Frequently Asked Questions

These are some of the questions that are most often asked of our office staff and faculty. If you have additional questions, please contact the main office in 736 PLC. These questions will be updated as necessary.

Q. I received less than a C- in a sociology class. Will it still count?

A. No, it will not count toward the total number of credits you need for the sociology major.

Q. I see some classes are Topic or Issues courses. What does this mean? Can I take them more than once?

A. These are courses that have rotating topics. While they might always have the same general theme, such as the environment or gender, the actual issues covered can be quite different from term to term. You may take the same class more than once for credit IF the topic has changed. Students should read the course subheadings to determine how each instructor will approach the course.

Q. Do I really need the prerequisites for a class?

A. Yes! Students will be unable to register if they do not have the prerequisite(s) for the course. If you do not have these prerequisites, you may register by obtaining written instructor approval for the course. Download the Prerequisite Waiver Form Here.

Q. Will classes from other departments count toward my sociology degree?

A. Click HERE for a list of University of Oregon classes that can count toward a baccalaureate degree in sociology.

Q. Who is my advisor? How do I change my advisor?

A. While the Sociology Department does assign an advisor to you, you are not required to see any particular person. All faculty members (assistant professors, associate professors and professors) who are currently teaching serve as advisors. Visiting faculty and GTF's are not allowed to do advising. You can find out who is currently an advisor by calling the office during regular office hours, coming in to the main office in 736 PLC, or looking at the list of instructors posted across from the Sociology Department office.

Q. If I'm under the new requirements, do internships or readings count toward the 16 hours of 400-level coursework?

A. No. Calling it "400-level" work is a bit of a misnomer. These 16 credits must be in courses numbered 407 or 410-491. Credits for internships, research and readings will count towards the 8 credits of any upper division credits but do not count towards the 16 hours of 400 level work.