Because study abroad is highly relevant to the major, the department tries to work with students to make sure they can combine the sociology major with study off-campus, including Bates Fall Semester programs, JSA, and JYA.

Many students are able to complete one or two courses that count toward the major, if they happen to select an off-campus program that offers courses in sociology or closely-related disciplines. In order to be sure that you will receive credit toward the major for particular courses you take off-campus, you should consult in advance with the Department Chair. But even students wishing to pursue a program emphasizing other kinds of study, in which they are not able to count a course toward the major, usually have little difficulty combining a major in sociology with off-campus study.

As noted above, it is important for students planning to study off-campus to think ahead about how they will complete the core courses- methods and theory- plus their first junior/senior seminar, since all three of these must be completed prior to the beginning of the senior thesis. The Department Chair or any other faculty member will be happy to help you with this kind of planning.

There are a wide variety of off-campus programs previous sociology students have found particularly beneficial. We encourage you to review the various programs available in terms of your own interests and educational goals, and so you should feel free to begin by reviewing the wealth of information on off-campus study available in the Office of the Dean of Students. Department faculty will be glad to consult with you regarding the programs of interest to you, and help you determine whether they include any courses that might count toward the major. And if you have particular interests within sociology that are not fully covered within the Department, we can help you find a program in which you can explore those interests more fully. But especially for students planning to study off-campus for just one semester, we encourage you to select an off-campus study opportunity that you want, without feeling constrained by the requirements of the major.

List of “Frequently Asked Questions” about study abroad for sociology majors.