Sociology at UCF
See the system.
Solve the problem.
Health. Crime. Technology.
Sociology examines the systems that shape them.
At UCF, you’ll learn how institutions, communities, and human
behavior interact. Build the skills to analyze evidence,
conduct research, and put that knowledge to work.
Bachelor of Science in Sociology
One degree. Two focused tracks.
Build a foundation in sociology, research methods, and data
analysis. Then focus your studies on health and medicine
or crime, law, and deviance.
Sociology B.S. Track
Medical Sociology
Health begins long before a visit to the doctor.
Examine how living and working conditions, social
inequality, and health care institutions influence
who gets sick, who receives care, and how people
experience illness.
What you’ll study
- Health disparities and social conditions
- Illness, aging, and the experience of care
- Medical institutions and health care systems
Sociology B.S. Track
Crime, Law & Deviance
Who makes the rules, who breaks them, and how does
society respond? Examine how social conditions and
institutions shape crime, definitions of deviance,
and the exercise of legal authority.
What you’ll study
- Crime, deviance, and social control
- Policing, courts, and punishment
- Inequality and public responses to crime
More Ways to Study Sociology
Find the program that fits.
Explore a broad undergraduate degree, connect science
and technology with social questions, or pursue
graduate study.
Bachelor’s Degree
Sociology B.A.
Study social life across a broad range of interests,
including inequality, culture, health, crime, family,
and social change. Build a foundation in sociological
theory and research.
Interdisciplinary Certificate
Science, Technology & Society
Investigate how science and technology change the
way we live, work, and relate to one another.
Explore artificial intelligence, biotechnology,
digital media, ethics, and inequality.
Master’s Degree
Applied Sociology M.A.
Combine training in research methods with advanced
sociological study. Prepare for a career in
university or applied settings through a thesis
or nonthesis course of study.
M.A. Program
UCF’s M.A. in Applied Sociology combines training in
research methods with advanced sociological study,
preparing students for careers in universities
and applied settings.
Students study sociology broadly and develop expertise
in crime and deviance, domestic violence, social
inequalities, and urban and environmental sociology.
The study of social inequalities includes race, class,
gender, and age. The program also offers a graduate
track in Domestic Violence.
Curriculum
Students choose between thesis and nonthesis options.
Both require 30 credit hours of coursework, with at
least half completed at the 6000 level or above.
-
Thesis option:
Designed for students planning to pursue a doctorate
and strongly recommended for those interested in
teaching at a community college. -
Nonthesis option:
Designed for students entering or continuing
professional careers after earning their M.A.
Program Information
The Department of Sociology at the University of Central Florida includes 22 faculty members with interests in crime and deviance, domestic violence, race and ethnicity, homelessness, gender, health, aging, social psychology, religion, environmental sociology, and substance use.
The sociology major consists of 14 courses, a total of 45 credit hours. Students must complete the following five required courses: Introduction to Sociology, Social Theory, Applied Social Statistics, Research Methods, and Data Analysis. Students must also complete nine restricted electives in sociology. For these restricted electives students have the flexibility to take any sociology course. These courses cover a wide-ranging list of topics including crime and deviance, health, inequality, culture, religion, environment, social psychology, sociology of sport, family, and substance use. The department also offers five different minors: Crime, Law and Deviance; Diversity and Social Inequality; Mass Culture and Collective Behavior, Medical Sociology; Sociology. All minors offered by the department include a total of 6 courses, a total of 18 credit hours.
A hallmark of our undergraduate program is that all of our students conduct their own research under the supervision of a faculty mentor. This process allows students to sharpen their analytical abilities and develop skills that will help them gain admittance and be successful in graduate school. Given the sociology programs focus on developing research skills, many of our students participate in programs offered by the Office of Undergraduate Research at UCF and also present their research at academic conferences. At a large university like UCF, research provides students with a unique and more intimate learning environment.
Students who graduate with a BA in sociology have a varied skill set that will prepare them for life after graduation. Sociology is an excellent major for students interested in graduate school in sociology, criminology, counseling, public administration, or law. Sociology graduates find employment in a wide-range of fields including, government, business, education, research, criminal justice, health professions, and social service.
Undergraduate Program Director
For advising or other questions, please email Dr. Angela Vergara at angela.vergara@ucf.edu to request an appointment. Please provide as much information as possible regarding your request.
Thank you!
Special Opportunities
Internships
The Department of Sociology, as well as individual faculty members, maintains close relationships with many community partners. Students majoring in Sociology are able to work as interns in many of these agencies and companies to receive credit towards their degree.
Read MoreService Learning
Many Sociology courses address community needs and enhance the learning experience through service-learning opportunities that help students use academic skills and classroom knowledge to solve community problems.
Read MoreAlpha Kappa Delta
Alpha Kappa Delta is the International Sociology Honor Society. Their purpose is to seek to acknowledge and promote excellence in the scholarship in the study of sociology, the research of social problems, and such other social and intellectual activities.
Read MoreResearch Opportunities
The University of Central Florida offers numerous opportunities for undergraduates to pursue research in various disciplines under the direction of a faculty member. This intensive research opportunity enhances the academic experience and challenges students to strengthen their critical, analytical, and writing skills. You can find out more at the UCF Office of Undergraduate Research or the Office of Undergraduate Studies.
Honors in the Major (HIM)
An Honor in the Major is UCF’s most advanced undergraduate research program. It is designed to assist juniors and seniors who are intent on developing their own independent research project. Students do not have to be Honors students to take advantage of the HIM program; it is available to all qualified UCF students.
More InfoOffice of Research at UCF
The Office of Research budgets $100,000 annually to match contract and grant dollars for principle investigators who hire undergraduates to assist in sponsored research.
More InfoUCF McNair Program
The McNair Scholars Program is designed to prepare students from low-income, first-generation and traditionally underrepresented groups for doctoral studies. The program prepares undergraduate students for doctoral studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities.
More InfoResearch and Mentoring Program (RAMP)
The RAMP program is designed to provide a research experience working closely with a faculty mentor for students who may be interested in pursuing graduate education. In addition, the students participate in a variety of workshops designed to increase their awareness and knowledge of graduate school education. The aim of this program is to encourage more students from those populations that are traditionally under-represented in graduate education to attend graduate school. Undergraduate students participating in this program receive financial support.
More Info