Best Sociology Programs in Tennessee for 2027

Thirty-one hours form the major, and the department suggests taking its two core courses, SOCI 321 and SOCI 331, no later than junior year so the senior-year capstone, SOCI 480, makes sense. You can declare a concentration in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Environmental Issues, or Critical Race and Ethnic Studies, and an honors concentration is available too. The critical race track asks for SOCI 225 or SOCI 343 plus two more courses from a short list of upper-level options. Continuing, returning and transfer students must meet progression requirements before declaring the major. With 79 degrees awarded in 2023–24, it is one of the larger options on its state page.

Concentrations

Criminology and Criminal Justice, Environmental Issues, Critical Race and Ethnic Studies, or Honors

Core Timing

SOCI 321 and SOCI 331 by junior year, SOCI 480 capstone in senior year

Major Size

31 hours

Program Sources: Major Requirements - Sociology

Majors range across at least three of four thematic areas: Culture, Institutions, and Socialization; Health, Environment, Population, and Migration; Politics, Law, and Conflict; and Race, Ethnicity, and Gender. The 33 hours also include one introductory course, a theory course and research skills, which can be met by SOC 2100 or an approved statistics course from economics or math. Fifteen hours of electives at the 2000 level or higher can be grouped into your own concentration. An honors track runs 36 hours and adds six hours, SOC 4981, for an independent research project. Fourteen degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Thematic Areas

At least one course in three of four areas, from culture to race, ethnicity and gender

Research Skills

SOC 2100 or an approved statistics course in economics or math

Honors Track

36 hours with an independent research project, SOC 4981

Program Sources: Sociology Major and Minor | Department of Sociology | Vanderbilt University

Three routes lead through sociology at Tennessee Tech: the standard B.S., a concentration in Criminology and Criminal Justice, or a concentration in Social Work. Along with theory, research methodology and data analysis, the department teaches electives on death and dying, social movements, environmental sociology, rural sociology, the sociology of Appalachia, medical sociology and cybercrime, plus special topics such as homelessness, immigration, grant writing and sociology through service learning. The department also places students in internships with local, regional and national agencies. With 49 degrees awarded in 2023–24, it is one of the larger programs on its state page.

Degree Options

B.S. in Sociology, or with a Criminology and Criminal Justice or Social Work concentration

Distinctive Electives

Sociology of Appalachia, rural sociology, environmental sociology and sociology through service learning

Internships

Placements with local, regional and national agencies

Program Sources: Sociology & Political ScienceSociology

Eighteen of the 33 required hours are core, and the remaining 15 are upper-division electives chosen around your interests. The core includes Careers in Sociology, Writing in Sociology, Social Statistics, Methods of Social Research and Sociological Theory, and it ends in either a senior capstone seminar or an honors thesis. The program also lists a 3+3 combination in which sociology majors begin first-year law courses in what would have been their senior year, though admission to the J.D. program is not automatic, and an accelerated B.S./M.A. Twenty-nine degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Core Courses

Careers, Writing, Social Statistics, Methods of Social Research and Theory

Senior Requirement

Capstone seminar or honors thesis

Combined Degree

3+3 Sociology B.S./J.D. and accelerated B.S./M.A.

Program Sources: Undergraduate Curriculum - Sociology

You can earn this degree as either a B.A. or a B.S. The B.A. requires a foreign language and an additional minor. The B.S. comes in a general version that needs two minors, or with a concentration in Criminology, Social Justice, or Work and Family Studies that needs one. The department encourages students who are considering the major to take Introduction to Sociology or Social Problems first to confirm their interest, and it strongly recommends Applied Statistics for the general education math requirement. Twenty degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Concentrations

Criminology, Social Justice, or Work and Family Studies on the B.S.

Minor Requirement

One additional minor for the B.A. or a concentration, two minors for the general B.S.

