Goals and Requirements for Majors and Minors

Goals for Majors and Minors

In successfully completing a major in the Sociology and Anthropology Department, a student will possess:

• the ability to see how individual lives are connected with wider social and cultural processes and forces;
• fundamental understanding of the relationship between theory and method in the historical context of their discipline;
• the ability to access, organize, critically analyze, and produce knowledge about humans as social and cultural beings;
• oral and written skills for effective communication, both inside and outside academic contexts; and
• the ability to work both independently and cooperatively in application of sociological or anthropological ideas.

Requirements for Majors and Minors

The sociology and anthropology majors are available as bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degrees.

The Department of Sociology and Anthropology (SOAN) offers courses in two distinct major-related categories which are identified accordingly: those supporting only sociology (SOCL) and those supporting only anthropology (ANTH). Courses serving both areas (the bulk of the curriculum) are designated SOAN.

For a major in Sociology: 40 credits in Sociology (SOCL) and Sociology/Anthropology (SOAN) courses, including SOAN 040; SOCL 101; SOAN 307; SOAN 385; one other 300-level course;
SOAN 485/486. Seniors required to take a 400-level seminar (SOAN 404, 450, 454, 460, or 465) in addition to the SOAN 485/486 sequence.

For Bachelor of Science in Sociology: Those students pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology are strongly encouraged to take either MATH 140 and/or SOAN 375. Completion of a
thesis is strongly encouraged.

For a major in Anthropology: 40 credits in Anthropology (ANTH) and Sociology/Anthropology (SOAN) courses, including SOAN 040, ANTH 111; either ANTH 105, ANTH 112 or ANTH 340; one semester of study abroad; SOAN 307; SOAN 385; one other 300-level course; SOAN 485/486. Seniors required to take a 400-level seminar (SOAN 404, 450, 454, 460, or 465) in addition
to the SOAN 485/486 sequence.

For a minor in Sociology: 20 credits in Sociology (SOCL) and Sociology/ Anthropology (SOAN) courses, including SOCL 101 and at least one 300- or 400-level course.

For a minor in Anthropology: 20 credits in Anthropology (ANTH) and Sociology/Anthropology (SOAN) courses, including ANTH 111; one world area, in the department or, with approval of SOAN chair, a world area course from another department (e.g. HIST); and at least one 300- or 400-level course.

The following core courses in the major must be completed with a grade of C- or higher: ANTH 111 or SOCL 101 (for the respective major), SOAN 307, SOAN 385, SOAN 400-level seminar, SOAN 485/486. Seniors are required to take a 400-level seminar (SOAN 404, 450, 454, 460, or 465) in addition to the SOAN 485/486 sequence. These seminars serve as a capstone experience in which majors build on their four-year course sequence and draw on both theory and methods training to produce original research on a topic of sociological and/or anthropological significance. These research papers become eligible for the Howd and Gebauer Prizes. Additionally, Sociology and Anthropology majors are encouraged to write senior theses (based on original research or scholarship) or to curate a museum exhibit. Theses and museum exhibits also become eligible for the Howd and Gebauer Prizes. Students completing senior theses or museum exhibits receive departmental honors.

For Oregon Initial Teaching Licensure in Social Studies, a student must complete the Linfield Teacher Education Program and the State of Oregon licensure requirements. In order to complete these requirements, a student must begin taking education courses no later then his/her sophomore year. The student must be advised by an Education Department faculty member each semester prior to registration.