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Sociology uses behavioral research methods to answer fundamental questions about why and how groups of people behave the way they do; from work to school to relationships with others. How social forces like culture, the economy, and social inequality are focal points of the major.
Sociology provides an excellent foundation for work in a wide variety of fields in public and social service, law, research, health, and nearly every industry. Sociology emphasizes hidden and overlooked elements of human collective behaviors, from the most mundane social habits to world-changing protest movements. Social theories and research assists our understanding of behaviors that many casually notice but do not deeply observe, yet sociologists strive to understand and describe hidden structures that encourage some actions and prohibit others.
Four semesters with 12 units per semester.
Students commonly transfer to local universities to complete their undergraduate work in sociology, including UC Irvine, UC Los Angeles, CSU Fullerton, and CSU Long Beach.
Department Chair
Sample Academic Plans
Course | Title | CSU GE Area/Major | Units |
---|---|---|---|
WR 1 | College Writing 1 | A2 | 4 |
PSYC 10* | Statistical Methods in the Behavioral Sciences | B4 | 3 |
SOC 1/1H or SOC 2 | Introduction to Sociology or Social Problems | D & Major | 3 |
COMM 1 | Communication Fundamentals | A1 | 3 |
Learning & Self Dev | Lifelong Learning and Self Development GE Course | E | 3 |
Course | Title | CSU GE Area/Major | Units |
---|---|---|---|
Critical Thinking | Critical Thinking GE Course | A3 | 3-4 |
SOC 20 | Ethnic and Minority Group Relations | D & Major | 3 |
Arts | Arts GE Course | C1 | 3 |
GS 10 or GS 20 | Introduction to Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies or Gender and Contemporary Society | Major | 3 |
Transfer Elective | CSU Transferable Elective (Courses 1-199) | 2-3 |
Course | Title | CSU GE Area/Major | Units |
---|---|---|---|
SOC 10 or SOC 30 | Introduction to Marriage and Family or Social Psychology | Major | 3 |
Social Justice Major | Social Justice Studies AA-T Major Course from Areas 2, 3 or 5 | Major | 3 |
HIST 20 or HIST 21 | American History Course | C2 | 3 |
Physical Science | Physical Science GE Course | B1 | 3 |
Science Lab | Physical Science Lab | B3 | 1 |
Transfer Elective | CSU Transferable Elective (Courses 1-199) | 1-3 |
Course | Title | CSU GE Area/Major | Units |
---|---|---|---|
PS 1 | American Government | D & Major | 3 |
SOC 19 | Sociology of Sex and Gender (Spring Only) | Major | 3 |
Foreign Language | Chinese, Japanese, French, Sign Launguage or Spanish | C2 | 4-5 |
Life Science | Life Science GE Course | B2 | 3 |
Transfer Elective | CSU Transferable Elective (Courses 1-199) | 3 |
*Students may be eligible for one or more AA/AS/AA-T/AS-T degrees if they complete a GE transfer pattern, have specific courses, and have 60 transferable units. Please see a counselor for degree options and advisement.
Course | Title | IGETC Area/Major | Units |
---|---|---|---|
WR 1 | College Writing 1 | 1A | 4 |
PSYC 10* | Statistical Methods in the Behavioral Sciences | 2A & Major | 3 |
SOC 1 or 1H | Introduction to Sociology or Honors | 4 & Major | 3 |
COMM 1 | Communication Fundamentals | 1C | 3 |
Arts | Arts GE Course | 3A | 3 |
Course | Title | IGETC Area/Major | Units |
---|---|---|---|
WR 2 | College Writing 2 - Critical Thinking | 1B | 4 |
SOC 2 | Social Problems | 4 & Major | 3 |
PHIL 2 or PS 5 | Introduction Ethics or Political Philosophy | 3B | 3 |
ANTH 1 | Physical Anthropology Course | 5B | 3 |
ANTH 1 LAB | Physical Anthropology Lab Course | 5C | 1 |
Course | Title | IGETC Area/Major | Units |
---|---|---|---|
SOC 15 or SOC 30 | Socialization of the Child or Social Psychology | 4 | 3 |
SOC 10 | Introduction to Marriage and Family | 4 | 3 |
Arts or Humanities | Arts or Humanities GE Course | 3A or 3B | 3 |
ANTH 2 | Cultural Anthropology | 4 | 3 |
History | Any UC Transfer History Course (Courses 1-99) | 3B or 4 | 3 |
Course | Title | IGETC Area/Major | Units |
---|---|---|---|
SOC 3 | Global Sociology: Change in the Modern World System | 4 | 3 |
SOC 19 | The Sociology of Sex and Gender (Spring Only) | 4 | 3 |
SOC 20 | Ethnic and Minority Group Relations | 4 | 3 |
Physical Science | Physical Science GE Course | 5A | 3 |
Transfer Elective | UC Transfer Elective (Courses 1-99) | 3 |
Course | Title | CSU GE Area/Major | Units |
---|---|---|---|
WR 1 | College Writing 1 | A2 | 4 |
PSYC 10* | Statistical Methods in the Behavioral Sciences | B4 | 3 |
SOC 1 or 1H | Introduction to Sociology or Honors | D & Major | 3 |
Learning & Self Dev | Lifelong Learning and Self Development GE Course | E | 3 |
Transfer Elective | CSU Transferable Elective (Courses 1-199) | 1-3 |
Course | Title | CSU GE Area/Major | Units |
