Honors Program

Honors Program (SOCI 196A & 196B)

The Department of Sociology offers an honors program for those students who have demonstrated excellence in the sociology major. Successful completion of the Honors Program enables you to graduate "With Highest Distinction," "With High Distinction," or "With Distinction," depending upon your performance in the program. This program runs fall quarter and winter quarter, each year. Enrollment is limited, and the presiding faculty member will make the final decision of acceptance into the program.

Eligibility

Sociology majors may apply to the honors program if they meet the following requirements:

  1. Junior or senior standing (90 units completed)
  2. 3.5 GPA or better in the major, maintained until graduation
  3. Recommendation of a faculty member familiar with your work
  4. Must have completed at least four upper- division sociology courses
  5. Overall 3.2 GPA or better, maintained until graduation
  6. Must have completed SOCI 100 and one upper-division methods course prior to the fall quarter when the honors course begins; alternatively, the consent of the honors program director must be obtained.

Interested students must fill out the Honors Program Application and return it to the undergraduate coordinator in the Department of Sociology. Completed applications must be in the department office no later than week five of the spring quarter prior to the start of the honors program in the fall. If a student will be traveling abroad during their junior year, the deadline for the application still applies, so please make arrangements accordingly.

Course Requirements

The program requires students to take SOCI 196A, Advanced Studies in Sociology, and SOCI 196B, Supervised Thesis Research. These two courses can be counted as two of the seven electives needed for the sociology major. Students choose a faculty adviser to help supervise their thesis research and writing. The honors program director will also assist students in this area and fellow students in the seminar will offer excellent feedback and suggestions. This is a wonderful program that provides participants the opportunity to improve their skills in research and writing. Students planning to go on to graduate school will possess a strong writing sample to submit with their application.

If a participant's GPA in the major falls below 3.5 or their overall GPA falls below 3.2 or if they do not earn at least an "A-" in the program, they will not graduate with honors. However, the two courses will still count as two of the seven electives required for the sociology major.

  • Students earning an A+ will graduate "With Highest Distinction."
  • Students earning an A will graduate "With High Distinction."
  • Students earning an A- will graduate "With Distinction."