There are three important items to keep in mind regarding final grades. All courses that will be used toward the major must be taken for a letter grade, with the exception of Soc/E 197, 198, and/or 199. All grades must be a "C-" or better. Only one course between 197 - 199 can be used to satisfy the major. Only these courses can be taken P/NP if they are to be used toward the sociology major.
Section Switching...DON'T DO IT! If you are enrolled in a sociology course that requires a discussion section, you must attend the section you signed up for. You have the option during the first two weeks of class, otherwise known as the ADD/DROP PERIOD, to officially change sections by obtaining a signature from the TAs ("Teaching Assistants") for the section you need to add. You will then need to use TESS to change classes or bring in a signed ADD CARD to the Registrar's Office. If you're checking the first week of classes and there doesn't appear to be room for you, don't despair. Keep checking back. Chances are openings will appear by the end of the second week of classes. In order to change sections, you must first officially "drop" your original section and "add" the section that you will be attending. You may do this by utilizing TESS (telephone enrollment system) if there are available seats in the section. Otherwise, you will need to obtain an "add slip" from your TA ("Teaching Assistant") with their signature, and the instruction will then need to sign your IBM add card. You may then join your fellow undergraduates in the lengthy line formed in front of the Registrar's Office.
After the Add/Drop period (the first two weeks of the quarter), you MUST attend the "section" you officially enrolled in. If you attend another TA's section, you will probably find yourself without a grade at the end of the quarter. If you find yourself in a jam because you signed up for one section and attended another, you will find that we no longer provide crying towels in the Department. Please take the responsibility of going to the "section" you signed up for and you will avoid a great deal of confusion and paperwork down the line.
DO...
Papers must be turned in as follows:
--Turn it in at the front office and sign the paper/exam register. Have it date-stamped at the front office or turn it in to your professor or TA in class.
--Retain a copy for your records (in case the original is misplaced.)
--Turn it in personally, do not send a friend.
--Turn it in on time.
DO NOT...
--Slide them under your professor's door.
--Forget to make a copy before turning in your paper.
--Ask a friend to turn your paper in for you.
--Use your paper as a place setting while you're eating a pizza.
--Turn a paper in after the deadline. This will affect your grade
and possibly leave you with an "NR" in the class.
Writing skills, including the ability to define precise questions, marshal evidence, and present clear arguments, are indispensable for all students, whatever your academic and career interests. To help you develop these skills, the department asks all new (declared major fall 1991 or later) majors to fulfill a writing requirement. Before graduating, students must show the undergraduate coordination (in the Main Office) two substantial (ten or more pages) research papers written for courses in their major, for which they received a grade of C- or better. Ideally, this should take place the quarter before graduation when students come to the undergraduate coordinator to make certain they have met all major requirements. The three papers should be brought in at the same time. To give students ample opportunity to complete this requirement, most upper-division sociology classes will either assign a research paper or offer students the option of writing such a paper for course credit.
Papers and finals can be picked up from your professors during their office hours the following quarter, or may be picked up (if you signed a waiver) outside their door after the quarter has ended. Your professor or TA will give you information and instructions regarding retrieval of your papers/finals.
For departmental honors, you must take the two-quarter Honors Program (Soc. 196A and 196B) in your Junior or Senior year. The Department of Sociology offers an Honors Program to those students who have demonstrated excellence in the sociology major. Successful completion of the Honors Program enables you to graduate "With Highest Distinction," "With High Distinction," or "With Distinction," depending upon your performance in the program.
The minimum requirements for entrance to the program are:
-Junior or Senior Standing (90+ units) -GPA of 3.5 or better in the major, maintained until graduation
-Recommendation of a faculty member familiar with your work
-At least four upper-division sociology courses completed
-Overall GPA of 3.2 or better, maintained until graduation
The program requires that you take Soc/E 196A, Advanced Studies in Sociology, and Soc/E 196B, Supervised Thesis Research. These two courses can be counted as two of the seven electives needed for the sociology major. You will need to choose a faculty advisor to help supervise your thesis research and writing, as well as your fellow students in the seminar who will offer excellent feedback and suggestions. The Honors Program Director will also assist you in this area. This is a wonderful program and opportunity that will give you a firm hold on researching skills and writing. If you are planning to go on to graduate school, the program will give you a strong writing sample to submit with your application.
If your GPA in the major falls below 3.5 or if you do not earn at least an "A-" in the Honors Seminar, you will not graduate with distinction, but you may count the two courses among the twelve upper-division courses required for the major.
To graduate "With Highest Distinction" you must earn an A+; to graduate "With High Distinction" you must earn an A; to graduate "With Distinction" you must earn an A-. For more information on the Honors Program, or if you would like to pick up an application for next fall, see the undergraduate coordinator in the main office in the department.