---|---|---|---|
Critical Thinking | Critical Thinking GE Course | A3 | 3-4 |
COMM 1 | Communication Fundamentals | A1 | 3 |
SOC 2 | Social Problems | D & Major | 3 |
Arts | Arts GE Course | C1 | 3 |
Physical Science | Physical Science GE Course | B1 | 3 |
Course | Title | CSU GE Area/Major | Units |
---|---|---|---|
SOC 10, 19, 20 or 30 | Various Sociology Courses | Major | 3 |
SOC 10, 19, 20 or 30 | Various Sociology Courses | Major | 3 |
HIST 20 or HIST 21 | American History Through the Civil War or American History Since the Civil War | C2 or D | 3 |
ANTH 1 | Physical Anthropology | B2 | 3 |
ANTH 1 LAB | Physical Anthropology Lab | B3 | 1 |
PHIL 2 or PS 5 | Introduction to Ethics or Political Philosophy | C2 | 3 |
Course | Title | CSU GE Area/Major | Units |
---|---|---|---|
SOC 3, 10, 15, 19, 20 or 30 | Various Sociology Courses | Major | 3 |
PS 1 | American Government | D | 3 |
Arts/Humanities | Arts or Humanities GE Course | C1 or C2 | 3 |
History | Any CSU Transferable History Course (Courses 1-199) | C2 or D | 3 |
Ethnic Studies | Ethnic Studies GE Course | F | 3 |
Course | Title | AA GE Area/Major | Units |
---|---|---|---|
WR 1 | College Writing 1 | 1A | 4 |
PSYC 10* | Statistical Methods in the Behavioral Sciences | 2 | 3 |
SOC 1 or 1H | Introduction to Sociology or Honors | 4 & Major | 3 |
ANTH 2 | Cultural Anthropology | 5 & Major | 3 |
Lifelong Health** | Lifelong Health and Personal Development GE Course | 9 A/B/C | 3 |
Course | Title | AA GE Area/Major | Units |
---|---|---|---|
COMM 1 | Communication Fundamentals | 1B | 3 |
Critical Thinking | Critical Thinking | 1C | 3-4 |
SOC 3 | Global Sociology: Change in the Modern World System | 4 & Major | 3 |
SOC 10 | Introduction to Marriage and Family | 4 &Major | 3 |
Fine Arts | Fine Arts and Languages GE Course | 7 | 3-5 |
Course | Title | AA GE Area/Major | Units |
---|---|---|---|
SOC 2 | Social Problems | 4 & Major | 3 |
SOC 15 | Socialization of the Child (Recommended Elective) | 4 | 3 |
PHIL 2 or PS 5 | Introducation to Ethics or Political Philosophy | 6 | 3 |
American Institutions | American Institutions GE Course | 8 | 3 |
Lifelong Health** | Lifelong Health and Personal Development GE Course | 9 A/B/C | 2-3 |
Course | Title | AA GE Area/Major | Units |
---|---|---|---|
SOC 19 | The Sociology of Sex and Gender (Recommended Elective) | 4 | 3 |
SOC 20 | Ethnic and Minority Group Relations | 4 & Major | 3 |
ANTH 1 | Physical Anthropology | 3 | 3 |
History | Any History Course | 4 | 3 |
Elective | Degree Applicable Elective (Courses 1-299) | 3 |
*Students may be eligible for one or more AA/AS/AA-T/AS-T degrees if they complete a GE transfer pattern, have specific courses, and have 60 transferable units. Please see a counselor for degree options and advisement.
AA = Associate of Arts | AS = Associate of Science | AA-T = Associate of Arts for Transfer | AS-T = Associate of Science for Transfer | COA = Certificate of Achievement | COP = Certificate of Proficiency
Median Salary
$89,763
Job Growth
+9%
Education
New workers start around $41,995. Normal pay is $89,763 per year. Highly experienced workers can earn up to $222,412.
Median Salary
$89,763
Job Growth
+9%
Median Salary
$76,664
Job Growth
+7%
Education
New workers start around $36,807. Normal pay is $76,664 per year. Highly experienced workers can earn up to $146,779.
Median Salary
$76,664
Job Growth
+7%
Median Salary
$108,179
Job Growth
0%
Education
New workers start around $59,300. Normal pay is $108,179 per year. Highly experienced workers can earn up to $170,816.
Median Salary
$108,179
Job Growth
0%
Median Salary
$89,763
Job Growth
+9%
Education
New workers start around $41,995. Normal pay is $89,763 per year. Highly experienced workers can earn up to $222,412.
Median Salary
$89,763
Job Growth
+9%
Median Salary
$82,417
Job Growth
-28%
Education
New workers start around $47,145. Normal pay is $82,417 per year. Highly experienced workers can earn up to $128,233.
Median Salary
$82,417
Job Growth
-28%
Median Salary
$167,315
Job Growth
+12%
Education
New workers start around $118,685. Normal pay is $167,315 per year. Highly experienced workers can earn up to $310,332.
Median Salary
$167,315
Job Growth
+12%
Exploratory Interest Area
Explore Engineering while still working toward your academic goals.
Talk with a Counselor
Speak to one of IVC’s Academic Counselors to learn more about all of your options.
Why choose IVC?
Quality education should not put you in the red. The cost of attending Irvine Valley College is very low compared to the private, UC, and CSU systems.
With Fast Track Career Paths, at IVC, we give you the tools to quickly enter the workforce and start making money.
Looking to transfer to a four-year university? With the #1 Transfer Rate in California, IVC is the best place to start!
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