Bachelor of Science in Sociology Online

The bachelor's in sociology program from NKU provides an understanding of the roles of people within communities and society and helps you develop a diverse set of in-demand skills that give you a professional advantage in a variety of careers and industries.

Apply by 4/24/24
Start class 5/6/24 Apply Now

Now lower tuition to make your undergraduate journey even more affordable! $275 per credit hour with Path to Success Scholarship*

Program Overview

Discover what our online B.S. in Sociology offers you

Enrich your ability to think critically about societies and learn to understand and appreciate behavioral differences among people in the NKU Bachelor of Science in Sociology online. You will graduate this program equipped with the knowledge gained in examining how social influences affect different individuals, groups, and organizations.

Our 100% online curriculum emphasizes sociological concepts, theories, and methods as powerful analytical tools for making connections between personal problems and larger social issues. Learn to use research, data analysis, and high-level analytical thinking to solve complex problems. Elective coursework includes criminology, marriage and the family, the sociology of work and occupations, and popular culture.

In this online program, you will:

  • Study how people interact with one another in society and how communities are intertwined
  • Examine dominant-minority intergroup relations, prejudice, discrimination, and other intergroup processes
  • Gain an understanding of theories involving social class, distribution of wealth, power, and prestige in the U.S.
  • Analyze the interaction of technology and society, including the social changes and issues that arise with technological advancement
  • Study how people interact with one another in society and how communities are intertwined
  • Examine dominant-minority intergroup relations, prejudice, discrimination, and other intergroup processes
  • Gain an understanding of theories involving social class, distribution of wealth, power, and prestige in the U.S.
  • Analyze the interaction of technology and society, including the social changes and issues that arise with technological advancement

Potential career outcomes:

  • Social Scientist
  • Political Analyst
  • Human Resources Manager
  • Market Research Analyst
  • Survey Researcher/Pollster
  • Social Scientist
  • Political Analyst
  • Human Resources Manager
  • Market Research Analyst
  • Survey Researcher/Pollster

Also available:

Northern Kentucky University offers value in a broad range of online undergraduate programs.

Tuition $275 per credit hour*
Transfer Credits Up to 90
Credit Hours 120
Apply Now

Need More Information?

Call 800-985-7215

Call 800-985-7215

What Makes NKU Unique?

NKU students are changing their lives and making big changes to their future.

Tuition

Find out how and when to pay your tuition

The B.S. in Sociology online program offers the same affordable, pay-by-the-course tuition to in-state and out-of-state students. Financial aid may be available to students who qualify. For additional information, visit the Financial Aid section on our FAQ page.

Tuition Breakdown:

$275 Per Credit Hour*
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Nationally Recognized

Ranked among the "Top Public Schools" by U.S. News & World Report, 2024

Calendar

Jot down these important dates for our students

The B.S. in Sociology is delivered in a flexible online format with six starts a year and 7-week courses. View the full calendar to see all upcoming dates. When you're ready to get started, be sure to submit your application, registration, documents, and tuition by the corresponding deadlines.

SessionProgram Start DateApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlineRegistration DeadlinePayment Due
Spring 23/11/242/29/243/4/243/8/243/11/24
Summer 15/6/244/24/244/30/245/3/245/6/24
Summer 26/24/246/12/246/18/246/21/246/24/24
Fall 18/19/248/7/248/12/248/16/248/19/24
Fall 210/16/2410/3/2410/8/2410/11/2410/16/24

Now enrolling:

Apply Date 4/24/24
Class Starts 5/6/24
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Admissions

Find your fit for our online sociology program

The admission process is the first step toward earning your B.S. in Sociology degree online. Please reach out to one of our enrollment specialists if you have any questions.

Admission Requirements:

  • Official transcripts from each college attended
  • 2.0 GPA or higher on a 4.0 scale
  • Online application fee waived for active/veteran military

B.S. in Sociology Online Admission Requirements

Applicants for the B.S. in Sociology online program are evaluated on a holistic basis and must meet the following requirements:

Transfer Admission

Transfer applicants are students who have graduated from high school and have previously attempted coursework for credit (other than college credits taken while in high school) at another accredited college or university.

Students with a minimum 2.0 GPA from an accredited institution and 24 or more transferable credit hours must submit the following:

  • Complete online application and pay $40 non-refundable application fee
    • If you are an NKU alum or active/veteran military member, your application fee will be waived. Simply submit the online application without payment of the application fee. The fee will be waived when your credentials are verified. No further action is required.
  • Official transcripts from each college attended

Students with a minimum 2.0 GPA and fewer than 24 transferable credit hours are evaluated based on the freshman admission standards and must supply the following:

  • Complete online application and pay $40 non-refundable application fee
    • If you are an NKU alum or active/veteran military member, your application fee will be waived. Simply submit the online application without payment of the application fee. The fee will be waived when your credentials are verified. No further action is required.
  • Official transcripts from each college attended
  • Final and official high school transcript or GED scores
  • New transfer students who apply to the University with fewer than 24 college credit hours earned and a 2.75 and greater unweighted high school GPA will be offered admissions regardless of ACT/SAT scores. Please note: Nursing and respiratory care programs require ACT/SAT scores.
  • New transfer students with a 2.7499 unweighted high school GPA and less will be required to submit ACT or SAT test scores:
    • Required ACT scores:
      18 (English, math, reading)
    • Required SAT scores:
      Prior to March 2016: 430 (math, writing); 450 (critical reading)
      March 2016 to present: 480 (evidence-based reading and writing); 470 (math)

Freshman Applicants

A freshman applicant is a prospective student who has not attempted coursework at an accredited college or university (other than college credit earned while in high school or during the summer immediately following high school graduation).

