Overview

Sociology is the critical study of the social world. As a sociology student, you will gain a rich understanding of a range of social processes and concerns, including such pressing issues as public health crises to social movements for racial justice. Through your course work, you will develop skills to examine social problems and work collaboratively to identify solutions. You will also gain experience and apply insights to important social issues through community engagement.

Our online BA in Sociology is a program for undergraduate students who want to earn a valuable, high-quality degree in a field that is full of professional opportunities. We offer three optional certificates for our majors as well as non-majors, including Families & Social Welfare, Criminology, and Sociology of Health and Medicine. The BA in Sociology program is designed for traditional undergraduate students as well as working adults who wish to pursue a new credential or complete college coursework. Thus, it is for students who are returning to coursework after a long break, transfers from other universities and community colleges, and high school graduates who want to complete their degree entirely online.

Although the BA in Sociology is entirely online, the program is taught by the same high-quality award-winning faculty as the on-campus program. Most of our courses are taught by full-time doctoral-level faculty, the majority of whom are actively engaged in social research. Their expertise and experience offer online students the opportunity to complete faculty-supervised research remotely and graduate with university honors, which is very uncommon for an online program.

A BA in Sociology will provide you with numerous professional opportunities and career options. You could work as a human resource manager, urban planner, criminologist, policy analyst or social science researcher, among many other roles in corporations, education, government and nonprofit organizations. Some sociologists also work in higher education as researchers, writers and professors.

Timeline

The BA in Sociology program can be completed at the same pace as any traditional undergraduate degree or at your own pace. Students taking a full course load (at least 12 credit hours per semester) can expect to graduate in 4 years, or 8 semesters. For students who want to graduate as quickly as possible, Maymester and summer courses are also available. Students who transfer credits via the university’s flexible transfer system are able to finish earlier than those who start with zero credits.

After graduation, you’ll be able to immediately go to work in sociology-related fields.

Admissions

Admission requirements and deadlines vary based on the program. In addition, you will have different requirements depending on if you are a first-time student, a transfer student or an international student. 

Learn more about the admissions process by filling out the form above or contacting the CU Denver Enrollment Team today.

Career Outlook

What sort of career options exist for you after receiving your online bachelor’s degree in sociology? The opportunities are almost limitless. A degree in sociology can prepare you for a career in a number of industries, including business, human resources, criminal justice, and law enforcement, policy and government, social work and education.

Sociologists play an important role in our ability to understand the various forces that influence our society. This social science requires a strong command of both empirical research processes and critical analysis, which can then be applied to countless career paths. For example, a sociologist working in the public sector might be a social worker or city planner, whereas a sociologist working for a business could be a human resources director or market analyst. You could also help develop good public policy on the local, state, and federal levels. Many sociologists also choose to remain in academia as professors, researchers, and writers. Non-profit directors also often have a background in sociology.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for sociologists in the United States in 2017 was $79,650 per year, but many sociologists don’t work with the job title of “sociologist.” Rather, they apply their transferable skills, research experience, and sociology expertise to the field where they are employed. Some sociologists go on to pursue additional education, adding a master’s degree or PhD to their credentials.

Sociology positions are expected to remain stable between 2016-2026. Sociologists can be found working in any field, but here are some standard career paths median salaries:

• Academia: $87,401
• Corporate Sales Manager: $56,332
• Public Policy Analyst: $56,224
• Social Worker: $44,351

Courses

The BA in Sociology program offers relevant, high-quality coursework that satisfies every requirement in preparing you for a career in sociology. Out of the 120 required credits for graduation, 34 come directly from the sociology program.

Sociology students study social problems, social systems, race, ethnicity, gender, social inequalities, institutions (e.g. family, law, health care), research methods and more. Because our students get the opportunity to participate in authentic, original research as part of the Bachelor of Arts in Sociology program, graduates go into the field with everything they need to be successful.