 |
| SOC 678 | Sociology of Persecution | 3 |
| SOC/ASIAN 336 | Social Change in Contemporary South Korea | 3 |
Demography and Ecology
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SOC 460 | Study Abroad in Demography and Ecology | 1-6 |
| SOC 575 | Sociological Perspectives on the Life Course and Aging | 3 |
| SOC 674 | Demographic Techniques I | 3 |
Community and Environmental Sociology
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SOC/C&E SOC 533 | Public Health in Rural & Urban Communities | 3 |
| SOC/C&E SOC/ENVIR ST 540 | Sociology of International Development, Environment, and Sustainability | 3 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 541 | Environmental Stewardship and Social Justice | 3 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 573 | Community Organization and Change | 3 |
| SOC 575 | Sociological Perspectives on the Life Course and Aging | 3 |
| SOC/AMER IND/C&E SOC 578 | Poverty and Place | 3 |
| SOC/C&E SOC/URB R PL 617 | Community Development | 3 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 650 | Sociology of Agriculture | 3 |
Electives
Additional SOC courses to achieve the required 30 credits for the major.4
- 4
A maximum one introductory course (SOC 181, SOC/C&E SOC 210, SOC/C&E SOC 211) may count toward the 30 required for the major.
Residence and Quality of Work
- 2.000 GPA in all SOC courses and courses that count toward the major
- 2.000 GPA on 15 upper-level major credits, taken in Residence5
- 15 credits in SOC, taken on the UW–Madison campus
- 5
SOC courses numbered 300–699 are upper level, except for: C&E SOC/SOC 357, C&E SOC/SOC 360, PSYCH/SOC 453, and SOC 497.
Sociology: Concentration in Analysis and Research Option
Honors in the Major
Students may declare Honors in the Sociology Major in consultation with the Sociology undergraduate advisor.
Honors in the Sociology Major: Requirements
To earn Honors in the Major in Sociology, students must satisfy the requirements for the major (above) and the following additional requirements:
- Earn a 3.300 University GPA
- Earn a 3.300 GPA for all SOC courses, and all courses accepted in the major
- Complete 21 credits, taken for Honors, with individual grades of B or better, to include:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SOC/C&E SOC 357 | Methods of Sociological Inquiry | 4 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 475 | Classical Sociological Theory | 3 |
| SOC 681 | Senior Honors Thesis | 3 |
| SOC 682 | Senior Honors Thesis | 3 |
The remaining Honors credits, to reach the 21 credit minimum, must be in courses numbered 300 or above.
Students may declare the Concentration in Analysis and Research ("CAR"). Speak to the major advisor about this option.
Learning Outcomes
- (Conduct Research and Analyze Data) Sociology encompasses both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Quantitative methods are used in market research, opinion polling, sales, government, and countless other applications and allow researchers to recognize trends and patterns and produce social statistics. Qualitative research skills provide an in depth understanding of interactions, communications, worksite practices, and social worlds. Advanced sociological research methods require graduate‐level training beyond the scope of our undergraduate major, but we expect that all undergraduate majors will be able to conduct small-scale research using surveys, interviews, experiments, textual analysis or observations in which they formulate a research question, collect data, analyze results, and draw conclusions.
- (Critically Evaluate Published Research) Sociology graduates will be able to read and evaluate published research as it appears in academic journals and popular or policy publications. They will be able to identify the research methods used, assess the quality of the sample, assess the quality of measurements and procedures, evaluate the links between the data and the interpretations, identify possible threats to the validity of the results, and provide an overall assessment of the trustworthiness of the research results. They will be able to read and evaluate a set of research articles on the same broad issue and be able to draw summarize the research findings across multiple issue.
- (Communicate Skillfully) Because the sociology major involves a large amount of reading, writing, and discussion, majors learn how to convey ideas effectively in writing, presentations, and everyday conferences and meetings. Sociology majors write papers and make oral presentations that build arguments and assess evidence in a clear and effective manner.
- (Critical Thinking about Society and Social Processes) Sociological inquiry involves learning to look beyond the surface of issues to discover the "why" and "how" of social order and structure. Sociology majors develop strong analytical skills and learn to solve problems and identify opportunities. They are able to consider the underlying social mechanisms that may be creating a situation, identify evidence that may adjudicate between alternate explanations for phenomena, and develop proposed policies or action plans in light of theory and data.
- (See Things from a Global Perspective) Sociologists learn about different cultures, groups, and societies. They examine both variation and universality across places and through history. They are aware of the diversity of backgrounds and experiences among residents of the United States. They understand the ways events and processes in one country are linked to those in other countries.
- (Prepare for Graduate School and the Job Market) An undergraduate major in sociology provides an excellent foundation for work and graduate study in a wide range of fields including law, business, social work, medicine, policy research, public health, public administration and, of course, sociology. With the aid of faculty and staff, students use their social research skills to identify opportunities for employment or further study , assess their qualifications for these opportunities, and identify strategies for gaining the necessary knowledge and experience to improve their qualifications. Students are encouraged to develop and maintain portfolios of their written work and educational experiences to aid them in preparing applications.
