Sociology Major

The sociology curriculum at PLU is cumulative, such that the skills developed in lower-division courses set the groundwork for the skills to be developed in upper-division classes. We advise students to select their courses with this curricular philosophy in mind. Students are required to complete 40 credit hours in the major. In addition to the required courses, listed below, students also take several electives.

40 semester hours, including:

  • SOCI 101: Introduction to Sociology
  • SOCI 240: Social Problems
  • SOCI 301: Quantitative Research Methods
  • SOCI 302: Qualitative Research Methods
  • SOCI 496: Sociological Theory
  • SOCI 499: Capstone
  • 4 semester hours of SOCI Inequalities elective coursework. Choose from 210 (Gender and Society), 309 (Social Stratification), or 332 (Race and Racism).
  • 12 semester hours of Sociology elective coursework not already selected above. Choose from 210 (Gender and Society), 230 (The Family), 287 (Special Topics in Sociology), 309 (Social Stratification), 332 (Race and Racism), 336 (Deviance), 378 (Consumption), 387 (Special Topics in Sociology), 391 (Sociology of Religion), 393 (Gender and Violence), 495 (Internship), or CRIM 226.

Majors and minors are expected to maintain a minimum grade of C- in sociology classes.

 

Updated 8/20/2025

Declare your Major

If you would like to declare your major in sociology schedule a meeting with the department chair, Kate Luther lutherke@plu.edu

Due to shared core curriculum, students may not double major in sociology and criminal justice. Students may major in sociology and minor in criminal justice.