Every student needs to take a Sociology class at least once in their college career.

“So, what do you study in Sociology?” Right. The inevitable question. “Society,” I tend to answer with a chuckle, knowing all too well that I will receive a sheepish “Oh” accompanied by an often confused, sometimes comical stare in response. 

On other occasions, when I get lucky, I receive a “That’s so cool!” with the mention of my major, though there is often no elaboration and I can’t seem to tell whether they’re being genuine or not. It’s not that I don’t think my major is cool nor that I think they’re lying, but after so many routine conversations like the aforementioned, I have grown unsure of whether they actually know what Sociology is.

“Society,” I would say, is a good way to oversimplify it. Plus, it also works in catching everyone a break—they, if no further questions are asked, don’t have to pretend they are interested and I, jaded of the same conversations, don’t have to scramble to offer an appropriate response. 

The thing is, people are right in being confused. Sociology is a broad field of study; after all, it focuses on the exploration of all spheres of human behavior and social life, and yet, it is in this breadth where sociology’s strength lies. In this discipline, your options are limitless, and you can freely explore and discover what interests you the most, from social class to health institutions. 

In the spirit of honesty, it took me quite a while to come to terms with the fact that I was going to major in Sociology. I completely ignored my gut, as well as the long list of vocational tests I had taken in high school (what an utter shock it was going back as a college junior to my tests’ results and seeing Sociology come up in all. To this day, I wonder how it is even possible for my brain to have not registered any of that). 

It is no secret that Sociology may not be the most marketable degree out there nor that it may not lead to the highest-paying jobs right after college. For me, it didn’t help either that the major doesn’t have the best reputation in Latin America, where I come from. And yet, there is not a single time I have regretted choosing Sociology, and I can confidently say it has been one of the best decisions thus far in my life. It can be scary to pursue such a broad, not career-oriented path, but if you truly enjoy what you’re studying and make the most of what you get, everything will work out in the end.

Requirements

At Barnard, the requirements for the major consist of 10 courses, including:

Foundations (3 courses required for all Barnard and Columbia Sociology majors)

• The Social World (UN1000): Recommended to be taken no later than sophomore year, this course introduces you to the study of sociology, and while it is by no means a comprehensive view of the discipline, it certainly gives you a taste of what it has to offer. This course may prompt you to begin questioning the world around you, thinking critically of everyday happenings, from ratings and rankings to gender and masculinity. 

• Social Theory (SOCI UN3000): This course delves into the body of work of the four main theorists that comprise the canon of classical social theory including Karl Marx, W.E.B. Du Bois, Max Weber, and Emile Durkheim. Because they represent the foundation of the field, taking this course early on prepares you for upper-level sociology classes by giving you the tools to think about contemporary and historical social issues in a more precise, grounded way. 

• Methods for Social Research (UN3010): Recommended to be taken no later than junior year, though the earlier the better as it prepares you to conduct social science research, this course proves to be extremely useful for more advanced classes. Students become familiar with a range of methods—including ethnography, interviewing, and surveys—having the opportunity to pose their own questions about the social world and develop original projects to answer them. 

Electives (5 courses in Sociology)

• Electives are arguably the best part of the major as they encourage students to explore, discover, and pursue their interests. The Sociology Department has classes in a wide range of subfields, so the sky is your limit! 
• Of the five electives, no more than one can be at the 2000 level and at least one must be a seminar at the 3900 (or 4000) level. 

Senior Requirement (2 courses)

There are two ways of satisfying this senior requirement:

• Research Paper Option: Complete two upper-level seminars (3900 level or above), with one being a Designated Research Seminar at Barnard that requires a 25-30 page primary research paper. This option is perfect for you if you are looking to graduate with a broader exposure to sociology as a field.

• Thesis Option: Complete a two-semester senior thesis based on original sociological research on the topic of your choice. Requires enrollment in SOCI BC3087-3088 and having a thesis advisor. This is the option for you if you are looking to delve into a sociological subfield in-depth and to conduct independent primary research.

