Sociology Honors Program
What is Sociology Honors?
Sociology Honors (also known as Departmental Honors) is a double-semester program during which students write a thesis under the supervision of a member of the Sociology faculty and a “second reader,” who can come from any department in the University. Honors students also attend a seminar during both semesters, which meets for an hour twice weekly. Its purpose is to provide support, resources, and assistance relevant to successfully completing a Sociology Honors Thesis. The seminar also strives to build a close mentoring relationship between first and second semester Honors students, thereby creating a genuine community of young scholars.
When should I start planning for Sociology Honors?
Sociology majors interested in participating in Sociology Honors should contact the Honors Advisor as early as possible, preferably no later than the first semester of their junior year. This early contact insures that Honors prerequisites are scheduled far enough in advance to allow students to complete Sociology Honors and still graduate in a timely manner. This initial meeting is also useful in terms of acquainting interested students with Sociology Honors and helping them identify potential thesis supervisors, based on their academic interests.
Am I eligible for Sociology Honors?
Students are admitted to Sociology Honors in both the spring and fall semesters. Consideration for spring admissions begins on September 15. Consideration of fall applications begins on March 1. Applications received after those dates are considered on a first-come, first-served basis, until all available spaces are filled. Applicants must have:
- an overall UT GPA of at least 3.0
- a Sociology GPA of at least 3.5
- completed SOC 302 (Intro to Study of Society) and SOC 317L (Statistics, or approved substitution) before their first semester in Honors.
- completed SOC 317M/327M (Methods) or SOC 379M (Theory) prior to beginning the program; preferred applicants will have completed both. Students who have not completed both SOC 317M/327M and SOC 379M before entering Honors must take the missing requirement during their first semester in the program.
Students are encouraged to secure a thesis supervisor before applying for Honors, although this is not a requirement. Applicants should also have at least a general idea of the area they would like to work in. Preferred applicants will have a reasonably well-defined thesis topic.
How do I apply?
The honors application is available as a DOC or PDF. The submission method for Spring 2021 will be updated soon.
How does honors affect my schedule and graduation plan?
Honors coursework consists of two 3-hour courses, SOC 679HA (first semester) and SOC 679HB (second semester), which must be taken over two long semesters. The honors advisor assigns the grade for SOC 679HA, and the thesis supervisor assigns the grade for SOC 679HB. Students must receive either an A- or an A in both SOC 679HA and SOC 679HB in order to graduate with Departmental Honors. Beginning with the 2016-18 catalog, the six hours of honors courses will count toward the 30 hours required for the major. For the 2014-2016 catalog, these courses are in addition to the 27 hours required for the Sociology major and are included when calculating Honors students’ Sociology GPA.
Graduation Requirements for Departmental Honors in Sociology
- Completion of all Liberal Arts and Sociology degree requirements
- University GPA of at least 3.0
- Sociology GPA of at least 3.5
- A grade of A- or A in Sociology 679HA
- A grade of A- or A in Sociology 679HB
Copies of past Honors Theses are available from the advising office.
Alpha Kappa Delta
Alpha Kappa Delta is an international honors society for Sociology majors. The requirements to join are:
- 3.3 GPA both overall
- 3.0 GPA in Sociology
- upper-division standing (60+ hours)
- 12+ hours in Sociology coursework
