1. Basics
Q1a What is Sociology?
2. What's on Offer
Q2a What kinds of modules are offered by the Department of Sociology?
Q2b What is Anthropology?
3. Choice of Modules and Planning Your Programme of Study at NUS in Partnership with the Department of Sociology
Q3a Sociology is not taught in schools and junior colleges. Will I be at a disadvantage if I take Sociology as a major, or Sociology/Anthropology modules as electives?
Q3b I have just completed my National Service. After two to two-and-a-half years away from studies in junior college, will I be disadvantaged if I take Sociology as a major, or Sociology/Anthropology modules as electives?With all these choices available, what would be the best combination of modules to take if I decide to declare Sociology as a major (single or double) at the end of the First Year?
Q3c. With all these choices available, what would be the best combination of modules to take if I decide to declare Sociology as a major (single or double) at the end of the First Year?
Q3d. I am not a student in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, but I have heard from senior students that there are interesting modules which I can take as cross-faculty modules. So what's available?
4. A Comment
5. Future Expectations
Q5a This sounds great. But, what kind of career can I expect to have if I major in Sociology?
6. Delivery
Q6a How do I know that you can really deliver what you say? Enquiring minds want to know!
1. Basics
Answer:
Sociology is the study of the social organization of human life. Sociologists seek to understand how social institutions operate, coexist, and adapt to changing environmental circumstances.At the micro-level, sociologists attempt to make sense of the ways in which individuals interact. This includes the study of issues such as crime, deviance, gender, aging, social identity, religion, race and ethnicity, family and kinship and education.
At the macro-level, sociologists examine how the structure of social groups, organizations, institutions and whole societies affect human actions and opportunities.
Sociology is one of the fastest-growing social science disciplines worldwide. This is also reflected at NUS, where student interest and demand has been growing phenomenally year-on-year.
2. What's on Offer
Q2a. What kinds of modules are offered by the Department of Sociology?
Answer:
The department offers a wide range of modules which cover all core areas in the discipline of Sociology, as well as an ever-increasing number of modules which deal with the rapidly changing world we live in and with developments in other disciplines.We also offer modules in Anthropology.
There are well over 60 modules at the undergraduate, Honours and graduate levels. Please refer to Module Information under Academic Programmes > Undegraduate for a complete list of modules.
Q2b. What is Anthropology?Answer:
Anthropology is the study of cultures in societies. It looks at the diversity of humankind and studies the evolution of humans, the various societies and cultures created by humans throughout history, and the diversity of human societies in the world today. Anthropology is a form of Comparative Sociology.The Department of Sociology-one of the largest in the world-offers both Sociology and Anthropology modules. These modules have been developed over the years and they have a complementary fit that isprobably unparalleled elsewhere.
3. Choice of Modules and Planning Your Programme of Study at NUS in Partnership with the Department of Sociology
Q3a. Sociology is not taught in schools and junior colleges. Will I be at a disadvantage if I take Sociology as a major, or Sociology/Anthropology modules as electives?
Q3b. I have just completed my National Service. After two to two-and-a-half years away from studies in junior college, will I be disadvantaged if I take Sociology as a major, or Sociology/Anthropology modules as electives?
Answer:
No. We are fully aware that Sociology is not taught in schools and junior colleges. In fact, because it is not taught in schools and junior colleges, everyone who takes Sociology starts out on a 'level-playing field' in our department.If you have just completed your National Service, you will not be disadvantaged. In fact, you may enjoy some advantage because you have served in a large organization and will have a variety of experiences.
All our Level 1000 modules do not presuppose prior knowledge of Sociology or Anthropology. Nor do we assume that National Service makes you brain-dead!
The module SC1101E Making Sense of Society, however, is a prerequisite and provides the foundation for majoring in Sociology.
The GEM module GEK1005 Cultures in the Contemporary World provides a foundation for studying Anthropology/Sociology modules as electives at Levels 2000 and 3000. This is a General Education Module and is not a prerequisite for majoring in Sociology.
The Singapore Studies module SSA1201 Singapore Society provides a foundation in both sociological and anthropological thought, offering possibilities and choices in taking Sociology/Anthropology modules as electives at Levels 2000 and 3000. This is a Singapore Studies Module and is not a prerequisite for majoring in Sociology.
Q3c. With all these choices available, what would be the best combination of modules to take if I decide to declare Sociology as a major (single or double) at the end of the First Year?Answer.
The wide range of choices is a distinct advantage and one of the major strengths of the Department of Sociology. It offers flexibility in learning and the opportunity to design your own programme of studies according to your interests and strengths, subject only to discipline-based requirements in the Department of Sociology.There is no 'best combination of modules.' That is 'old economy' thinking.
If you decide to major in Sociology, you will have to take one essential Level 2000 module (SC2101 Methods of Social Research) and one essential Level 3000 module (SC3101 Social Thought and Social Theory) in addition to the foundation module SC1101E.
