Do you have a non-sociology bachelors degree?

[coffeeandtoast]

I have an engineering background and was curious if there were any more people with non-sociology backgrounds applying this time around?

Hope everyone is hanging in there with the wait

[socialcomm]

I have a background in psychology and communications. Only took one sociology class as an undergrad almost 15 years ago.

Good luck to you!

[taiwanadian]

I was also a psych major and only took 2 soc classes as an undergrad.. though many of my psych classes were cross-listed with sociology.

PS. Can't wait to hear back from schools already!!

[coffeeandtoast]

Nice to know I'm not the only one There seems to be a lot of psych majors in sociology... interesting!

Oh, forgot to say that I also took one sociology class in undergrad.

Good luck to you!

Edited January 18, 2010 by coffeeandtoast

[Maya]

Both my BA and my MA are in political science. But I'd like to think I've always been a sociologist at heart

[Early]

my BA and MA are both in Sociology. Though I wish I had a more varied history, sociology appreciates different perspectives.

[luar de ouro]

I majored in Visual Arts and English as an undergrad, and took a handful of Sociology classes, probably could've minored in it if I was willing to do an extra semester.

[captiv8ed]

Mine is listed as Sociology, but I go to an interdisciplinary school so I feel like a giant poseur. I have very little theory but a lot of practical/applied sociology.

[jacib]

Religious Studies, but Religion is one of the main issues I'm looking at. I got a B+ in my one undergrad sociology class. I took a few other classes in the Social Sciences though, and did well. A few of programs mention that they consider a "Social Sciences" background a plus. I found none that emphasized a sociology background in particular. My father is a professor and half of his program's applicants had a non-Sociology background, and half of the acceptances did too (though he hasn't served on the adcomm for years--he hated it)

[MDS DU]

I have a BS in Math and MA in Development Studies

[socphd82]

BA in Asian American Studies and another in Economics. Took two undergraduate sociology classes as a non-degree student after I graduated! Now I'm working on an MA in Sociology because I didn't get into any PhD programs last go around! I will say though, after just one semester in my grad program, I've grown a lot in my understanding of sociological theory! My SOPs from last year and this year are night and day.

good luck everyone!!! ahhhh the wait! lol

[maximus82]

BA with a double major in sociology and psychology and a major in Religious Studies (the soc department at my school kinda sucks).

I think that your major only affects your chances of getting in if you don't have any LoR from sociologists. but even in my case, I was more confident getting letters from religious studies and psychology people than from sociology.

[rogue]

My undergrad is in communications. I'm less concerned about this than about my MBA, which can't exactly be passed off as social science, other than the one organizational behavior class I took. Meh.

[JohnBom]

My BA is in sociology/anthropology. I went to a small school and we had a joint department. To tell the truth, I have taken only one sociology class in my entire college career because the anthropologists are overrepresented. But I guess I have a degree in sociology.

[Roll Right]

I only took a few anthro classes, but I loved them. But no, my degree is in sociology concentrating on crime, law, and deviance.

[Phalène]

I have a BA and MA in Interdisciplinary Studies and am currently a PhD1 student in Sociology. I had never taken a Soc course before September - it's been a steep learning curve, but if you're smart and hardworking it shouldn't be too much of an issue.

[arna]

I have a B.S. in criminal justice and a B.A. in psychology, but my minor was sociology...I only applied to one sociology grad program though. It seems to me that sociology would be more likely than other fields to have students from a wide variety of backgrounds.

[qzlb]

Engineering major here. I haven't taken a single Soc course.

[bb385]

My BA is in economics with minors in math, philosophy, and sociology. Right now I'm doing an M.Phil in Latin American studies, focusing on political economy. I'm torn between doing sociology or economics

Edited February 6, 2010 by bb385

[socnerd]

Engineering major here. I haven't taken a single Soc course.

I was under the impression that you needed at least a certain number of classes/credit hours in sociology in order to be eligible for admission for a soc graduate degree? You don't have to major in it but most of the schools I looked at said you needed to have at least some experience with theory, methods etc. Is that just the case with some schools?

[coffeeandtoast]

I was under the impression that you needed at least a certain number of classes/credit hours in sociology in order to be eligible for admission for a soc graduate degree? You don't have to major in it but most of the schools I looked at said you needed to have at least some experience with theory, methods etc. Is that just the case with some schools?

I didn't read anything like that for all three schools I applied to. But I'm sure that will be a reason for me to get rejected. I've only taken one sociology undergrad class.

[jacib]

I was under the impression that you needed at least a certain number of classes/credit hours in sociology in order to be eligible for admission for a soc graduate degree? You don't have to major in it but most of the schools I looked at said you needed to have at least some experience with theory, methods etc. Is that just the case with some schools?

As above, I have also never seen this. In fact, the closest I've seen to this is a few schools said, "We prefer students with some experience in the Social Sciences, though we have had students from many fields." It's nothing as specific as familiarity with theory that they want, but rather an indication that you can preform rigorous social science work. Nowhere did I see numbers on a certain number of classes (I took maybe 3 or 4 course that were in a Social Science department, maybe 1 or 2 more that could be cross listed). And I looked for confirmation. At top schools which listed their students, there were often enough one or two people who had done something off the wall, like engineering or theater.

[socnerd]

As above, I have also never seen this. In fact, the closest I've seen to this is a few schools said, "We prefer students with some experience in the Social Sciences, though we have had students from many fields." It's nothing as specific as familiarity with theory that they want, but rather an indication that you can preform rigorous social science work. Nowhere did I see numbers on a certain number of classes (I took maybe 3 or 4 course that were in a Social Science department, maybe 1 or 2 more that could be cross listed). And I looked for confirmation. At top schools which listed their students, there were often enough one or two people who had done something off the wall, like engineering or theater.

I just noticed on University of Maryland's website it said "Although a previous major in sociology is not required, students entering the graduate program should have had the following in undergraduate courses: mathematics through college algebra, elementary statistics, sociological theory, and sociological research methods. "

Not that its a bad thing not to be a soc major, I'm sure it brings some interesting perspectives to the table

[herself the elf]

I didn't take a single course in sociology as an undergrad, maybe one in anthro, though I double-majored in poli sci and women's studies, so a lot of the theory courses in both fields read similar theorists.

In sociology, I think as long as you know what you are talking about and you have passions in the field, you can get away with not being a soc. major.

Perhaps one might need to make a showing that they have the ability to read and comprehend the older soc. theorists that you read in the first year MA and PhD, which might be a big comprehension jump for someone coming from something like finance or computer engineering.

[maximus82]

I didn't take a single course in sociology as an undergrad, maybe one in anthro, though I double-majored in poli sci and women's studies, so a lot of the theory courses in both fields read similar theorists.

In sociology, I think as long as you know what you are talking about and you have passions in the field, you can get away with not being a soc. major.

Perhaps one might need to make a showing that they have the ability to read and comprehend the older soc. theorists that you read in the first year MA and PhD, which might be a big comprehension jump for someone coming from something like finance or computer engineering.

I think that in sociology, as in most other graduate programs, the first year or so is going to be so packed with the "basics" that it doesn't really matter whether or not you took the classes before or not. The important thing is that you can "think sociologically".

I personally majored in sociology, but I've been out of school long enough (and some of my classes sucked) that it is almost as if I hadn't. So I could use a little refresher or two.