Sociology
Bachelor of Arts Degree
We live in challenging times. Globalization and communication technologies are bringing us into regular contact with those who are different in terms of culture, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and more. Additionally, we often seem at the mercy of large, impersonal forces that we don't quite understand. Sociology offers a useful perspective on our world, as well as a wide range of research techniques that can be used to inform policy and as a force for social change.
Starting with the premise that all human behavior is social, sociology examines the structures of groups, organizations, and societies, and how people interact within these contexts. To use the words of American sociologist C. Wright Mills, a sociological imagination allows us to understand how individual lives are shaped by economic and political institutions of the society, and not merely by "the personal situation and character of a scatter of individuals."
The BA Sociology curriculum at URI is rich in the analysis of inequality, in the examination of the structural constraints of life, and in a humanistic appreciation for cultural diversity. Sociology at URI provides the substantive background and analytic and technology skills necessary for success in 21st century careers and for thoughtful and engaged citizenship.
Students in the Bachelor of Arts curriculum are required to complete a minimum of 30 credits in sociology. These credits include several required courses:
- Sociology 100 General Sociology: This is a first course in the discipline and is designed to provide students with an introduction to sociological analysis and discourse
- Sociology 301 Sociological Research Methods: This course is a sustained examination of sociological research techniques with an emphasis on critical reasoning and the evaluation of sociological research
- Sociology 401 History of Sociological Thought: This course provides students with some sense of the relationship between sociological discourse and other intellectual developments in both non-Western and Western societies
- Sociology 495 Senior Seminar: As a capstone course, the senior seminar focuses on a single topic to give students an in-depth appreciation of how sociologists examine the world and how sociological analysis can shed light on contemporary problems
In addition to these required courses, students are required to select at least two courses that focus on issues of inequality. These courses include:
- Sociology 240 Race and Ethnic Relationships
- Sociology 242 Sex and Gender
- Sociology 336 Social Inequality
- Sociology 413 Gender Inequality
- Sociology 428 Institutional Racism
- Sociology 452 Class and Power
The department offers a host of other courses including numerous courses in the following areas:
- Work, Employment, and Organizations
- Social Movements and Social Change
- The Individual and Society
- Institutional Analysis (Religion, Families, Systems of Knowledge)
- Criminology and Corrections (including a B.S. program in Criminology and Criminal Justice)
News & Announcements
Anthropology Honor Society
URI Anthropology students have been chartered as the Alpha Rhode Island Chapter of Lamda Alpha, the national anthropology honor society. This is a tribute to the hard work of several students and to the academic excellence of our majors and our faculty. Right now, the recruitment of charter members is underway. If you're interested in being one of the first Lamda Alphas, shoot off an email to Ashley Waggoner for all the details.
The URI Anthropology Society is also up and running. Check out their page too.
Department contacts
Department Chair
C. B. Peters, cbp@uri.edu
Justice, Law & Society Minor Coordinator
Professor Leo Carroll, lcarroll@uri.edu
Administrative Assistant
Theresa Nobile, nobile@uri.edu
