Graduates have facility in library research and the use of computers, data analysis, and electronic network search mechanisms. A sociology major prepares students for fields requiring knowledge of social science and human services as well as for graduate training in sociology and the social sciences or in professional fields such as law, business, social work, urban planning, or public health. Please see the CSU, Chico University Catalog and the student handbook and handout for further discussion of the sociology major and for course and faculty listings. Students use critical thinking to evaluate social problems, theories, journal articles, video presentations, news media, and current events, and practice constructive criticism in the review of others' ideas and written work. Students debate opposing points of view while developing tolerance of diverse perspectives.
Students investigate national and individual histories concerning prejudice and discrimination.
Students write papers exploring social problems, applying theory to case studies, and examining family and social histories. Students who opt for an Applied Sociology Internship utilize their journal entries and concept paper to relate their internship experiences to broader social phenomena, using sociological concepts and theories. Students use word-processing, spreadsheet, and statistical software to analyze data sets and interpret results. Students use descriptive and inferential statistics in class assignments, and give an interpretative report of their analysis of a national data set. Students compare and contrast various research designs used in sociology and examine their basic assumptions and component parts.