Program Overview

Sociology BA / Urban Strategy MS

The BA in Sociology with a concentration in urban sociology and MS in Urban Strategy is a combined BA/MS cross-disciplinary degree that focuses on the sociological analysis of cities, communities, and social processes.

About the Program

This program prepares students to be leaders in urban issues, populations, and challenges, whether through careers in urban policy, planning, social work, community nonprofits, government, or industry. The MS in Urban Strategy is designed to prepare students to become 21st-century urbanists equipped to collaboratively and creatively solve complex multifaceted urban challenges on all levels: locally, nationally, and globally.

Admission Requirements

Students who meet the standard eligibility requirement for accelerated programs should consult with their advisor and work on an individual plan of study to submit with the Change of Curriculum form.

Degree Requirements

• General Education Requirements:
  • CIVC 101: Introduction to Civic Engagement (1.0)
  • COOP 101: Career Management and Professional Development (1.0)
  • ENGL 101: Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research (3.0)
  • ENGL 102: Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing (3.0)
  • ENGL 103: Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres (3.0)
  • UNIV H101: The Drexel Experience (1.0)
  • UNIV H201: Looking Forward: Academics and Careers (1.0)
  • Two Consecutive Foreign Language Courses (8.0)
  • College of Arts and Sciences Core Curriculum
  • Developing Quantitative Reasoning (6.0-8.0)
  • Engaging the Natural World (6.0-8.0)
  • Analyzing Cultures & Histories (6.0-8.0)
  • Understanding Society & Human Behavior (6.0-8.0)
  • Cultivating Global Competence (6.0-8.0)
  • Perspectives in Diversity (3.0-4.0)
• Sociology Requirements:
  • SOC 101: Introduction to Sociology (3.0)
  • SOC 240: Urban Sociology (4.0)
  • SOC 241: Research Design: Qualitative Methods (4.0)
  • SOC 242: Research Design: Quantitative Methods (4.0)
  • SOC 355: Classical Social Theory (4.0)
  • SOC 356: Contemporary Social Theory (4.0)
  • SOC 450: Capstone in Sociology (4.0)
  • Required Sociology Electives: Select at least nine of the following (at least two must be at the 300 or 400 level) (36.0)
    • SOC 115: Social Problems
    • SOC 207: Medicine and Society
    • SOC 210: Race, Ethnicity and Social Inequality
    • SOC 215: Sociology of Work
    • SOC 220: Wealth and Power
    • SOC 221: Sociology of the Family
    • SOC 222: Sex and Society
    • SOC 230: Gender and Society
    • SOC 235: Sociology of Health and Illness
    • SOC 238: Sociology of Health Professions
    • SOC 244: Sociology of the Environment
    • SOC 261: Sex and The City
    • SOC 268: Sociology of Sport
    • SOC 271: Sociology of Aging
    • SOC 278: Global Climate Change and Society
    • SOC 281: Gentrification and Neighborhood Change
    • SOC 313: Sociology of Global Health
    • SOC 318: Social Networks and Health
    • SOC 320: Sociology of Deviance
    • SOC 330: Development and Underdevelopment in the Global South
    • SOC 335: Sociology of Education
    • SOC 340: Globalization
    • SOC 346: Environmental Justice
    • SOC 349: Sociology of Disasters
    • SOC 370: Practicum in Applied and Community Sociology
    • SOC 405: Medicine, Technology and Science
    • SOC 406: Housing and Homelessness
    • SOC 410: Imagining Multiple Democracies
    • SOC 420: Love, Rage & Debt: The Debt Society
    • SOC 430: Politics of Life
    • SOC 444: Social Movements
    • SOC 490: Sociology Research Seminar I: Research Design
    • SOC 491: Sociology Research Seminar II: Data Acquisition and Analysis
    • SOC 492: Sociology Research Seminar III: Practicum in Sociological Research
    • SOC T380: Special Topics in Sociology
• Urban Sociology Electives: Select two of the following (8.0)
  • SOC 261: Sex and The City
  • SOC 406: Housing and Homelessness
  • SOC T280: Special Topics in Sociology (Gentrification and Neighborhood Change)
• Free Electives (55.0)
• MS Urban Strategy Requirements:
  • ECON 616: Public Finance and Cost Benefit Analysis (3.0)
  • EOH 550: Introduction to Urban Health (3.0)
  • URBS 510: History of Urban Space (Shared Course) (3.0)
  • URBS 520: What is a City (3.0)
  • URBS 530: Quantitative Methods & Reasoning for Urban Strategists (3.0)
  • URBS 610: Civic Engagement & Participatory Methods (3.0)
  • URBS 620: City of Systems (3.0)
  • URBS 630: Spatial Reasoning for Urbanists, Architects & Designers (3.0)
  • URBS 670: Thesis I: Research Inquiry & Design (3.0)
  • URBS 675: Thesis Seminar I (1.5)
  • URBS 680: Thesis II: Fieldwork (3.0)
  • URBS 685: Thesis Seminar II (1.5)
  • URBS 690: Thesis III: Documentation (3.0)
  • Four Graduate Free Electives (12.0)

Sample Plan of Study

The sample plan of study for the 4+1, 1 co-op (Accelerated program completed in 5 years) is as follows:

• First Year:
  • Fall: ENGL 101, SOC 101, UNIV H101, Developing Quantitative Reasoning, Foreign Language Course
  • Winter: CIVC 101, ENGL 102, SOC 240, Engaging the Natural World, Foreign Language Course
  • Spring: COOP 101, ENGL 103, Perspectives in Diversity, Sociology Elective
  • Summer: VACATION
• Second Year:
  • Fall: SOC 241, Developing Quantitative Reasoning, Sociology Electives, Free Electives
  • Winter: SOC 355, Analyzing Cultures & Histories, Engaging the Natural World, Sociology Elective
  • Spring: SOC 242, Analyzing Cultures & Histories, Free Electives, Sociology Elective 300-400
  • Summer: UNIV H201, Free Elective, Sociology Elective 300-400
• Third Year:
  • Fall: Cultivating Global Competence, SOC 356, Sociology Urban Elective, Understanding Society & Human Behavior, URBS 510
  • Winter: Cultivating Global Competence, Free Electives, URBS 610
  • Spring: COOP EXPERIENCE
  • Summer: COOP EXPERIENCE
• Fourth Year:
  • Fall: Free Electives, Sociology Electives, URBS 520, URBS 530
  • Winter: SOC 450, Free Electives, URBS 620, URBS 630
  • Spring: Free Electives, ECON 616, URBS Elective
  • Summer: Student converts to Graduate status
• Fifth Year:
  • Fall: EOH 550, URBS 670, URBS Elective
  • Winter: URBS 675, URBS 680, URBS Elective
  • Spring: URBS 685, URBS 690, URBS Elective

Writing-Intensive Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid "clustering" these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.