Sociology—Prelaw Major (B.A.)

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Major code BA4254

College of Arts and Sciences
Sociology and Anthropology Department
Bentley Annex 162
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740.593.1350
Fax: 740.593.1365
socanth@ohio.edu
https://www.ohio.edu/cas/socanth/contact

Steve Scanlan, contact person
scanlans@ohio.edu

Program Overview

Students who enter this program often have a goal of attending law school. This program provides a broad liberal arts preparation for this purpose. Students are encouraged to develop communication and analytic skills in a variety of academic disciplines. Course work is designed to encourage learning in several social sciences, writing, and text analysis.

Admissions Information

Freshman/First-Year Admission

No requirements beyond University admission requirements.

Change of Program Policy

No selective or limited admission requirements.

External Transfer Admission

No requirements beyond University admission requirements.

Opportunities Upon Graduation

Graduates of the sociology-prelaw program are well-equipped to pursue law school. Those who choose to pursue a career immediately upon graduation rather than attending law school will find meaningful and rewarding employment as consultants to business and government, social change agents (e.g., community organizers), politicians, and educators. The range of careers available to students with an emphasis on pre-law also includes those available to sociology and sociology-criminology majors.

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Requirements

Universitywide Graduation Requirements

To complete this program, students must meet all Universitywide graduation requirements .

Liberal Arts and Sciences Distribution Requirement

View the College and Liberal Arts and Sciences Distribution Requirements .

Sociology Hours Requirement

Complete a total of 30 semester credit hours of SOC coursework, including all the requirements below.

Sociology Core Courses

Earn a C or better in the following three courses:

SOC 1000 - Introduction to Sociology Credit Hours: 3
SOC 3000 - Development of Sociological Theory Credit Hours: 3
SOC 3500 - Elementary Research Techniques Credit Hours: 3

Sociology Statistics Courses

Complete one of the following courses:

COMS 3520 - Quantitative Inquiry in Communication Credit Hours: 3
ECON 3810 - Economic Statistics Credit Hours: 3
MATH 2500 - Introduction to Statistics Credit Hours: 4
PSY 2110 - Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences Credit Hours: 4
QBA 2010 - Introduction to Business Statistics Credit Hours: 4

Sociology Concentration

Complete three courses at the 3000- or 4000-level.

SOC 3090 - Sociology of Appalachia Credit Hours: 3
SOC 3150 - Social Identities Credit Hours: 3
SOC 3270 - Sociology of Education Credit Hours: 3
SOC 3290 - Race and Ethnic Relations Credit Hours: 3
SOC 3300 - Sociology of Poverty Credit Hours: 3
SOC 3310 - Class and Inequality Credit Hours: 3
SOC 3350 - Economic Sociology Credit Hours: 3
SOC 3400 - Population and Society Credit Hours: 3
SOC 3560J - Writing in Sociology & Anthropology Credit Hours: 3
SOC 3650 - Sociology of Mental Illness Credit Hours: 3
SOC 3720 - Sociology of Masculinity Credit Hours: 3
SOC 4000 - Emergent Topics in Sociological Theory Credit Hours: 3
SOC 4130 - Media and Society Credit Hours: 3
SOC 4140 - Contemporary Social Movements Credit Hours: 3
SOC 4160 - Society and the Individual Credit Hours: 3
SOC 4190 - Group Processes Credit Hours: 3
SOC 4210 - Comparative Studies of Family Credit Hours: 3
SOC 4220 - The American Family System Credit Hours: 3
SOC 4240 - Urban Sociology Credit Hours: 3
SOC 4280 - Sociology of Religion Credit Hours: 3
SOC 4300 - Sociology of Organization Credit Hours: 3
SOC 4320 - Political Sociology Credit Hours: 3
SOC 4330 - Sociology of Work Credit Hours: 3
SOC 4500 - Data Analysis Credit Hours: 3
SOC 4620 - Sociology of the Courts Credit Hours: 3
SOC 4640 - Law in Societies Credit Hours: 3
SOC 4650 - Social Change Credit Hours: 3
SOC 4670 - Violence Against Women Credit Hours: 3
SOC 4700 - Sociology of Gender Credit Hours: 3
SOC 4710 - Gender and Justice Credit Hours: 3
SOC 4810 - Environmental Sociology Credit Hours: 3

Criminal Justice System Requirement

Complete one course.

SOC 2600 - Criminal Justice Credit Hours: 3

Pre-Law Electives

Complete two courses from the following list. The SOC courses will satisfy major requirements in the sociology major and the POLS courses will satisfy social science distribution requirements in Arts and Sciences.

POLS 2200 - The Politics of Law Credit Hours: 3
POLS 2700 - Introduction to Political Theory Credit Hours: 3
SOC 4620 - Sociology of the Courts Credit Hours: 3
SOC 4640 - Law in Societies Credit Hours: 3
SOC 4710 - Gender and Justice Credit Hours: 3

Sociology Capstone

Complete the following course:

SOC 4950 - Sociology Capstone Credit Hours: 3

Preparation for Law

The Sociology Pre-Law Major is a flexible course of study to help students prepare for a successful law school application. Working with the Pre-Law faculty advisor, students develop a curriculum plan emphasizing the development of analytic skills, writing skills, and oral expression. Pre law coursework in the sociology department offers a rigorous examination of the legal processes and institutions that function to bring justice to individuals, families, and communities. To complement the sociological component of pre-law, students may also take courses in literature, philosophy, political science, and economics. Students who qualify may also apply for the Law, Justice & Culture Certificate Program program.