Return to: Academic Programs

DEPARTMENT OFFICE
King Hall C3093
Phone: (323) 343-2200 FAX (323) 343-5155
E-mail: sociol@calstatela.edu
Website: http://www.calstatela.edu/academic/soc

Sociology is the scientific study of social behavior, social institutions, and social structure. It provides a background of understanding and research skills for students interested in a variety of occupations. The department’s programs prepare students for advanced professional study in sociology and social work, as well as positions in public and private social service agencies. Sociology will have a particular appeal to students whose intellectual and career interests are broad and unspecialized.

Sociology majors study various subjects, including: race/ethnic relations, gender issues, interpersonal relationships, religion, law, health care, child development, aging, urban populations, social inequalities, crime, corrections, occupations, mass communication, social deviance, politics, social psychology, and classical and contemporary sociological theories. The primary purpose of the academic program in sociology is to enhance students’ analytical abilities and understanding of social phenomena.

Students pursuing legal, educational, and governmental careers may benefit from sociological perspectives on human relations. Students who intend to follow careers in management, marketing, human resources, public relations, advertising, journalism, criminal justice, nursing, and comparable areas may find particular value in combining the study of sociology with their professional preparation.

Three Bachelor of Arts degree options in Sociology; minors in Sociology, in Law and Society, and in Social Gerontology; and the Master of Arts degree program are described below.

The Faculty

Professors: Cristina Bodinger-de Uriarte, Steven L. Gordon (Chair), Janet Lever, Jon Snodgrass.
Associate Professors: Elaine Draper, Roseann Giarrusso, Hyojoung Kim, Gretchen Peterson.
Assistant Professors: Gabriela Fried Amilivia, Bradley Campbell, Wai Kit Choi, Louis Esparza, Sharon Oselin, Molly Talcott.
Emeriti: William D. Darrough, Marion V. Dearman, Lawrence K. Hong, Terry R. Kandal, Delos H. Kelly, Esther Penchef, Eleni N. Pitsiou-Darrough, Fred J. Shanley, Ronald T. Tsukashima, Eui-Young Yu.

Minors in Sociology

The Department of Sociology offers minor programs for students majoring in other fields. The Minor in Sociology requires 28 units, the Law and Society Minor requires 28 units, and the Social Gerontology Minor requires 24-28 units.

Programs for this Department:

Undergraduate Major

• Sociology, B.A. 
Undergraduate Minor

• Law and Society Minor 
• Social Gerontology Minor 
• Sociology Minor 
Graduate Major

• Sociology, M.A. 
 

Return to: Academic Programs