Sociology Concentration

Liberal Arts:
Humanities and Social Sciences A.A.
Sociology Concentration

The Sociology Concentration, part of the Liberal Arts: Humanities and Social Sciences A.A. degree program, prepares students for academic success in baccalaureate transfer programs in Sociology and related disciplines. By offering courses that reflect a diverse set of global and cultural perspectives, the program expects students to explore and reflect on human endeavors in the context of nature and society.

Students within the sociology concentration will have multiple opportunities to participate in service learning. Service learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities.

The Sociology Concentration is primarily for the student who anticipates transfer to a four-year institution to complete work for a baccalaureate degree. It satisfies the SUNY Transfer Pathway, thereby providing seamless transfer, as a junior, into any four-year SUNY college or university. 

The program develops in its graduates:

Goal I: Proficiency in communication

• Proficiency at writing a variety of texts
• Proficiency at communicating orally
• Proficiency at communicating in a language other than English 

Goal II: Proficiency in reading and analyzing a variety of types of discourse

• Proficiency at reading and analyzing imaginative literature
• Proficiency at reading and analyzing descriptive prose (informational literature)
• Proficiency at reading and analyzing argumentative literature

Goal III: Information Literacy Skills

• Proficiency at locating, and ethically selecting, evaluating, and incorporating research material from library databases and other appropriate sources;
• Proficiency at applying citation standards to document sources
• Proficiency at distinguishing between primary and secondary sources
• Competence using information in a digital environment 

Goal IV: Proficiency at developing, analyzing, and evaluating arguments

• Proficiency at recognizing the elements of arguments
• Proficiency at distinguishing between sound & unsound arguments

Goal V: Cultural & Historical Understanding

• Using discipline-appropriate theories and methodologies to form relevant and reasonable conclusions about diverse historical and contemporary human perspectives and behaviors

Goal VI: Understanding of Civic Responsibility

• Understanding of the structures, processes, and relevance of political, social, and economic institutions
• Understanding of the roles and responsibilities of citizens in their societies 

Goal VII: Appreciation of Arts

• Understanding of how different forms of artistic expression inform and enrich the human experience

Educational and Employment Opportunities

Graduates of the Sociology Concentration at SUNY Schenectady may continue their education and/or pursue careers in a variety of fields including:

• Social Welfare
• Education
• Public Health
• Public Policy & Management
• Research
• Political Science