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Frequently Asked QuestionsHere are some questions about sociology frequently asked by undergraduates. If your question is not answered here, contact the department office or your advisor. You can click on a heading in the Table of Contents to get to that part of the page. Table of Contents: Where is the Sociology Department located? The Sociology Department is located in Manchester Hall at the north end of scenic Mirror Lake, across the street from the Montieth Building. Click here for a map . Sociology faculty and graduate students have offices on all four floors of Manchester Hall. The department office is in room 115-16, the first offices on the right as you come in the west entrance (by the parking lot).
When is the department office open? The department office is open from 8:00AM-4PM Monday through Friday. The staff are on lunch break from 12-1PM. Hours may be shorter when classes are not in session. You do not need to make an appointment to come, but you can call 860 486-4422 if you want to check.
Where are the faculty mailboxes? The Sociology mailroom is in room 121, which is open from 7:30AM to 4 PM on Monday through Friday. The faculty mailboxes are on the right and graduate student boxes on the left. Some courses are taught by graduate students, so check both sides if you're not sure.
How do I find my professor's office? A list of offices, office hours, and phone numbers can be found by clicking here .
I need the department head's signature for a form. How do I get it? Ask at the department office, and the staff can tell you what to do next. They can take care of routine forms, or set up an appointment with the head if necessary.
MAJORING IN SOCIOLOGY Which catalog year am I under? It is important for you to know which catalog year you are under because that lets you know exactly which course requirements you need to take. Typically, your catalog year is the academic year in which you declared a major in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (e.g., becoming a sociology major). Perhaps the easiest way, however, is to look on your PeopleSoft transcript/ degree progress report for your "Requirement Term." If you are not sure, check with Kathy Covey in the Sociology office. CAUTION : It is easy to get this wrong, and it might postpone your graduation if you do.
What are the grade requirements for a major? You need to maintain a "C" average for the sociology courses listed on your final plan of study. So some of your sociology grades can be "C-", "D+", "D", or "D-" as long as your grades in other sociology classes are high enough to bring it to a 2.0 average. If you have completed more credits in sociology than you need to graduate, you can omit the "extra" classes with lower grades in doing this calculation; however, the required courses must be included.
What are the grade requirements for a minor? You need a C in a course to count it for a minor. For example, if you get a C- the course will not count for the minor, no matter how well you do in other classes in the minor.
Why do you have stricter grade requirements for minors than for majors? That doesn't make sense. It has to do with university rules. If you want to find out why organizations do things like that, try Sociology 265, Complex Organizations
How do I calculate my GPA? It can be rather complicated, especially if you have classes with different number of credits. The undergraduate catalog tells you how to do it in the section on grading. Click here: http://www.catalog.uconn.edu/acadm.htm
Can I retake one of my sociology courses to raise my GPA? Any retake of a course means that the highest grade received is used in the GPA calculation. All grades received do remain on the transcript. Sometimes a retake doesn't improve the student's GPA that much. Sometimes it is a mathematical limit and sometimes it is just hard for the student to do that well in a course he/she didn't do well in the first time around. A better approach might be to take a different class that you like better and will do well in.
Where can I get more information about the sociology major? Use the link at left to get the Handbook for Majors. Copies are also available outside the department office..
What about the suggested concentrations listed in the Undergraduate Handbook? Do I need to select one? No. They are just lists of courses that you might find useful if you are thinking of a career in social services, business, public policy, urban affairs, and criminal justice.
What is graduating with distinction and how do I do it? You can graduate as a sociology major with distinction if you have obtained a 3.5 GPA in sociology and a 3.2 GPA for all your courses, taken a graduate seminar, and completed an original research paper under the direction of a faculty member as part of a three-credit independent study (or have taken a second graduate seminar). If you want to graduate with distinction, you should talk to the head advisor, Professor Ratcliff, during your Junior year in order to plan your program . If you graduate with distinction it will be noted on your degree for all the world to see.
What courses qualify as "related" courses? This is to be decided by you and your sociology advisor. Faculty members differ in what they accept as related courses, so make sure to talk about it with your advisor. Typically, most courses in the following departments are acceptable as related courses: Anthropology, Economics, History, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Women's Studies, Latin American Studies, and Urban Studies. Additionally some courses in the following departments may be approved: Communication Sciences, Education, English, Foreign Languages and Literature, Geography, Statistics, Human Development and Family Relations, and Linguistics.
What do advisors do? Advisors serve multiple roles. As described in the UConn Undergraduate Catalog, advisors help you with the goals of higher education, class registration, class requirements, educational opportunities, and miscellaneous academic issues that come up.
