BA in Sociology

Your degree in Sociology can take one of four pathways: 

Crime, Law, and Justice

Responding to crime in a just manner is a major challenge for society. You can prepare for a career in criminal justice, victim and community services, criminal law, or in a non-profit organization locally or internationally. 

Health and Medicine

If you are interested in a career in health care, research, or government data analysis consider working through a Health and Medicine pathway. Learn about the causes of health inequalities, social constructions of health and illness, the origins of medical authority, Doctor-patient relationships, community influences on health, and social forces that affect policy.  

Families and Social Welfare

If you are interested in how families work, consider the Families and Social Welfare path. Sociologists study families by examining support, socialization, conflict, and intimacy among family members. You will get a foundation to understand families and family members in society and the broader systems and organizations supporting them.  

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion  

Diversity and equity represent the foundations of a just society and is the basis for successful professional careers in today’s diverse, multicultural landscape. Companies emphasizing diversity and inclusion are more innovative and successful than those that do not. The pathway of diversity, equity, and inclusion prepares you to succeed in the contemporary workplace.

Careers with a Sociology degree

Sociology equips you with a versatile set of skills that employers and our world need now including:

• Conducting research
• Citical analysis of qualitative and quantitative data
• Understanding diverse perspectives
•  Ability to understand and navigate complex social dynamics

This translates into effective communication, problem-solving, and adaptability—highly transferable skills that are essential qualities in almost any profession.  

Pathways to careers

The four pathways can lead to the following careers

Crime, Law, and Justice

• Lawyers, $174,870 
• Paralegals & Legal Assistants, $73,830 
• Detectives & Criminal Investigators, $70,580 
• Police & Sheriff’s Patrol Officers, $87,050 

Health and Medicine

• Registered Nurses, $87,790 
• Insurance Sales Agents, $75,270 
• Behavioral Health Social Workers, $60,130
• Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Counselors, $48,710 

Families and Social Welfare

• Social & Human Service Specialists, $51,620 
• Social & Community Service Managers, $92,950                  
• Child, Family, & School Social Workers, $56,680 
• Licensed Clinical Social Workers, $55,350 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Careers in Business & Administration 

• Project Management and Operations Specialists, $122,860 
• Customer Service Representatives, $37,780 
• Sales Managers, $179,030 
• Human Resources Managers, $116,792 
• Recruiters & Human Resources Specialists, $82,370 

Careers in Education

• Higher Education Teachers, $69,480 
• Higher Education Administrators, $115,180 
• Guidance, Career, and Academic Counselors, $64,200 
• Training & Development Specialists, $73,210 
• Teachers, $63,640 

Please note: Some careers will need further education such as a Masters/Phd or other specialized degree.

A few paths we’ve seen our alumni take are: 

Your Degree in Sociology 

Sociology Core: 32 Credit Hours 

Our program uniquely offers dual methods for analysis—both quantitative and qualitative, giving you a comprehensive understanding of complex situation assessments in your future. Topics include: 

• Understanding the Social World 
• Inequalities in Social World 
• Quantitative Methods & Analysis 
• Qualitative Analysis 
• Sociological Theory 
• Worklife Practices and Policies 

Sociology pathways

The Sociology program is designed to align you with high-demand occupational fields in four major areas: crime, law, and justice, health and medicine, families and social welfare, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. You may choose a pathway which will inform your course decisions. 

Crime, Justice, and Law

On this path, you will develop critical approaches for studying crime, law, and justice which are essential for entering law school and graduate programs in sociology and criminology. Or you can move directly into the workforce where you could conduct research and inform public policy on crime and law.  Topics include:

  Health and Medicine

You will also develop core research methodologies and theories of medical sociology, such as examining how individual experience, institutional structures, and laws and policies affect health and unequal rates of illness and access to care. The liberal arts focus of the program also helps you develop critical, analytical approaches for studying health and medicine that are essential for entering graduate school. Topics include: 

Families and Social Welfare

You will be prepared for careers that improve the lives of people dealing with difficult situations (e.g., human and social services, caseworkers, mental health assistants). The skills of communication, collaboration, creative problem-solving, and time and resource management, which your degree emphasizes, are highly valued by today’s employers. You will be well-positioned to pursue an advanced degree in social work, public health, behavioral and mental health, counseling, law, sociology, or related disciplines. Topics include:

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

You will get an understanding and engagement with social inequalities involving race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability status, socioeconomic status, immigration status, religion, and age. You will develop analytical skills to empirically study social inequalities and learn practical strategies for promoting policies and actions that foster social justice and human equity. You will be prepared serve as inclusive leader in business, human resources, law, education, and the non-profit and public administration sectors.  Topics include:

CU Denver Core courses

Additionally you will have core courses to give you a well rounded CU Denver education. These courses give you a better understanding of the issues and skills you need to succeed.

CU Denver Core: 34 Hours 
You’ll be educated in:

• English and mathematics
• International and cultural diversity perspectives
• Arts and humanities
• Behavioral, physical, and social sciences

College of Liberal Arts and Science Core:15 Hours 

Topics include:  

• Writing & presenting 
• Literature & culture 
• Behavioral science 
• Social sciences 
• Natural and physical sciences
• Mathematics

Electives and/or foreign language proficiency 

You may also need to take coursework in a foreign language offered through Modern Languages. Talk to your advisor for details, especially if you’ve taken foreign language courses or have experience in a foreign language in your past. 