These modules provide essential disciplinary training and should be taken with other electives. The electives you choose are best decided upon, depending on your interests and what areas of the discipline you would like to explore or be trained in.Consult your Year Advisor in the Department of Sociology if in doubt.
Q3d. I am not a student in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, but I have heard from senior students that there are interesting modules which I can take as cross-faculty modules. So what's available?
Answer:
As with the question above, the wide range of choice is a distinct advantage and one of the major strengths of the Department of Sociology. It offers flexibility in learning and the opportunity to design your own programme of studies according to your interests and strengths, subject only to discipline-based requirements in your respective faculty.Here are some specific FAQs which may be applicable to you:
Q. I am a student in the Faculty of Medicine, so what modules could I take?
A. How about SC2211: Medical Sociology, SC3219: Sexuality in Comparative Perspective, SC3214: Sociology of Life Course and Aging, or SC4214: Selected Topics in Health and Society? Or, if you have an interest in medical technology, how about SC3211: Science, Technology and Society?
Q. I am a student in the Faculty of Law. Anything for me?
A. Yes, of course. How about SC2205: Sociology of the Family, SC2212: Sociology of Deviance, SC3215: Law and Society, SC4216: Selected Topics in Law and Justice or SC4208A: Comparative Analysis of Human Rights?
Q. I am from the School of Business. What's there for me?A. How about SC2101: Methods of Social Research, SC2202: Sociology of Work, SC2209: Money, Business and Social Networks, SC2217: Sociology of Tourism, SC3209: Data Analysis in Social Research, or SC4203: Sociology of Organisations?
Q. I am a student in the Faculty of Science. How about me?
A. How about considering SC2215: The Sociology of Food, SC3204: Sociology of Education, SC3211: Science, Technology and Society or even SC5201: Concept Formation and Theory Building?
Q. I am a student in the School of Design and Environment. What choices are there for me?A. The choices are considerable. SC1101E: Making Sense of Society, SC2205: Sociology of the Family, SC2207: Peoples and Cultures of Southeast Asia, SC2210: Sociology of Popular Culture, SC2217: Sociology of Tourism and SC3206 Urban Sociology.
If you have any other questions, feel free to consult any of the Year Advisor listed on our website.
As you can see, the choices are almost limitless. Please note that there may be conditions depending on whether you are a Year 1, 2, 3 or Honours student as well as other university-level requirements. Not all modules are offered each semester. Please refer to the website of the Department of Sociology for updates or enquire directly at the department's general office.
However, we also encourage you to think about modules which may not seem directly relevant to your major, if you are from another faculty.
For example, you may be committed to the study of medicine, law or engineering, but you also have an interest in helping poor, underprivileged people in Southeast Asia. In that case, you might want to consider taking disciplinary-based modules covering Southeast Asia to enable you to understand the peoples and cultures of Southeast Asia. On the other hand, you may be interested in working in the civil service or the elite administrative service after you have completed your studies. In that case, you may want to take our social policy-related modules. You may be a student with and interest in photography and films, in which case you could consider the module on Visual Ethnography.
Or, you may want to stretch your mind and do something very different. If that is the case, there is plenty on offer.
Whatever modules you decide upon, what you will receive is training in discovery procedures, critical thinking, analytical skills and innovative ways of examining, understanding and explaining a range of issues which have an impact on contemporary social life.
5. Future Expectations
Q5a. This sounds great. But, what kind of career can I expect to have if I major in Sociology?
Answer:
A degree in Sociology prepares you for a broad range of career options and graduate and professional studies.It also provides a solid foundation for students planning careers in law, medicine, policy-making,architecture, urban planning, business, education or public health.
Our graduates have found employment in administration and personnel, information and research, community service, management, the media industry, teaching, uniformed services, marketing, and public relations
6. Delivery
Q6a. How do I know that you can really deliver what you say? Enquiring minds want to know!
Answer:
We value enquiring minds! This is who we are and why we can deliver.Teaching faculty in the Department of Sociology is fully international and professionally backed by first-rate administrative staff.
All teaching faculty have been trained in leading universities in the world and many have done research in Europe, North America, East Asia, and particularly Southeast Asia and Singapore.We have studied under, interacted and maintained close contact with some of the leading experts in Sociology and Anthropology around the world. We have close links with a wide variety of local and international organizations. Many of these links were forged through collaborative research projects.
We have international reputations in our respective fields of specialization. We are members of editorial boards of professional, international Sociology and Anthropology journals. Some of us serve in various capacities in the International Sociological Association. We have been consultants to Singapore government bodies and international organizations. We are regularly invited to give lectures, seminars and conference papers both regionally and internationally.
We are committed to excellence in teaching. Much of our teaching is research-driven. We believe that teaching and learning should be a journey of joint discovery with our students and it should be an enjoyable and rewarding experience in preparation for your future.
We also believe that learning Sociology with us should be fun! Seriously!