Major of Sociology or Family Studies with Discipline-Specific Honors

The goal of the Department of Sociology and Family Studies’ Discipline Specific Honors (DSH) track is to help students to produce a high-quality research paper or community project that is the culmination of their academic coursework and interests. Both sociology and family studies majors will complete 12 hours of honors contracted courses toward this end.

Admission Requirements

Students must email their intent to join discipline specific honors to the chair of the department. This written declaration must include at least one (more are welcome) general area of study the student hopes to further explore through the DSH track. Students are free to change their general topic but they must enter the program with some proposed area of study. The department chair will make the final decision regarding the student’s admission into DSH following a meeting with the student.

Sociology majors will complete the following as honors contracted courses:

SOC 214	Social Research I	3
	Or
SOC 422	Social Research II	3

SOC 417	Social Theory	3
	One upper-level SOC elective
SOC 498	Senior Capstone Seminar	3

Family Studies Majors will complete the following as honors contracted courses:

SOC 425	Strengthening Marriage and Families	3
	Or
SOC 214	Social Research I	3
	Or
SOC 422	Social Research II	3

SOC 417	Social Theory	3
	One upper-level SOC elective
SOC 498	Senior Capstone Seminar	3

Substitutions are allowed if agreed upon by the thesis advisor and department chair.

The final product of the DSH track will be either:

A high-quality research paper that will be submitted to a peer-reviewed academic journal.
A community project or program that the student creates and implements. For example, students may help to assess the efficacy of a local non-profit, designing a workshop for families at a local church, or creating a semester-long afterschool program for disadvantaged youth.

All students will present their final product at one of the following:

The Union University Spring Scholarship Symposium.
An academic conference.
A meeting of stakeholders or community leaders, if applicable. This option is primarily for those undertaking a community project or program.

Progression:

Advising sessions will be used to further explore the student’s interests and monitor their progression toward a completed research paper or community project. By the fall advising session of their junior year the student must propose a general research topic or community project in order to enroll in DSH contracted courses for the spring of their junior year. Students may modify their topics up to the start of the fall semester of their senior year.