Sociology and Anthropology
Undergraduate Program
The Department of Sociology and Anthropology offers both Bachelor of Science (BS) and Bachelor of Arts (BA) undergraduate degrees in sociology. The primary difference is that the BA requires four semesters of a foreign language, while the BS degree replaces those hours with additional science and math electives. In either degree program, students choose from four areas of concentration. The requirements for students are listed below.All students, no matter which concentration they choose, must fulfill the Clemson University general education requirements. They must also take three core sociology courses, one stratification course, and one cultural awareness course.
CORE COURSES:
All of the following:
- SOC 201 (Introduction to Sociology)
- SOC 404 (Social Theory)
- SOC 303 (Research Methods)
- SOC 460 (Race, Ethnicity and Class) or SOC 461 (Sex Roles)
- One of the following:
- SOC 433 (Globalization and Social Change) or ANTH 301 (Cultural Anthropology)
In addition, all majors must take specific courses related to their area of concentration.
CONCENTRATION REQUIREMENTS:
The Sociology Major offers four concentration areas:
- General Sociology
- Criminal Justice
- Social Service
- Community Services
Students are encouraged to discuss their interest in the sociology major with Undergraduate Coordinator, Harrison Kisner. Once a student declares a major in sociology, they are assigned a faculty advisor who will assist them in planning their bachelor's degree.
Anthropology Minor
Anthropology is the discipline that examines all human behavior, from human origins to the diversity of contemporary cultures. Anthropology also examines the impact of global changes, from the origins of agriculture to current world issues such as third-world inequality and the impact of globalization.The anthropology minor allows students to explore the four principal subfields of anthropology (cultural, physical, archaeology and linguistics) with a dual focus on the academic and applied aspects of the discipline. An anthropology degree is highly sought after by business and other professional fields and has many applications in academia.
By minoring in anthropology, students will gain a greater awareness of human behavior and the world's cultures — both past and present — as well as the methodological and theoretical tools necessary to understand that behavior. The minor is also ideal for students wishing to increase their understanding of cultural diversity and globalization.
Anthropologists are interested in such questions as:
- What is the essence of being human and how did this originate?
- In what ways, and why, do different populations vary genetically?
- How did plant and animal domestication begin and what were the consequences for human societies?
- How can we explain and understand all the different ways humans have developed in order to solve life's basic problems?
- How do humans transform sounds into meanings?
- How did human languages begin and how are they related?
- Why are ethnic groups today fighting back against larger nations?
- How can we work to guarantee human rights for all people in the world today?
Relation to Other Clemson Programs:
As the discipline that bridges the gap between the sciences and the humanities, anthropology supports cross-cultural perspectives in programs like Language and International Trade, Language and International Health, Communications Studies, History, Art and Architectural History, Languages, Secondary Education, and any of the social sciences. An anthropology minor also internationalizes many other majors like Marketing, Management, Industrial Engineering, Agriculture, Nursing, Health Sciences and PRTM. The anthropology minor supports four of Clemson's academic focus areas: Family and Community Studies, Environmental Sustainability, Biomedical services and General Education.For more information, contact professor Mike Coggeshall at raucus@clemson.edu.