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Special Academic Programs

Outside of upper division Sociology courses, there are various academic programs that students can enroll in/petition to have count towards their major requirements.

Honors Program

Honors Program Overview

 

Please see information below regarding requirements and applications. The deadline to  apply for the 2023-2024 Honors Seminar is June 9, 2023. Direct your questions to the Honors Program Director, Professor Gershon Shafir, gshafir@ucsd.edu.

The Department of Sociology offers an Honors Program for outstanding students who have demonstrated excellence in the sociology major. The program provides motivated students with the opportunity to conduct research on a topic of their choice. Please note that the program is restricted to Sociology majors. Enrollment in the program is limited, and acceptance is determined by the faculty member who serves as Honors Seminar Director.

 

To participate in the Honors Program, students are required to take two Honors Seminars (SOCI 196A: Advanced Studies in Sociology and SOCI 196B: Supervised Thesis Research), which are offered in Fall and Winter Quarters of each year. The courses are taught by the Honors Program Director and each student is advised by a Faculty Advisor of their choosing. Successful completion of SOCI 196A-B will count as two elective requirements toward the general sociology major or concentrations.

 

  • Students earning an A+ will graduate "With Highest Distinction."
  • Students earning an A will graduate "With High Distinction."
  • Students earning an A- will graduate "With Distinction."


Eligibility

To be eligible to apply to the Honors Program, students must meet the following requirements:

  • Junior or senior standing (90 units completed)
  • 3.5 GPA or better in the major (overall 3.2 GPA or better), maintained until graduation.
  • Completion of at least four upper-division sociology courses.
  • Completion of SOCI 100 and one upper-division methods course prior to the Fall Quarter when the Honors Seminar begins. Alternatively, students can obtain consent from the Honors Program Director to waive one of these requirements.
  • Must obtain a Faculty Advisor before applying for the Honors Program. (Information on how to obtain a Faculty Advisor is available below.)
  • Please note that exceptions can be made, particularly for Transfer Students, with the approval of the Honors Program Director.

 

Application


The deadline for submission is June 9, 2023,
and applicants will be informed of their acceptance into the program by the end of June.


How to Apply?

Interested students must submit their application online using their UCSD credentials. To apply, please make sure that you have completed all parts of the application and have the following information/documents ready for submission:

 

A short Research Proposal that includes:

  • A proposed title,
  • A research question,
  • A brief description of your research topic and methodology,
  • A mention of the major theories you will use to guide your research,
  • A writing sample (i.e. final paper, take home exam, research paper),
  • The names of at least one faculty member or TA who are familiar with your work and have agreed to recommend you. The Department of Sociology will solicit recommendations from the faculty you choose through a short survey,
  • The name of your Faculty Advisor who will assist you with your research.


Have your Degree Audit open when submitting your application since you will be required to input the following information based on your academic history:

  • Current sociology major GPA (located above your Upper Division requirements for the Sociology major)
  • Cumulative UCSD GPA (located at the top of your audit)
  • Upper Division coursework you've completed (including SOCI 100 & SOCI UD methods)

To successfully apply to the Honors Program, it is required that you obtain a Faculty Advisor to work with prior to submitting your application. Please keep the following tips in mind:  

  • It is advisable to finale your Research Proposal, or have it almost completed, before approaching a potential Faculty Advisor
  • Make sure that your Faculty Advisor’s research interests match yours.
  • The Faculty Page on our website contains the list of professors and their research interests. Please note that only the Faculty listed on this page can serve as your Faculty Advisor; lecturers cannot act as advisors for the Honors Program.
  • Make sure to meet with your potential Faculty Advisor in person to discuss your research project and inquire if they would be interested and available to mentor you for the program. It is recommended to have a few faculty members in mind, as some may have prior commitments that prevent them from being mentors for a specific quarter.

Maintaining eligibility during the Honors Program

If a participant's GPA in the major falls below 3.5 or their overall GPA falls below 3.2 or if they do not earn at least an "A-" in the program, they will not graduate with honors. However, the two courses will still count as two electives required for the general sociology major or concentrations.

Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program

 

Please see information below regarding requirements and applications. Applications for the 2023-2024 Research Apprenticeship Program will become available in FA23.

Research Apprenticeship Program Overview

The Department of Sociology would like to invite motivated students to participate in our two-quarter Research Apprenticeship Program. Students will collaborate with a member of the Sociology Department (Professor or Graduate Student) currently conducting research in their field.

Eligibility

Students must meet the following requirements:

  • Upper Division Standing (typically junior & senior standing)
  • Sociology Major GPA of 3.2 or better
  • Cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better
  • Completed SOCI 60 and three additional upper division courses in Sociology
Please note that exceptions can be made, particularly with Transfer Students. If in doubt regarding eligibility, please address your questions to the Virtual Advising Center (VAC).


Course Information

Students selected into this program will be enrolled in SOCI 198RA for Winter and/or Spring Quarter. Accepted students must enroll in SOCI 198RA during Winter Quarter. Continuation of SOCI 198RA for Spring quarter will be optional, and available only if both sides (Professor/ Graduate Student and Undergraduate student) agree to continuing research during Spring quarter. These two four-unit courses are eligible to be applied towards your major upper division elective requirement*.

Students must complete 12 hours per week as a research assistant for their assigned mentor in order to complete the course.

Optional: Students may choose to participate in SOCI 109M: Research Reporting, in Spring Quarter using the research gathered in SOCI 198RA. Only students with previous research experience/data are eligible to enroll in this method course. Students enrolled in SOCI 109M will be required to attend a 3 hour seminar each week and present their findings at the end of the course. SOCI 109M will complete the Methods requirement for the major. If you've already taken one instance of a Methods requirement (SOCI 101- SOCI 110), the course will then fulfill an upper division elective requirement for the major.

*If applying SOCI 198RA towards major, students may not apply SOCI 199 or AIP 197 towards their major.

Research Opportunities & Application:

Applications for 23-24 are OPEN NOW!

Students are encouraged to apply to five research projects if interested; however, students will only be accepted to one research project.

List of Approved 2023-24 Research Projects

How to Apply:
  1. Review all current Research Projects.
  2. Students are able to apply for up to five research projects. You will be asked to rank your preference for each project in the application.
    • Please have your rank order chosen prior to starting the application.
  3. Prepare your resume and a cover letter for each research project you're interested in applying.
    • The same resume can be used for each project, but you will want to slightly cater your cover letter to each of the various projects you are applying to.
    • Make sure you have your cover letter and resume completed prior to applying to the program.
  4. Download your Academic History (Under "Grades and Transcript Tools" in link)
  5. You will need the following additional information to apply:
    • Will be asked if you have completed SOCI 60.
    • How many Upper Division Sociology courses (SOCI 100- 199) have you completed?
    • Sociology major Upper Division GPA (located on your degree audit underneath Sociology major)
    • Cumulative UCSD GPA (on degree audit as well)
    • About your modality availabilities for participation in the RA Program.
  6. Apply online through this link and upload all documentation.

Past Projects:

To view previous projects from previous years, please select the year of interest-

Mexican Migration Field Research Program

The applications for the Mexican Migration Field Research Program (MMFRP) 2023-24 are now open.

Please see information below regarding requirements and applications. Applications typically become available in late Spring- early Summer.

Mexican Migration Field Research Program (MMFRP) Overview


The MMFRP is a unique, year-long program for undergraduate and graduate students who want an in-depth, community-based research practicum focused on international migration and social justice.

The MMFRP runs for a total of 16 units across Fall-Winter-Spring quarters. Students learn about international migration, gain skills in community-based fieldwork, and work directly with NGO partners. Students involved in MMFRP work directly with migrant families and often describe their participation as a life-changing experience. 

The program satisfies requirements for the Sociology major (two UD electives, & Methods course), international fieldwork and practicum requirements, and makes up most of the Human Rights & International Migration minor (Sociology majors please note that only 2 Upper Division courses can overlap between the Sociology major and the HRIM Minor; lower division courses can overlap to any extent. Upper Division coursework cannot overlap between two minors). 

