Minors in the Department of Sociology

The Department of Sociology offers 5 minors: Sociology, Gerontology, Urban Studies, Veteran Studies and Gender Studies.

Minor in Sociology

Required Courses

A minor in sociology requires 15 hours of course work: 9 hours of required courses and 6 hours of electives.

Candidates must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better in the minor. Courses taken on a satisfactory/ unsatisfactory basis may not be applied to the minor.

Minor in Gerontology

Opportunities and challenges of human aging intersect with most academic and professional disciplines. Older adults receive a range of health, social, economic and other support services (e.g. through government programs, medical centers, senior centers, long-term care facilities, not-for-profit agencies) in order to help them age successfully at home or elsewhere. The 12 credit hour Undergraduate Minor in Gerontology is designed to introduce students to this important field.

All students must take a 3-credit introductory course. The remaining 9 credit hours must include at least two courses at the 3000-level or above. Substitutions or alternative courses may be included with approval of the Program Coordinator for Gerontology. Students wishing to designate a 4000-level course as capstone for the BLS must coordinate this with Program Coordinator for Gerontology prior to starting the course.

Required Courses

Minor in Urban Studies

Requirements

A Minor in Urban Studies requires 15 hours of course work. Candidates must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better in the minor. Courses taken on a satisfactory/ unsatisfactory basis may not be applied to the minor. Special topics courses or other courses relevant to urban studies may be included as electives when approved in advance by the urban studies coordinator.

- Dr. Larry R. Irons.

Students must take:

Minor in Veteran Studies

The Minor in Veterans Studies is a multi-disciplinary program whose course work enhances students’ majors to prepare them to work for or with veterans. It is also designed to encourage and enable veteran students to reflect more deeply on their service experiences. This minor includes a foundation course, a series of elective courses, and a capstone.  Electives may be chosen from four areas, or from any MVS course above the 2000 level.

• Cultural: exploring perspectives and experiences of veterans through various media
• Relational: understanding how veterans relate among various aspects of our society
• Institutional: understanding the context and structure of military service and veteran institutions now and in the past
• Clinical: establishing effective skills to better serve for, with, and in veteran populations

Requirements

Alternative elective courses could be included with the consent of the department chair. While it is encouraged, students are not required to limit their electives to a single area.

Note on Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies

• In concert with the Bachelors in Interdisciplinary Studies program, an exceptional student could "create" his or her own 36-hour interdisciplinary major studying the veteran experience. The B.I.S. provides a flexible, individualized program of study for the self-directed learner. It is developed by each student with advisement by UMSL professional advisers and faculty, and it is intended for students who have unique educational goals that cannot be met by any other UMSL degree program.

Veterans Center

The UMSL Veterans Center aims to be the first stop resource for services including admissions support, GI Bill advising and certification, academic support, and networking opportunities with local military-friendly employers.

Minor in Gender Studies

Requirements

For a Minor in Gender Studies, students must take at least 12 hours of Gender Studies courses. 9 hours must include 3 core courses:

1. GS 2102 Introduction to Gender Studies
2. GS 3033 Sexuality and Gender Theory or other 3000-5000 level course in feminist or gender theory.

3. Capstone experience: Students must complete a final research project or practicum. The Capstone requirement may be satisfied by GS 4352 Independent Study in Gender Studies, GS 4353 Internship in Gender Studies, or by a 4000-level Gender Studies course or other 4000-level seminar where student completes a final research and writing project that focuses on gender studies.

The remaining 3 hours may be cross-listed courses with the student’s major department or Gender Studies electives from various disciplines.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Gender Studies Minor and Undergraduate Certificate, a student will be able to:

Knowledge

• Analyze how gender affects individuals and society historically and currently, locally and globally, including how systems of power and oppression operate and how gender intersects with other facets of identity such as ethnicity, nationality, class, sexuality, age, and ability
• Describe key figures, concepts, and debates within the discipline of gender studies, such as “the Other,” sex vs. gender, gender as a social construct vs. essentialism, and intersectionality
• Utilize gender as a variable to explain historical, social, cultural, technological, and/or symbolic phenomena
• Evaluate ideological assumptions underlying social institutions and systems of representation

Writing Research and Communications

• Articulate complex ideas coherently to diverse audiences.
• Relate how personal experience connects to institutions and systems of privilege and oppression.
• Apply traditional and new media literacies to locate, evaluate, utilize, and produce knowledge.
• Synthesize evidence obtained from research to compose texts that advance, support, and defend an argument about gender.

Professional

• Develop strategies for promoting equality and combating oppression
• Connect personal experience and the ideas explored in the classroom to apply the insights gained to other classes and personal and professional life
• Describe the importance of respect, civility, sensitivity, civic engagement, and appreciation for diversity and demonstrate these traits