Four-Year Plan
This Four-Year Plan is only one way a student may complete an L&S degree with this major. Many factors can affect student degree planning, including placement scores, credit for transferred courses, credits earned by examination, and individual scholarly interests. In addition, many students have commitments (e.g., athletics, honors, research, student organizations, study abroad, work and volunteer experiences) that necessitate they adjust their plans accordingly. Informed students engage in their own unique Wisconsin Experience by consulting their academic advisors, Guide, DARS, and Course Search & Enroll for assistance making and adjusting their plan.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Communication A | 3 | SOC/C&E SOC 210 or 211 | 3-4 |
| Quantitative Reasoning A | 3 | SOC/C&E SOC 357 | 4 |
| Language (if required) | 4 | Biological Science Breadth | 3 |
| Ethnic Studies (may be taken in the major) | 3 | Intermediate MATH, COMP SCI or STAT (for BS) | 3 |
| Physical Science Breadth | 3 | ||
| 16 | 14 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SOC/C&E SOC 360 (satisfies Quantitative Reasoning B) | 4 | SOC/C&E SOC 475 | 3 |
| INTER-LS 210 | 1 | SOC Distribution (upper level) | 4 |
| Humanities Breadth | 3 | Natural Science Breadth | 3 |
| Science Breadth | 3 | Literature Breadth | 3 |
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 2 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Declare the major | SOC Distribution (upper level) | 4 | |
| Humanities Breadth | 6 | Electives | 11 |
| SOC Distribution (upper level) | 4 | ||
| Electives | 5 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SOC Distribution (upper level) | 3 | SOC elective | 4 |
| Electives | 12 | Electives | 11 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||
Advising and Careers
Declare or Cancel This Major
Please follow the process described on the Sociology website.
Students interested in the Sociology major should meet with the undergraduate advisor before they enroll for the second semester of the sophomore year. The undergraduate office's resource center holds detailed information about the major, the department, research interests of Sociology faculty, career opportunities, and student work. Declaration of the major during the sophomore year will give students access to required Sociology courses for fall of the junior year.
Advising
This university is a very big place. Even the most well-prepared new students will have moments when they say to themselves, “Uh oh. What have I got myself into going to such a big school? Choosing courses at SOAR was stressful, fun, or both, but after SOAR am I on my own?” The answer is no. Every student has at least one assigned advisor. Over the course of their time at the university, students may have several assigned advisors. That is a good thing; L&S advisors are highly networked, and they always communicate with each other about shared students.
When students read their DARS reports—degree audits that help them find their way to a timely graduation—they can feel overwhelmed; it looks like they need 500 credits to graduate. How can they get all those requirements done? Do Sociology (or Spanish, or English) majors really have to take biology courses?
In the Sociology Department, we take advising very seriously. We encourage our majors to see the advisor at least once every semester. The advisor will help you summarize the degree audit and map your completed coursework onto the goals and timeline for graduation, including the Sociology major and L&S requirements. The Sociology advisor will have departmental or college news about guest speakers, new faculty, new courses, internships, and scholarships. This advisor will also be able to assist in preparation for, and applications to graduate school, and be able to connect students with faculty whose information about various Sociology programs is always the most current. The Sociology advisor will also see freshmen and sophomores exploring the major in Sociology. See academic advising for more information.
Careers
Sociology majors learn skills that serve them well in many career fields! We offer a number of professional development and career readiness events every semester. Contact the undergraduate advisor to learn more and visit the Sociology career resources page.
Study Abroad
Learning in Letters & Science emphasizes discovery, growth, understanding different perspectives, and challenging yourself, which makes studying abroad an excellent fit for many L&S students: studyabroad.wisc.edu
As a university with global influence, we have more than 300 study abroad programs in over 80 countries. These vary in length, academic focus, teaching format, language requirements, cost, and level of independence. There are many programs to complement every major and any year of college (including the final semester)—and all meet UW–Madison’s high academic standards. Students admitted into Letters & Science can even choose a short program in the summer before they start college or their whole first year: studyabroad.wisc.edu/launch. Talk with your academic advisor about how studying abroad might fit with your academic plan.
SuccessWorks
SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps you turn the academic skills learned in your classes into a fulfilling life, guiding you every step of the way to securing jobs, internships, or admission to graduate school.
Through one-on-one career advising, events, and resources, you can explore career options, build valuable internship and research experience, and connect with supportive alumni and employers who open doors of opportunity.
- What you can do with your major (Major Skills & Outcomes Sheets)
- Make a career advising appointment
- Learn about internships and internship funding
- Try “Jobs, Internships, & How to Get Them,” an interactive guide in Canvas for enrolled UW–Madison students