NOTE: Applications are usually due in May for the upcoming year's program.
All undergraduate majors have the rare opportunity to engage in field research under the guidance of a faculty member --- a chance to explore on your own what you have learned in the classroom. We encourage you to conduct independent research during your stay at UCSD.
You'll need to pick up a "Special Studies" application and the second single sheet that goes with it from the literature trays in the waiting area of the main office. You'll also need to meet with a professor who has either performed research in an area you would like to pursue, or a professor whose course you have previously taken and enjoyed. Both of you should decide on a project proposal. Include your aim or objective, the method by which you plan to carry it out, and the type of finished product (paper, artifact, etc.) you plan to submit. A reading list must be provided by the instructor. These courses are Independent Special Study Courses, and will appear on your transcript as Soc/E 199. You may use this course as an elective in satisfying your sociology major. Only one Soc/E 199 may be used towards the major. Soc/E 198 (Group Independent Study, arranged among students working on the same project with one faculty member), can also be used to satisfy one of the seven upper-division sociology electives. This is also true for Internships, numbered 197. Internships give you a chance to 'test the waters' so to speak, by working in an environment or field for one quarter that you are considering as a future career or job. (More on Internships in the next section of this handbook.)
Once this Special Studies form is filled out, return it to the Undergraduate Advisor for signatures before the end of Add/Drop Period (the first two weeks of the quarter). Signatures for approval will be obtained by the Undergraduate Coordinator. You are then required to pick up the top (white) copy of the form and submit it with an ADD card to the Registrar before the end of Add/Drop Period. Does this all sound too bureaucratic? It's not as bad as it sounds. Again, these Special Study courses are highly recommended by the Department. For your convenience, there is a step-by-step instruction sheet in the literature tray in the waiting room of the main office.
Every student interested in sociology should consider the possibility of an internship sometime during the course of his or her undergraduate years. The benefits of an internship are considerable: career sampling, resume enhancement and personal growth.
Most undergraduates consider several career options before making a final--or not so final--choice. An internship can be used as a device to "test" a field as part of the process of making a rational decision about one's future. Although internships do not, as a general rule, offer students all the responsibilities associated with full-time jobs, they do not usually involve all of the pressures of a full-time assignment either. What they do offer, however, is an opportunity to get some substantive experience while observing at first hand the relationship between the content of a career and the lifestyle choices associated with it.
An internship in any field improves the perceived qualifications of a job applicant. It is seen as an indicator of serious interest; it represents an attempt at careful career preparation. If the internship is in the field in which an application for employment is being proffered, the applicant appears to have reached his or her career choice on the basis of a real and positive experience.
Finally, an internship can be great fun. It is a change from the lifestyle of the university. It usually puts one in contact with persons of more varied age and experience levels than those found in the context of undergraduate life. It offers a taste of "real life." It may serve to confirm a suspected interest. If it does not, it may be of even greater value: it can save a student from seeking a job in an area that he or she might not enjoy.
Most Internships need to be set up in advance, so be sure to plan ahead by one or two quarters. For more information on Internships, go to the Academic Internship Office (Literature Building) or look into other Internships offered through the Career Services Center.
If you feel that a grading error has been made on your coursework or on your transcript, do not panic. Your first step is to contact your professor or TA ("Teaching Assistant") immediately. The best time to reach them is during their office hours. (Check in the Department for locations/times.) You may also want to leave a note with the secretary in the front office, so that we can give them a "double" reminder. DON'T THROW AWAY YOUR COURSE WORK WHICH IS IN QUESTION. It may need to be reviewed by the professor again. Errors in the addition of points can occur. Follow the instructions above.
If an error has been made, there is a "grade correction/clerical error" form that your professor will need to pick up in the main office. You may want to offer to walk with them down to the Undergraduate Coordinator's office to pick up the form, as most of our professors have so many things going on simultaneously they may not remember to follow through with the appropriate paperwork. It is up to you to make sure this paperwork is completed and brought to the Undergraduate Coordinator. You need to follow up and make certain that your professor turned in the necessary paperwork. Remember....this is your grade, and your responsibility.
Unfortunately, we cannot give you this form directly. It is meant for instructors' hands only. It is your job to remind them to do so. Once the form is completed, it will be routed to the Registrar. Check with the Registrar in approximately two weeks to make sure they received the form and your transcript reflects the appropriate change.
Always retain a copy of your paper(s). ALWAYS RETAIN A COPY. In fact, you might want to chant this phrase before retiring each night. This is a good rule for papers turned in for any department.