Math Advice

Applied Statistics recommended for the general education math requirement

Program Sources: Sociology Bachelor's Degree | B.S. and B.A. | MTSU

Both the B.S. and the B.A. here run 30 credit hours, add a minor of your own choosing, and finish with a Major Field Test. They share Introduction to Sociology, Social Problems, Sociological Research, Social Statistics, Applied Sociology and Classical Social Theory. The B.S. adds a Data Analysis course and three electives, so it leans on numbers, while the B.A. takes four electives and a world language course numbered 2020 or higher. You pick the electives with an undergraduate advisor in sociology. Nineteen degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Shared Core

Introduction, Social Problems, Sociological Research, Social Statistics, Applied Sociology and Classical Theory

B.S. Add-On

SOCI 3444 Data Analysis plus three electives

B.A. Add-On

Four electives and a world language course numbered 2020 or higher

Program Sources: Sociology

The degree is titled Sociology and Community Development, and it leans applied. The department describes a major that covers both theory and applied sociology, using sociological methods to take on personal, structural and societal issues. Every major completes a departmental exit exam in the semester before graduation. Minors in environmental studies, family studies, and health and social justice sit alongside the major, and a 12-credit Interdisciplinary Health and Social Justice Certificate begins with IHSJ 2500. Classes are seminar style, the department reports an average class size of 21.5, and it cites a strong record of placing undergraduates in graduate programs in sociology and related fields. Twenty-five degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Applied Focus

Sociology paired with community development

Minors and Certificate

Environmental studies, family studies, health and social justice, and a 12-credit Health and Social Justice certificate

Exit Exam

Departmental exam in the semester before graduation

Program Sources: BS_SCCD Program | Austin Peay State University CatalogDegrees and Certificates in Health, Sociology, and Community Development

The academic map for this 120-credit degree names six core courses, SOCI 2010, 3000, 4510, 4900, 4910 and 4990, each needing a C or better, with 12 credit hours of 3000-4000 level sociology electives added to the core. SOCI 2010 comes first, since it must be finished before you move on in the core. The final semester includes a senior exit exam. Free electives are meant for a minor or a second major, and the department lists topics from social class, gender and aging to health and medicine, religion and the environment. Ten degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Core Courses

SOCI 2010, 3000, 4510, 4900, 4910 and 4990

Upper-Level Electives

12 credit hours of 3000-4000 level sociology

Senior Exit Exam

Taken in the final semester before applying for graduation

Program Sources: Sociology Academic Map: Degree BS (120 Credit Hours)

You major in one of four fields: criminology, critical race and ethnic studies, environmental sociology, or political economy and globalization. A second area can be another of those fields, social theory, statistics, a foreign language or a plan you propose. Coursework totals 51 hours beyond the master’s degree, including 24 hours of doctoral research, Sociological Theory II, Advanced Quantitative Methods and one more methods class such as Survey Design, Field Research or Discourse Analysis. Before the dissertation you write a Major Area Paper, and you finish with an oral defense. The department also sets yearly benchmarks, including a journal manuscript submitted by the end of year two. Five degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Specialty Fields

Criminology, Critical Race & Ethnic Studies, Environmental Sociology, or Political Economy & Globalization

Credit Requirement

51 hours beyond the master’s, with 24 in doctoral research

Milestones

Major Area Paper, dissertation and oral defense

Program Sources: Graduate Students - SociologyBenchmarks - Sociology

The doctorate takes 72 credit hours and is structured around research milestones rather than a single exam. In your second and third years you complete two Research Collaboratives with a faculty mentor, each ending in a paper ready for a peer-reviewed journal, and the first one satisfies the master’s requirement. By the end of years four and five you need sole-authored papers under review. A Special Area Paper comes next, then an oral defense of your dissertation proposal serves as the qualifying exam, and a dissertation defense closes the degree. The department specializes in Health & Medicine and Social Movements and funds admitted students for six years. Three degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Research Collaboratives

Two faculty collaborations in years two and three, each producing a journal-ready paper

Independent Research

Sole-authored papers under review by the end of years four and five

Qualifying Exam

Oral defense of the dissertation proposal after the Special Area Paper

Program Sources: Ph.D. Degree Requirements | Department of Sociology | Vanderbilt UniversityAdmissions | Department of Sociology | Vanderbilt University