College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
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  • Sociology, Minor

Contact the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Email:
sbs.dean​@nau.edu
Call:
928-523-2672
Get application information
For more information on minors in Anthropology, please visit the Department of Anthropology website.


Sociology, Minor

How does social context affect how you think and how you act? How do we shape social change? How does a society become religious or secular, liberal or conservative? How do communities organize? Why do humans usually follow the “rules” of society?

The Sociology minor at Northern Arizona University will help you learn to apply sociological theory and methods to the study of issues in contemporary society and culture. You'll sharpen your critical thinking skills and gain knowledge about diversity, individual behavior, and group dynamics. Whether your career takes you into public service, private industry, or a non-governmental organization, this minor will help you understand-and act effectively-in the world around you.

This minor addresses social organization and how such organization (family, group, nation, religion, etc.) affects behavior. This minor will also assist the student in developing critical skills, such as writing, analysis, and research.

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Requirements Accordion Open

University Requirements

  • A minor is earned in conjunction with a bachelor's degree.

    To receive a minor (18 to 24 units) at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject matter areas with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0. At least 12 units of the minor must be unique to that minor and not applied to any other minor.

Overview Accordion Closed

Overview

In addition to University Requirements:

  • Complete individual plan requirements.

Please note that students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.

No more than 50% of the units used to satisfy minor requirements may be used to satisfy major requirements.

Purpose Statement

The minor program in Sociology provides students with an arena to explore the scientific study of society, beginning with foundational knowledge of major areas within sociology—such as, small group dynamics and inequities of race, class, and gender— following with specialized topics such as social justice, culture and community, environment, and health. This minor offers experience that is useful for students interested in careers such as law, business, marketing, communications, health sciences, social and government services. Students will sharpen their critical thinking skills in this minor, through writing, analysis, and research.

Student Learning Outcomes

By the time of graduation, sociology minors should be able to demonstrate understanding of the following:

1) Foundational sociological knowledge by:

  • Explaining sociology as a discipline, including how it is a unique social science, how it contributes to a liberal arts education, and how the sociological imagination applies to reality;
  • Explaining the role of theory in sociology, including defining the major theories and their role in building sociological knowledge, comparing and contrasting them, explaining the context in which they were developed, applying them to social reality within a global context;
  • Applying basic concepts, such as culture, social change, socialization, stratification, social structure, institutions, and differentiations (e.g., race/ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality) and their theoretical interrelations to analyze social trends, conflicts, reciprocal relationships between individuals and society, and social policies; and
  • Evaluating the internal diversity of the United States and its place in the global context.

2) Critical use of scientific methods to develop empirical explanations of social phenomena by analyzing and evaluating data to inform the explanation of the phenomenon being studied.

Details Accordion Closed

Details

Minor Requirements
  • Take the following 18 units:

    • SOC 101 (3 units)
    • Other sociology coursework with advisor's guidance (15 units)
  • Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also take. For prerequisite information click on the course or see your advisor.
     

Availability Accordion Closed

Campus Availability

  • Flagstaff
  • Online
  • Yuma

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James I Bowie
Principal Lecturer
Department of Sociology
James.Bowie@nau.edu
+1 928 523-1752
Raul H. Castro Social and Behavioral Sciences , room 332
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Jessie K. Finch
Chair, Sociology; Senior Lecturer, Sociology
Department of Sociology
Jessie.Finch@nau.edu
+1 928 523-3681
Raul H. Castro Social and Behavioral Sciences , room 334
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Stefanie Kunze
Lecturer
Department of Sociology
Stefanie.Kunze@nau.edu
+1 928 523-9458
Raul H. Castro Social and Behavioral Sciences , room 229
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Karen Pugliesi
Interim Executive Vice President and Provost, Northern Arizona University; Professor, Sociology
Office of the Provost
Karen.Pugliesi@nau.edu
+1 928 523-1593
Babbitt Administrative Center , room 201
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Erin Marie Whitesitt
Lecturer
Department of Sociology
Erin.Whitesitt@nau.edu
+1 928 523-3964
Raul H. Castro Social and Behavioral Sciences , room 357
College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Location
Room 200 Building 65
Raul H. Castro Building
5 East McConnell Drive
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
Mailing Address
PO Box 15700
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
Contact Form
Email
sbs.dean@nau.edu
Phone
928-523-2672
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