Associate of Arts (Sociology) Degree

Program Description

Students of the Associate of Arts (Sociology) degree program will gain multi-disciplinary knowledge in the faculties of arts, humanities, and social science, and develop their critical thinking and research skills. The program also includes a customizable concentration in sociology, which allows students to explore different areas in sociology, including sociological theory and research methods, Canadian society, popular culture, crime, and social movements.

Sociology studies the interactions between individuals and the societies in which they live. If you are interested in how and why social constructs such as gender, race, class, ethnicity and religion influence our individual choices and social circumstances, consider an academic career in sociological study.

The Associate of Arts (Sociology) Degree is a foundational degree consisting of 60 credits in total, typically completed over a two-year period. Program requirements include a minimum of 36 credits in arts, including 18 credits in first- and second-year sociology.

The Associate of Arts (Sociology) degree program develops broad-based academic skills in the following areas:

• Reading comprehension
• Written and oral communication
• Mathematical and scientific reasoning
• Computer and technological literacy
• Research and evaluative skills
• Analysis, synthesis, and integration of knowledge
• Critical thinking and problem solving
• Application of theoretical understanding to practice
• Collaborative and team-based experience

Specifically, the Associate of Arts (Sociology) degree program provides experience and aptitudes in the following areas:

• Understanding of sociological theory
• Knowledge of methods for performing sociological research
• Current and historical social movements and social change
• Familiarity with social perspectives on human behaviour and human society

Transferability

An Associate of Arts (Sociology) Degree may be transferrable to the third year of a four-year bachelor’s degree program at a university. Some BC universities accept Associate Degree graduates at a reduced GPA requirement. For more information on the option of transferring to a university upon completion of an Associate of Arts (Economics) Degree, please consult the BC Transfer Guide or see an Academic Advisor.

Post-Grad Work Permit

International students completing the Associate of Arts (Sociology) Degree program at Alexander College are also eligible to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit.