Sociology Honors

Honors is about academic excellence and personal growth, both of which you can experience as an honors student. The opportunity to develop research expertise in an area of interest to you under the mentorship of a professor will be valuable for pursuing graduate studies or other professional pathways.

The Honors program is unique in three important ways:

It recognizes students who are doing well academically in their Sociology courses (higher admission standard) and requires that students maintain a higher level of academic performance.
It provides an opportunity for even greater specialization in Sociology (minimum 48 units to a maximum of 60 units).
In their final year, Honors students complete 6 units through registration in SOC 407 and SOC 408 where they have the opportunity for independent research and the writing of an original honors thesisunder the guidance of a Faculty member.

Admission Criteria:

High School Students:

Can apply for direct entry into the Faculty of Arts BA Honors Program (Honors Foundation Year).

Post-secondary Transfer Students:

Minimum of *24 units of transferable course weight required
Minimum Admission Grade Point Average (AGPA) of 3.3
Average of 3.3 or higher in all Sociology courses taken
No grade less than B- in any Sociology course taken
SOC 100 must be completed

Transfer students can apply in any year of study, however, applying earlier (after your 1st or 2nd year) is recommended.

Application Deadline:

Students must apply online by March 1st for September admission.

Program Requirements:

Honors in Sociology requires successful completion of a minimum of 48 Units to a maximum of 60 Units in Sociology (see Calendar).

Course Requirements:

SOC 100 - Introductory Sociology
SOC 210 - Introduction to Social Statistics
SOC 212 - Classical Social Theory
SOC 315 - Introduction to Social Methodology
SOC 335 - Themes in Contemporary Social Theory
SOC 407 - Honors Thesis I
SOC 408 - Honors Thesis II
9 units at the 300- or 400-level
6 units at the 400-level

Two of:

SOC 241 - Social Psychology
SOC 251 - Population and Society
SOC 260 - Inequality and Social Stratification
SOC 269 - Sociological Perspectives on Global Crises

Plus:

6 units in SOC at any level, in order to meet the minimum credits required for the major

Notes:

Theory and statistics/methodology coursework should be completed as soon as possible.
Students who have taken PSYCO 241 cannot also take SOC 241 for credit. PSYCO 241 may be used to meet this requirement, however, 3 Units from SOC 251, SOC 260, and SOC 269 must be completed. An additional 3 Units optional Senior SOC course is also required, to meet the 30 units senior-level SOC required for the major.
Faculty of Arts students who have already taken Stat 141 or 151 must still take SOC 210, since it is a requirement for the honors in Sociology program.
R SOC 355 and R SOC 450 have been approved for cross-listing as applicable to a major or minor in Sociology (see Cross-Listed Courses)

Promotion Requirements

Promotion from year to year requires a GPA of at least 3.0 with an average of at least 3.3 in all Sociology courses in the Fall/Winter.

Graduation Requirements

Graduation with Honors in Sociology requires a graduation average of at least 3.0 on the last 60 units completed at the University of Alberta with an average of at least 3.3 in all Sociology courses. Graduation with First Class Honors requires an average of at least 3.7 on all courses applied to the major taken in the final two years and an average of at least 3.5 on all courses in the final two years (last 60 units).

Combined Honors in Sociology

The Honors in Sociology program is also available as a Combined Honors degree, for students interested in studying Sociology alongside another Arts discipline. Visit the Calendar for more details about the Combined Honors in Sociology program.

Additional Information: