Students in the sociology and organizational studies majors at UC Davis are trained and assessed in accordance with the standards of the American Sociological Association. The discipline of sociology historically has revolved around the mission to understand the meaning of society, analyze the social world critically, look beyond the surface of issues to discover the why,1 analyze the linkages between individuals and societies, and question the power relations undergirding the organization of contemporary societies. We strive to equip students with the skills to enter the labor market or move on to graduate-level training in multiple fields.
Consistent with ASA standards, we expect our students to develop capacities for:
- Creativity
- Innovation
- Critical thinking
- Analytic problem solving
- Skillful communication
- Collaboration
- Multi-cultural and global understandings
- Cultivation of successful interactions among people of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds
- Strong use of math and science skills in problem solving
- Researching and analyzing data; facility with both qualitative and quantitative data collection procedures
- A firm understanding of the leading sociological theoretical paradigms
- Excellent written expression