The Department of Sociology offers the minor in Sociology.

Requirements for Sociology Minors

Students are required to complete 18 hours to include:

• SOCI 1301 Introduction to Sociology (3 hours)
• 4 advanced courses in Sociology (3000/4000 level; 12 hours)
• Sociology course (any level; 3 hours)

Please note that:

• 9 hours must be taken in residence at the University of Houston. Of these 9 hours, 6 hours must be advanced course work (3000/4000 level).
• A minimum of 2.0 GPA is also required for the minor.
• To declare a minor or a concentration within a minor (see below), contact Mr. Landis Odoms, Undergraduate Studies Advisor, Department of Sociology (email: lodoms@uh.edu, phone: 713-743-3947, office: Room 467, Philip G. Hoffman Hall).

Concentrations for Sociology Minors

Students may elect to complete a Sociology minor with a concentration in one of the following areas:

• Health and Medicine
• Workplace Diversity
• Criminology, Law, and Deviance

Students are not required to complete a concentration. However, students who elect to pursue a concentration must declare this at any time before the semester they anticipate to graduate, although they are encouraged to declare this early on in their academic careers.

Students who complete all requirements of the concentration will graduate with a minor in sociology with a concentration in that specific area (e.g., a Sociology minor with a concentration in Health and Medicine).

Health and Medicine Concentration

The Health and Medicine concentration is specifically designed for students who wish to:

• Learn about sociological aspects of health, illness, and health care in the United States and globally;
• Develop a critical perspective on the implications of different factors, with a central focus on social ones, for health outcomes; and
• Expand their knowledge of social determinants of health disparities and behaviors, advantages and disadvantages of various health care systems, and different types of health care professions, occupations, and settings.

A Sociology minor with a concentration in Health and Medicine will serve as an indicator of students’ solid understanding of health inequalities and health care challenges to future or current employers.

The requirements for the Health and Medicine concentration include one of the two required courses plus three additional courses (i.e., elective courses) from the approved list:

Required Courses (3 credit hours)

One of the following two courses:

• SOC3380 Introduction to the Sociology of Health Care
  OR
  
• SOC3353 Health Disparities in Society

Elective Courses (9 credit hours)

Three of the following courses:

• SOC3315 Sexuality and Society
• SOC3316 Sociology of Sport
• SOC3319 Gender, Sexuality, and Health
• SOC3322 Black (Im)migrants, Refugees, and Health
• SOC3323 Comparative Health Care: Africa and the USA
• SOC3339 Aging and Health in Africa and the USA
• SOC3344 Sociology of Aging
• SOC3350 Sociology of the Body
• SOC3352 Social Demography
• SOC3354 Social Justice & Health Equity
• SOC3358 Gender and Health Care in Africa
• SOC3360 Sociology of Food
• SOC3382 Sociology of Drug Use and Recovery

Workplace Diversity Concentration

The Workplace Diversity concentration is intended to offer students the opportunity to:

• Gain a deeper understanding of ever-increasing diversity in contemporary society and particularly in the workplace;
• Become aware of various aspects of workplace diversity and its importance, benefits, and challenges; and
• Acquire necessary knowledge and skills in order to successfully interact and work with people from different backgrounds shaped by their gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, social class, etc.

A Sociology minor with a concentration in Workplace Diversity will serve as an indicator of students’ cultural competence and commitment to a diverse workforce to future or current employers.

The requirements for the Workplace Diversity concentration include one of the two required courses plus three additional courses (i.e., elective courses) from the approved list:

Required Courses (3 credit hours)

One of the following two courses:

• SOC3342 Sociology of Work
  OR
  
• SOC3341 Organizations

Elective Courses (9 credit hours)

Three of the following courses:

• SOC3315 Sexuality and Society
• SOC3327 Race and Ethnic Relations in the United States
• SOC3328 Race and Ethnicity in World Perspective
• SOC3330 Introduction to Social Psychology
• SOC3347 Nonprofit Organization & Management
• SOC3351 Social Class and Mobility
• SOC3363 Sociology of Poverty
• SOC3390 Sociology of Gender
• SOC3395 Careers in Sociology
• SOC4394 Internship in Sociology
  
  

Criminology, Law, and Deviance Concentration

Students pursuing the Criminology, Law, and Deviance concentration will:

• Cultivate a critical perspective on a variety of current challenges related to criminal, delinquent, and deviant behaviors, aggression and violence, forms of punishment, systems of social control, workings of the criminal legal system, and the process and consequences of victimization;
• Become knowledgeable about the types, origins, causes, and explanations for these issues, their impact on society and individuals, as well as solutions to these problems from a sociological perspective; and
• Gain a strong foundation for graduate studies in various fields (e.g., sociology, law, criminology, criminal justice, public policy, and social work) and for relevant careers and occupations.

The Criminology, Law, and Deviance concentration provides undergraduate students with a unique opportunity to gain specialized knowledge as well as relevant skills which they can develop further in graduate studies and/or which can make them more competitive to future or current employers.

The requirements for the Criminology, Law, and Deviance concentration include one of the two required courses plus three additional courses (i.e., elective courses) from the approved list:

Required Courses (3 credit hours)

One of the following two courses:

• SOC 3313 Criminology
  OR
  
• SOC 3311 Sociology of Law

Note: If students take both required courses, they need to take only two elective courses from the approved list below.

Elective Courses (9 credit hours)

Three of the following courses:

• SOC 3312 Sociology of Deviance
• SOC 3314 Juvenile Delinquency
• SOC 3335 Sociology of Punishment
• SOC 3336 Aggression & Violence in Society
• SOC 3337 Women and Crime
• SOC 3338 Punishment in the U.S.
• SOC 3382 Sociology of Drug Use & Recovery