Get a Dual Degree or add a certificate to your degree

Doubling major with sociology enriches your educational experience by providing a complementary lens to your primary field of study, fostering a well-rounded understanding of societal dynamics that can enhance your perspective in any career. 

Some of our most popular double majors are: 

• Psychology and Sociology
• Criminal Justice and Sociology
• Anthropology and Sociology

For students double majoring in one of the above majors your social statistics (SOCY 3115) course will be waved if the you earn a C- or higher in a statistics course for your other major 

Other common combinations of majors and minors are: 

• Women and Gender Studies and Sociology
• Political Science and Sociology
• Communications and Sociology
• Sociology and the Social Justice Minor 

Get a Certificate in Sociology while working on your degree

• Community Health and Medicine Undergraduate Certificate—15 Credits 
• Criminology Undergraduate Certificate—15 Credits 
• Families and Social Welfare Undergraduate Certificate—15 Credits 
• Justice, Allyship, Diversity, and Equity Undergraduate Certificate—12 Credits 

Note: Declare a certificate, you’ll need to contact the Sociology Undergraduate Advisor. 

Get both your Bachelors and Masters in as little as 5 years

If you are in our BA in Sociology degree program, you may be eligible to save time and tuition money by enrolling in our 4 + 1 Bachelors and Masters Sociology degree program.  

The 4 + 1 Bachelor and Masters degree allows you to get your Masters of Arts in Sociology in as little as one year of post Bachelor's work by utilizing Masters level courses in your Bachelor degree.

If you are interested in the 4 + 1 program, speak with your advisor as early as possible in your undergraduate career—no later than the end of your sophomore year to learn how to get accepted and which courses you will need to complete. Your timeline may look different as a transfer student, so speak with your advisor. 

And beginning the fall of 2024, our Master's degree program will be available fully online giving you the flexibility to begin, continue, and finish your MA from anywhere with an internet connection.  

Sociology BA Learning Outcomes 

The Department of Sociology at the University of Colorado Denver is committed to the following program-level learning goals and outcome objectives. Students graduating with a bachelor's degree in sociology are prepared to: 

1. Demonstrate an understanding of sociological concepts and theories, such that they will be able to: 

• Define and apply basic concepts of sociology 
• Explain the role of theory in sociological inquiry and analysis 
• Distinguish between major theoretical positions 

2. Demonstrate an understanding of the role of research methods in sociology, such that they will be able to:   

• Articulate the role of research in building sociological knowledge 
• Demonstrate competence with quantitative and qualitative approaches to formulating research questions, and gathering and analyzing data.  
• Critically analyze and evaluate empirical and non-empirical claims about the social world 

3. Demonstrate an understanding of intercultural knowledge and human diversity of social experience, such that they will be able to: 

• Describe aspects and intersections of diversity including ethnic and racial heritage, socioeconomic class, gender expression, sexualities, physical capabilities, age, citizenship, and belief systems 
• Understand and contextualize different points of view 
• Explain the value of cultural and intellectual diversity 

4. Demonstrate critical thinking skills in assessing social issues, such that they will be able to: 

• Identify underlying assumptions of various arguments, methodologies, and theories 
• Critically examine their own cultural practices, values, beliefs and social positions 
• Assess the social factors that create and perpetuate inequality in the United States and globally 

5. Locate, create and communicate sociological information, such that they will be able to: 

• Use technical skills to retrieve sociological literature and conduct basic data analyses 
• Read and understand professional-level sociological reports 
• Effectively convey sociological information and findings in writing and oral presentation 
• Use sociological theory, concepts and evidence to communicate about social phenomena 

6. Think sociologically about the communities in which they live and work, such that they will be able to: 

• Apply a sociological perspective to social issues and current events 
• Demonstrate how social research can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of social policies and programs and affect change 
• Articulate how individual action can reduce social problems and promote social justice 

The cost of tuition for the BA/BS in Psychology is different for in-state and out-of-state students. See the link for the current table of rates.

Residents of Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) states may qualify for reduced tuition rates. The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) program requires students to maintain current residency in WICHE state until degree completion. 

Learn about the WUE program 

Scholarships

Each year, CU Denver undergraduate students are awarded over $30 million in scholarships from institutional, local, state, and national sources. Learn more, and apply here. 

Other opportunities

Many departments and offices at CU Denver offer student employment (including work-study, student hourly positions) through LynxConnect. Learn more here.

Admission Requirements 

If you are an incoming freshman to CU Denver (in-state, out-of-state, and international applicants), you can apply through either the Common Application or the Milo Application. Transfer students will need to submit the Milo Application.  

Incoming first-year students 

CU Denver requires that students complete the Colorado Higher Education Admission Requirements (HEAR). You will not have to meet all Minimum Academic Preparation Standards (MAPS) for admission, but you will need to complete CU Denver coursework by graduation. 

Transfer Students 

We have strong connections with other four-year and community colleges. If you have completed more than 24 hours of transferable coursework, you will be evaluated for admission on the basis of your college GPA without regard to your high school performance. If you have fewer than 24 hours, you will be evaluated based on both your high school and college GPAs. For more information and to plan your transfer, see transfer admissions in the admissions office. 

International Students 

You will need to begin your application through the Office of International Affairs. They will help you manage your application process. 

Apply to CU Denver

Spring

Domestic Application: January 1 
International Applications: Priority is September 15, and Final is October 15

Summer

Domestic Applications: May 15 
International Applications: Priority is January 15, and 
Final is March 15 

Fall

Domestic Applications: August 1
International Applications: Priority is March 15, and
 Final is May 15