In 2022-23, MMFRP will work with migrants at the US-Mexico border, hopefully in person.

Eligibility/ Course Information

To participate, students are required to enroll in a series of classes:

  1. Fall 2023: Sociology 125 – Sociology of Immigration (4 units)
  2. Winter 2024: Sociology/Urban Studies and Planning 188 – Mexican Migration Field Research Practicum (8 units, including travel and fieldwork in Tijuana depending on Covid-19 guidelines)
  3. Spring 2024: Sociology 109M – Research Reporting (4 units)

All three quarters are mandatory, though exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis. Spanish proficiency is required unless you have spoken to the director and agreed otherwise (see application form for contact information). Priority is given to fluent Spanish speakers and students with upper-class standing

Application

The deadline to apply closes on September 8, 2023, and applicants will be notified of their acceptance before the start of fall quarter. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis (Due to numbers we suggest applying early).

To apply-

  1. Please fill out the Application form located on MMFRP's Application page (including a 250-word personal statement)
  2. And enroll in Sociology 125 for Fall 2023 (please waitlist in the course if it is full)

Check out https://mmfrp.org/ for more information on the program and to apply.

For questions regarding the courses please contact Sociology Advisors in the Virtual Advising Center (VAC).

Special Studies Courses (SOCI 199 & 198)

Special studies courses give students the opportunity to explore in more detail what they have learned in the classroom. Students engage in field research in a topic of their choice, under the guidance of a faculty member. If a student wants to work individually with a professor, they enroll in SOCI 199, Independent Study. If several students want to work as a team on the same project, they take SOCI 198, Group Independent Study.

Preparation

To enroll in a special studies course, a request must be submitted via the Enrollment Authorization System (EASy) before the end of the add/drop period of a quarter.

Students should meet with a professor who has either performed research in an area they would like to pursue, or a professor whose course they have previously taken and enjoyed prior to submitting the request.

The student and professor will decide together on a project proposal, including the objective, the method by which it will be carried out, and the means of Evaluation (paper, final, etc.).

The following information is needed to submit a request:  

  • Prerequisite course work or knowledge needed for this project
  • The nature of the project
  • How often you will meet
  • How you will be evaluated
  • Supporting documentation will need to be uploaded
    • This can be an overview of your project proposal Including:
      • Aim of Project
      • Methods of project
      • Relevant reading list, etc.

For more details instructions, read the following guide on submitting an EASy request: https://students.ucsd.edu/academics/enroll/special-enrollment/special-studies-classes.html.

Submitting an enrollment request with UCSD's Enrollment Authorization System (EASy)

Once both the student and faculty sponsor have met regarding the EASy Application, the student should submit the completed request for review via the Enrollment Authorization System (EASy) . Once submitted, the Undergraduate Coordinator will then review the request.

Plan early, so that you can allow time for the proposal to be developed, approvals to be obtained, etc. The official university deadline to add classes is Friday of Week 2, however, you will want to submit your Special Studies request well before this. We recommend students to submit Special Studies requests 2-3 business days prior to add/drop period of a quarter.

Special study courses are highly recommended by the department. A special studies course may be used to satisfy an upper-division electives for the major. While students may enroll in more than one SOCI 198/199 in their undergraduate career, special studies courses are taken P/NP, so only one may be used towards the Sociology major. No Special Studies course may be used to apply towards the Sociology Minor.

Academic Internship

Students interested in sociology should consider the possibility of an internship sometime during the course of their undergraduate years. The benefits of an internship are considerable: career sampling, resume enhancement, and personal growth.

Most undergraduates consider several career options before making a final--or not so final--choice. An internship can be used as a device to test a field as part of the process of making a rational decision about one's future. Although internships do not, as a general rule, offer students all the responsibilities associated with full-time jobs, they do not usually involve all of the pressures of a full-time assignment either. What they do offer, however, is an opportunity to get some substantive experience, while observing firsthand the relationship between the content of a career and the lifestyle choices associated with it.