Overview of Classes

Besides the three core requirements, the Sociology major mainly consists of electives at both Barnard and Columbia (5 at Barnard, 6 at Columbia), giving you free rein to study whatever you find enthralling. Because topics are so rooted in our present world and in examining current issues, it is arguably one of the most eye-opening disciplines out there. So, one must take advantage of the depth and breadth of courses offered.

Sociology courses are designed to equip students with a wide variety of skills that can easily be transferred to other disciplines and careers, from effective writing to critical thinking. Therefore, I believe the best way to take full advantage of the major is to embrace courses that incorporate an original research project component. I have loved all my classes that have included this requirement, making my experience with the major so much more enriching. While I particularly love conducting in-depth interview projects, the options are endless and there is so much intellectual freedom to pursue what you find compelling.

Class Recommendations

Power, Politics, and Society (UN3203): For anyone interested in the subfield of political sociology, the study of institutional power in all its forms, this is a must-take course. Not only is the material very interesting, but the class—designed to be a lecture, but with ample room for discussion—was incredibly engaging as it used sociological theories to make sense of current events from the US and around the world. 

Music, Race, & Identity (UN3207): This course explores the intricate relationship among race, different genres of music, organizations, social movements, and identity. For the final project, you get to create an original song and connect it to the themes studied throughout the semester, which is a unique approach that will encourage you to bring out your most creative side. 

Sociology of Work & Gender (UN3265): By examining the complex relationship between the spheres of work and gender, this course makes you reconsider dynamics and institutional practices you may have taken for granted. Despite being a 100-person class, this course strikes the perfect, and hard-to-achieve, balance of lecture and discussion, making every session truly delightful. 

Social Justice: Connecting Academics to Action (UN3721): Being a 5-credit upper-level seminar, this course is nothing less than intense. While it is time-consuming and involves consistent work, it is also one of the most rewarding experiences one can have as a Sociology student. This class works in partnership with Make the Road New York (MRNY), the biggest grassroots immigrant-led organization in the state, to create a comprehensive report based on participant observation and interviews with MRNY members and leaders. Through this class you extensively develop your ethnographic, interviewing (if assigned the role of fieldworker), coding, and data analysis skills, while allowing you to learn directly from the community. For the project, students take on different roles including that of fieldworker (Spanish proficiency required), project coordinator, analysis coordinator, and context researcher, working closely together with their peers throughout the semester. If you are looking for a unique, hands-on, collaborative course that will challenge you intellectually and personally, look no further than here.

Higher Education and Inequalities (UN3921): There is no course more pertinent than this one. As students at an elite institution, this class makes you drastically reconsider your entire experience here. Starting with a comprehensive (and rather shocking) history of how colleges and universities came to be, it then moves into many complex issues including the purpose of “diversity” and what this entails, the proliferation of loans, and the reproduction of social inequality, among others. I have to say this is, most probably, the course with the most interesting, startling readings I have taken thus far in college. What’s best? The course culminates with you having to conduct an original research project on Barnard or Columbia, providing the perfect chance to challenge and question the institutions you are part of.

Advice

• Sociology professors here are genuinely the kindest, most understanding people I have ever encountered, so don’t hesitate to reach out to them about anything and everything.
• While it might be tempting to skip some of the readings, I would highly recommend against it. I may be biased, but they are all so incredibly interesting (and I dare say, some of them, truly life-changing) that you learn and grow so much if you take the time to do them. Trust me, you will not regret it. 
• As aforementioned, while Sociology is a degree that may not lead to a specific career, it is also one that provides you with invaluable skills highly valued in the job market. From journalism to marketing and from social research to non-profit management, just like the major, the options are endless. It is all in leveraging the skills gained and pursuing your interests outside the classroom—all while studying something that provides you with such a high level of fulfillment like Sociology. 

For more information, visit the Barnard or Columbia Sociology Department websites. 

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