Students who are 21 years or older and have never attended college (other than college credits taken while in high school) must supply:

  • Complete online application and pay $40 non-refundable application fee
    • If you are an NKU alum or active/veteran military member, your application fee will be waived. Simply submit the online application without payment of the application fee. The fee will be waived when your credentials are verified. No further action is required.
  • Official high school transcripts or GED scores

Students who are under 21 years old and have never attended college (other than college credits taken while in high school) must supply:

  • An online application form
  • A $40 nonrefundable application fee
  • Official high school transcripts or GED scores
  • Freshmen applicants must have at least a 2.0 unweighted high school GPA to be considered for admissions.
    • Freshman applicants with a 2.75 and greater unweighted high school GPA will be offered admissions regardless of ACT/SAT scores. Please note: Nursing and respiratory care programs require ACT/SAT scores.
    • Freshman applicants with a 2.7499 unweighted high school GPA and less will be required to submit ACT or SAT exam scores:
      • Required ACT scores:
        18 (English, math, reading)
      • Required SAT scores:
        Prior to March 2016: 430 (math, writing); 450 (critical reading)
        March 2016 to present: 480 (evidence-based reading and writing); 470 (math)

NKUWrite (English and reading) and ALEKS (math) scores are encouraged for placement. Some courses may require placement testing depending on transfer credit or ACT scores. Our Testing Services office can help you schedule these tests.

Official documents may be mailed or emailed to:

Northern Kentucky University
Office of Admissions
Lucas Administrative Center
400 Nunn Drive
Highland Heights, KY 41099

[email protected]

Have a question? Call us at 800-985-7215.

Courses

View the degree plan for our online B.S. in Sociology program

For the Bachelor of Science in Sociology online, students must complete 36 credit hours in the discipline, 29 of which must be at the 300 or 400 level. Students majoring in sociology are required to complete six core courses (15 credit hours) and choose seven electives.

A minimum grade of C (2.00) is required for each of the core courses. Students can choose between SOC 100 or SOC 101:

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Sociology is the scientific study of society. More specifically, it is the study of ways in which humans construct meanings and organize social relationships and activities. This discipline seeks to develop students' ability to observe and think critically about their own and other societies and to become more sensitive to behavioral and value differences among people (which powerfully shape attitudes and opinions). Serious students of sociology will learn that sociological concepts, theories, and methods are powerful analytical tools for making connections between personal problems and larger social issues and for understanding how local, regional, national, and global communities are intertwined. Such understanding and skills will facilitate decision-making and constructive ethical and responsible action to address the issues we face today.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Global Inequality is the study of ways in which humans construct meanings as they relate to similarities and differences and organize social relationships and activities in ways that advantage some groups over others. Special emphasis is paid to inequalities across and within countries, effects of imperialism and colonialism on linguistic or cultural diversity; theories of cultural development, the interconnections between and differences among local, national, and global communities; and the influence of cultural and socioeconomic background in shaping attitudes and opinions (in themselves and others).
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1
Professional development assessment; investigation of careers in sociology; planning and decision-making skills regarding future careers.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is an introduction to database creation, management, and analysis. Designed to give students hands-on experience assessing, building, evaluating, applying, and drawing conclusions related to large data sets.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is an overview of the research process; principles of research design; major methods of data collection; interviewing techniques; hand-on experience with selected research design and analysis.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course covers major classical sociological theories and their exponents.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 2
Prerequisite(s): SOC 100 and at least 21 semester hours in sociology and senior standing. Senior seminar required as a capstone experience for seniors majoring in sociology.
Select any seven sociology courses not fulfilling requirements above, at least six of which must be at the 300 or 400 level.
Students must take 21 credit hours in a declared minor.

Students must take 37 credit hours of general education courses, selected from the following categories. Note, some general education courses may be part of the major/minor/focus requirements. If so, those courses may be used to count for both general education and the major/minor/focus.

  • General Education Courses:
    • Communication; Written (3)
    • Communication; Written II (3)
    • Communication; Oral (3)
    • Scientific and Quantitative Inquiry;
  • Mathematics and Statistics (3)
    • Scientific and Quantitative Inquiry;
  • Natural Sciences with lab (4)
    • Scientific and Quantitative Inquiry;
  • Natural Sciences without lab (3)
    • Self and Society;
  • Cultural Pluralism (3)
    • Self and Society;
  • Individual and Society (3)
    • Self and Society;
  • Individual and Society (3)
  • Culture and Creativity (3)
  • Culture and Creativity (3)
  • Global Viewpoints (3)

 

Credit for prior learning acknowledges your experiences and can save you time and money on your degree.

You might be closer to graduation than you think!

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