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2025-2026

Sociology, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts (Brightpoint Community College)
Brightpoint Community College
Associate degree

Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts

Completing the associate degree will waive VCU's general education requirements.

Program description

The Bachelor of Science in Sociology requires a minimum of 120 credits, with at least 33 of those credits in sociology and other approved courses. The baccalaureate curriculum in sociology seeks to ensure that each student develops a solid foundation in the basic principles, theories and techniques of analysis in sociology. It also encourages students to pursue an interdisciplinary approach by incorporating course credit from closely related subject areas in other programs. Since students majoring in sociology vary in their interests and career goals, the curriculum allows for a great deal of flexibility in developing individual courses of study.


Students who are interested in pursuing graduate studies in sociology usually will take more than the minimum number of upper-level courses. The program provides opportunities for involvement in faculty research through its course offerings, which include independent study, internships and honors research.

Career opportunities

An undergraduate degree is sufficient for many entry-level positions in non-profit organizations, business, and government. A bachelor's in sociology can prepare students for graduate or professional education in sociology, law, counseling, psychology, social work, medicine, education, college student personnel, higher education administration, planning, and other related fields.


Many transferable skills such as analytical, organizational, research, interpersonal, computer, leadership, teamwork, and oral/written communication are associated with the sociology degree. Internships, part-time jobs, summer jobs, and/or volunteer experiences are critical to reaching career goals. Research fields of interests and gain the right skills, experiences, and advanced degrees (if necessary).

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Community Health Worker
  • Human Resources Specialist
  • Loss Prevention Specialist
  • Probation Officer or Correctional Treatment Specialist
  • Research Assistant
  • Sales Representative
  • Social and Human Services Assistant
  • Social Science Research Assistant
  • Technical Writer
  • Training and Development Specialist
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Counselor or Therapist
  • Higher Education Administrator
  • Researcher
  • Social Worker
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Students are guaranteed admission to this degree program with:

  • Completion of the associate degree
  • Minimum GPA of 2.5
  • All courses completed with a "C" grade or better
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • STAT 210
Science required
  • Natural Sciences requirement only
Foreign language requirements
  • Yes
Additional tuition/fees
  • No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.0+ cumulative GPA, 2.0+ major GPA
VCU Major Maps

View VCU Major Map for Sociology

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2025-2026

Sociology, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)

Brightpoint Community College (Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Register for SDV 100.
  • Schedule an advising appointment with your Brightpoint advisor.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes and use tutoring to get ahead.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Explore financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Attend cultural events at community college and VCU to celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
Experience Year 2
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Register for SDV 100.
  • Schedule an advising appointment with your Brightpoint advisor.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes and use tutoring to get ahead.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Explore financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend cultural events at community college and VCU to celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2025-2026

Sociology, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)

Brightpoint Community College (Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts)

Brightpoint Community College courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
SDV 100 College Success Skills UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I UNIV 111 3 General education
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
CST Select one: CST 100 OR CST 110 SPCH 3 General education
Foreign language 101 or transfer elective Note: students are eligible for a waiver of VCU's language requirement (language through the 102 level) if they successfully completed through the third level of a foreign language in high school. VCU equivalent 3 to 4 Elective
History elective (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 3 General education
Laboratory science elective (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 4 General education
Foreign language 102 or transfer elective Note: students are eligible for a waiver of VCU's language requirement (language through the 102 level) if they successfully completed through the third level of a foreign language in high school. VCU equivalent 3 to 4 Elective
Arts elective (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 3 General education
SOC 200 Introduction to Sociology SOCY 101 3 Major
History elective (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 3 General education
Literature elective (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 3 General education
Foreign language 201 or transfer elective VCU equivalent 3 Elective
SOC 268 Social Problems SOCY 302 3 Major
Philosophy/Religion elective (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 3 Elective
Foreign language 202 or transfer elective VCU equivalent 3 Elective
Transfer elective: MTH 245 Statistics l STAT 210 3 Major
Liberal Arts Transfer Electives VCU equivalent 5 to 7 Elective
Brightpoint credits transferred to VCU 60 to 62
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
SOCY 202 Foundations of Theory 3 Major
SOCY 320 Research Methods in the Social Sciences 3 Major
SOCY 322 Sociology of Race and Ethnicity 3 Major
SOCY 402 Contemporary Theory 3 Major
SOCY 406 Sociology Senior Seminar 4 Major
Select six SOCY courses (300 to 400 level) 18 Major
Open electives (consider a minor or second major) Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. 24 to 26 Elective
Credits completed at VCU 58 to 60
Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree 120
The accelerated B.S. and M.S. programs allows qualified students to earn the B.S. in Sociology and either the M.S. in Sociology or the M.S. in Geronotology in a minimum of five years by completing approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Minimum qualifications for entrance to this accelerated M.S. in Sociology program include completion of 90 undergraduate credit hours including a minimum of nine credit hours in sociology courses; an overall GPA of 3.0; and a GPA of 3.3 in sociology course work. Minimum qualifications for admittance to the M.S. in Gerontology program include completion of 84 undergraduate credit hours including SOCY 202 and a GPA of 3.0 in the major.