Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Sociology

Catalog Year 2025-2028

Based on VCCS Curriculum for SOCIOLOGY

Transfer Guidance

Transfer Admission Requirements

• Students who meet the requirements for guaranteed admission to JMU are guaranteed admission to the sociology major.

• Students must complete an approved transferable associate degree from their Virginia community college with a minimum GPA of 3.0 for guaranteed admission to JMU. Students who do not qualify for guaranteed admission are encouraged to apply to JMU through the regular admission process.

• Students do not have to complete a sociology associate degree to pursue a sociology major at JMU. This proposed guide is just one potential path toward the successful completion of an undergraduate sociology major. Other paths are possible. You can find more information about sociology and transfer equivalents here: https://www.jmu.edu/transfer/snapshots/sssoci.shtml.

Important Links & Dates

• University Transfer Center: www.jmu.edu/transfer

• Register Intent to Transfer: Transfer applicants from a VCCS institution intending to apply through the Guaranteed Admission Agreement (GAA) must review requirements and submit a Letter of Intent prior to applying: www.jmu.edu/admissions/apply/transfer-GAA.shtml

• Admission Application: By March 1 for Fall or October 15 for Spring at www.jmu.edu/admissions/apply/apply-online.shtml

• Financial Aid: www.jmu.edu/financialaid

• FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid: Deadline is March 1. Learn more at studentaid.gov.

What Should I Consider When Selecting Courses?

• Create a schedule for all required courses, pay attention to prerequisites and when courses are offered, complete your first math and English courses in your first year. For help, see Transfer Steps and Resource Center at www.TransferVirginia.org.

• Connect with an advisor at your community college and schedule an appointment with a JMU Next transfer advisor in your first semester or first year.

Is This Degree Right For Me?

• Sociologists study the causes and consequences of social inequality. They also explore the social aspects of the environment, technology, politics, health, globalization, social movements, social justice, markets, mass media/popular culture and more.

• Through coursework and projects, sociology majors gain hands-on experience doing sociology, which includes: immersion in the daily life of groups, interview methodology, examining recorded interaction, interpreting historical documents, analyzing large national surveys and producing sophisticated social critique.

• The sociology program develops the student's ability to analyze the social world by using diverse sociological theories and research methods. It stresses the importance of social, cultural, and historical contexts for understanding relationships between and among individuals and the social structures that make up societies.

• Sociology courses are offered both in-person and online.

What Is The Impact On My Degree Of Work I Have Already Completed?

• Associate Transfer Degree Completion: An approved transferable associate degree from a Virginia Community College will waive general education requirements at JMU. The list of approved transferable associate degrees can be found at www.jmu.edu/transfer/vccs-transfer/asdegrees.shtml.

• Dual Enrollment – Completion of Associate Degree in HS: Students who complete a transferable associate degree from a Virginia Community College through Dual Enrollment (DE) will not be eligible for guaranteed admission but will receive the general education waiver at JMU.

• Credit for Prior Learning: Credit for prior learning may be awarded differently at JMU than at your previous institution. JMU accepts and reviews AP, IB CIE, and CLEP examinations for all students with eligible scores.

• Catalog Year: Catalog year determined by first semester of attendance at JMU.

Is This College Right For Me?

• JMU is a mid to large size institution that behaves more like a smaller institution. Faculty and staff hold students as the top priority. JMU has a 96% satisfaction rate. 88% of classes have fewer than 50 students.

• JMU is the #1 most recommended public university in the US by the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education; JMU is the #1 Best College for Employment in Virginia according to U.S. Department of Education statistics compiled by Zippia.

• JMU has the highest post-graduation job levels of all Virginia colleges. Learn more about our college at www.jmu.edu and www.TransferVirginia.org.

Did You Know That…

• There is no limit to the number of credits you can transfer to JMU, but at least 50% of the credits required for graduation in your major must be taken at a 4-year college or university, and at least 25% must be taken at JMU. (Most JMU majors require 120 credits, so 60 must come from a 4-year and 30 must be taken at JMU.)

• Completing your Associate transfer degree post-high school satisfies all lower division general education requirements and increases the chance of completing your bachelor's degree.

• Exceeding 3 years or 90 credits at your community college means you may have exhausted your financial aid at that college and have limited your future financial aid at JMU.

• Students who may be eligible for Virginia's Two-Year College Transfer Grant should transfer in the fall or spring immediately following the completion of their associate degree. Learn more about the state transfer grant here: https://www.schev.edu/financial-aid/financial-aid/federal-state-financia...

What Can I Do With This Degree?

• Explore potential careers, salary ranges, and job outlooks at www.TransferVirginia.org.

Program Successes & Highlights

• Students majoring in Sociology develop skills in all the critical career competencies: formulating and answering critical questions; excellent writing and presentation skills; leadership and group work experience; digital literacy; cross-cultural competency.

• They learn how to conduct independent research and ways to analyze and present their findings, and they have plenty of access to academic and professional mentoring throughout their time in the department.

What Are My Chances For Getting Accepted?

• Generally, two-thirds of transfer applicants are admitted to JMU. Competitive applicants will have mostly As & Bs and have completed at least one class in each of our four core areas (English, mathematics, lab science, and social science).

• JMU defines a transfer student as a student that has graduated from high school (or holds a GED equivalency) AND has taken courses in college after high school graduation.

• Learn more about applying at https://www.jmu.edu/transfer/ or www.TransferVirginia.org.

Do More With Your Degree!

• Students in the Sociology major have a wide range of opportunities to develop the rigorous research skills necessary for a strong entry into their professional lives or graduate school.

• Outside of the classroom, students in Sociology are highly engaged in issues that impact people's daily lives. These opportunities include: Field Schools and Study Abroad Programs, the Archaeology Lab, Internships, Service Learning Experiences, and Research and Teaching Assistantships with Professors.

• Many Sociology majors decide to research and write up Independent Studies and Honors Theses. Our majors frequently present the results of their research at the department symposium, as well as at regional and national scholarly conferences.

Other Than Classes, Are There Other Program Requirements?

• There are no program requirements outside of coursework, but students are highly encouraged to participate in research opportunities and internships.