An internship in any field improves the perceived qualifications of a job applicant. It is seen as an indicator of serious interest; it represents an attempt at careful career preparation. If the internship is in the field in which an application for employment is being proffered, the applicant appears to have reached his or her career choice on the basis of a real and positive experience.

Finally, an internship can be a great experience. It is a change from the lifestyle of the university. It usually puts one in contact with persons of more varied age and experience levels than those found in the context of undergraduate life. It offers a taste of "real life." It may serve to confirm a suspected interest. If it does not, it may be of even greater value: it can save a student from seeking a job in an area that he or she might not enjoy.

Preparation

Most internships need to be set up in advance, so be sure to plan ahead by one or two quarters. For more information on internships, visit the UCSD Academic Internship Program or go to the Academic Internship Office located in the literature building.

An Academic Internship, taken under the course number AIP 197, may be used to satisfy one upper-division elective for the Sociology major as long as a student is supervised by a sociology faculty member.

An AIP 197 is taken P/NP so only one may be used toward the major. The course needs to be petitioned to the undergraduate coordinator along with the AIP learning agreement, in order to count toward the major. If you have questions about the process, or are ready to submit your AIP learning agreement to Sociology advisors, please contact Sociology advising through the VAC.

You can also check out additional internship information and resources through UCSD's Career Services Center.

UCDC Program

The UCDC Program is an academic internship program providing UC San Diego students with the opportunity to intern for a quarter in Washington DC while enrolling in UC courses and living in the UC Washington Center. This program gives students the opportunity to receive internship credit/experience (POLI 197I) and research seminar credit (SOCE 194) by developing and completing of an independent and significant research project under the supervision of UC faculty, and guided by a teaching assistant.

Preparation

Students interested in this program should visit the UCDC Program page on the AIP website.  Please note that application deadlines are set approximately 2 quarters prior to departure.   

Study Abroad

The Sociology department encourages students to study abroad, either for a quarter or for a full year. UCSD provides three options for studying abroad: EAP, OAP, and Global Seminars.

All courses taken through EAP are considered UC courses for which UC credit is earned and grades are directly recorded on the transcript and are factored into your UCSD overall GPA. However, the Department of Sociology independently determines which courses may be applied to the major. This decision is made in response to a general petition submitted after students return.

In the case of course work completed through OAP, the UCSD Admissions Office is responsible for decisions on the transfer of credits into UCSD and onto the UCSD academic record (transcripts). Credits transferred through the Opportunities Abroad Program appear on UCSD transcripts with course titles and units transferred. Grades from OAP courses will appear on the transcript from the institution where the work was completed, but these grades are not recorded on the UCSD transcript, nor are they factored into the cumulative UCSD grade-point average (GPA). After the admissions office's acceptance of course units, the Department of Sociology independently determines which courses may be applied to the major.

All courses taken on a Global Seminar (GS) program are accredited UC San Diego courses, and grades are factored into your cumulative UCSD GPA. GS courses may also fulfill major, minor or College/GE requirements. The Department of Sociology independently determines which courses may be applied to the major. This decision is made in response to a general petition submitted after student returns.

Preparation

In order to study abroad, students need to consult with the advisors in the Study Abroad Office. Visit Sociology's Study Abroad Information page on the Study Abroad website for details and step-by-step instructions.

Sociology majors may, with permission obtained through student petitions, take up to four required courses for the major while abroad. There is considerable flexibility on the sociology courses that the department will accept. Students are encouraged to take courses that have a sociological approach, not simply those that are just about sociology.

Please Note: The department does not make the decision on a simple "four units earned equal one course" formula. In general, most yearlong courses are more closely equivalent to two 'four-unit' courses than to three 'four-unit' courses (even when year-long courses appear on transcripts as twelve quarter units). Semester courses, which transfer onto the transcript as six-unit courses, do not necessarily become the equivalent of one and a half UCSD sociology courses. More typically, it's one course equivalent per semester course taken.