When should I talk to my advisor? Common times to visit advisors include when you first become a sociology major, when you register for classes, and when you are ready to graduate.
How do I set up a meeting with my advisor? Different faculty members have different schedules. You can go during office hours, which are listed here , or call or send your advisor an e-mail asking for an appointment. TIP : Many advisors have extended office hours during registration week, and you can sign up for them on a sign-up sheet outside their office.
What is a plan of study and how do I fill one out? A plan of study is a form that summarizes all the courses that you need to take for your major. They are available on the shelves in front of the sociology office and on this website. CAUTION : Which plan of study you need depends on when you entered CLAS. Look for your "required term" on your PeopleSoft degree progress report. If you're not sure which one to use, talk to your advisor or the undergraduate program assistant, Kathy Covey). CAUTION : To graduate, you need to turn in a final plan of study in the first four weeks of your last semester at UConn.
MINORING IN SOCIOLOGY
How do I minor in sociology? Talk to Kathy Covey to declare your minor. After you have completed the required courses, fill out a minor plan of study form and take it to Kathy. She will obtain the necessary signatures.
Which courses do I have to take for a minor? You need to complete Sociology 107 (introduction) and five different 200-level courses, one of which must be Sociology 205 (methods) or Sociology 270 (theory). These latter two classes can be hard to get into, so don't wait till your last semester to take them.
What are the grade requirements for a minor? You need to obtain a grade of "C" or better in all courses for your minor. Note: This is different than the major, which requires you to have a "C" average for all major courses.
SOCIOLOGY COURSES I need to overenroll in a class. Who should I talk to? You need to ask the instructor who teaches the course. If no instructor is listed in PeopleSoft, contact the department office (486-4422) to find out his/her name. The earlier you ask to overenroll the better your chances of getting in. The department has no standardized overenrollment forms.
Can I change a regular class into a "W" class? If so, how? It is sometimes possible for a graduating senior to convert a non-"W" course to a "W" course. This is a last ditch option, and it requires the permission of the instructor and department head. CAUTION : This is a last-ditch option for students who have not been able to get into "W" courses previously. Professors are not obliged to permit a W conversion, and you should not count on being able to do it.
Can I take Sociology classes during the summer? Yes, we offer Sociology classes at Storrs and some of the regional campuses. In fact, if you sign up as soon as the summer classes are announced, you can usually get any class you want.
Can I take Sociology classes during the inter-session? No. The sociology department has decided not to offer any inter-session classes on pedagogical grounds.
Which classes is sociology offering next semester? To see current classes, check Peoplesoft at www.studentadmin.uconn.edu
What courses will the Sociology Department offer in the future? To find out about future semesters, check PeopleSoft. If it is not there, contact the department office for the latest information.
Can I take a Sociology course pass/fail? Yes you can, but you can not apply any pass/fail course to the major or general education requirements.
Can I have my grade changed after the end of the semester? Once you have been given a final grade for a course, it can only be changed due to clerical error or the faculty member having discovered overlooked components of the student's work.
Is there an honors program in sociology? Yes there is, and students with a GPA of 3.2 or higher are eligible. For more information, contact Professor Ratcliff ( kathryn.ratcliff@uconn.edu ).
How do I do an internship? Sociology offers a field experience program designated Sociology 296. Contact the professor who is teaching it the semester that you want to take it--either Professor Kathryn Ratcliff or Brad Wright. A handbook describing this course is available outside of the sociology office.
I want to do the Criminal Justice minor. Who do I contact? Information about the Criminal Justice Minor is available outside the sociology office, and if you are a sociology major, you would contact Professor Brad Wright. To learn which classes you need to take, go to: http://www.sp.uconn.edu/~wwwpsyc/CrimJustPlan.html What other minors might go with a major in Sociology? · Criminal Justice: http://www.sp.uconn.edu/~wwwpsyc/CrimJustPlan.html · Human Rights: http://www.humanrights.uconn.edu/cur_hrminor.htm · Women's Studies: http://www.sp.uconn.edu/~womstu4/undergrad/undergrad.html · List of all CLAS Minors: http://www.services.clas.uconn.edu/majors_minors/imajmin.html
GRADUATION Can I walk in December or May if I'm not completely done with my classes? The exact rules about when you can go through graduation ceremonies can vary from year to year, but typically you can walk in May if you graduate in Spring or Summer semesters.
What forms do I need to fill out to graduate? Make sure that you have met all department and college graduation requirements: click here for a full list of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences requirements ( 1) You need to meet with your advisor to fill out a final plan of study. You turn this in to the registrar's office. (2) You need to apply to graduate, which you can do online at the registrar's office web site .
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