» Frequently Asked Questions

To declare a major in Sociology, email the chair of the department (bader@chapman.edu). In this email, indicate your desire to declare the major and include your student ID number. The chair will email the registrar's office to enroll you as a major.

Check the Sociology Degree Program requirements specified in the Catalog for your calendar year: https://catalog.chapman.edu/

Sociology B.A. Degree requirements for 2021/2022:

If you are uncertain about what to take next or to confirm you are on track, speak to your Faculty Advisor or the Sociology Peer Advisor (email: SOCpeeradvisor@chapman.edu).

You can declare a minor in Sociology using the "Change of Major/Minor Form" for the appropriate year: https://www.chapman.edu/students/academic-resources/registrar/student-services/forms.aspx

A minor in sociology requires 21 credits of coursework. Four of these courses are required courses, and three will be Sociology and Anthropology electives (see the list below):

After familiarizing yourself with the program requirements to earn the Sociology degree, you are ready to choose your courses wisely and draft a plan on how you will distribute your coursework across the semesters to meet your target graduation date.

• All Course Offerings, Sociology Department— Longitudinal planning
  Consult the Official Catalog Online for your program year.  Here you will find Sociology degree requirements and the Sociology Department Course Offerings. Find the full list of core courses and the electives that count as credits towards the degree here: Sociology Department Course Offerings. Most courses indicate "Offered in Spring Semester" -"Every semester" – "Once a year" - "As needed," etc., in the course description section.
• Semesterly Course Offerings, Sociology Program— Enrolling in classes
  - Access the Student Center and Log-in to my.Chapman.edu to see which courses are offered in the upcoming/current semester.
  - Here you will conduct a "Search for Classes." Select the appropriate semester-year (e.g., Fall 2021) and enter "SOC" prefix or "Sociology" in the subject field to return class results. Do it again using "ANTH" and "AMST" in the subject field for Anthropology and American Studies options. These results comprise all of the core and elective courses offered for Sociology credits in the specified semester.  Add to cart. 
  - To find a list of the course offerings in one convenient place, visit the "Course Offerings, [Semester, Year]" link found on the Sociology Home Page (posted and updated when information is available).

If you are interested in a course that is closed, email the instructor of the course, explain your situation, and ask for permission to join the class.  Submit a request via the permission number portal https://webfarm.chapman.edu/PermissionNumberRequest. The instructor will approve or deny your request via the portal.  If approved, you will receive a unique code via email, allowing you to enroll in the class. 

Your Faculty Advisor, elsewhere referred to as Program Advisor or Major Advisor, is a faculty member in your academic department (i.e., Sociology) who can advise you on the workings of the Sociology degree program. They can provide help on course planning, but only as it relates specifically to the Sociology program. Your Faculty Advisor can help you understand degree requirements, assist your professional development in the field, and advise on areas of interest and scholarly projects.  You are encouraged to make use of having one by visiting office hours and otherwise developing an advisor-advisee relationship. 

For everything else (e.g., issues related to general graduation requirements, interpreting your program evaluation), turn to the Academic Advising Center [AAC]. See the distinction as spelled out by Academic Advising Center here.

Visit the AAC website for answers to common advising questions (very helpful section: Academic Advising FAQs) and other excellent resources. 

The Academic Advising Center can answer any questions about rules and procedures regarding the bureaucratic application of credits and what you need to do to graduate, etc. Be proactive!  For general information, consult the official Catalog and search for the topic on the Chapman website first (e.g., "Sociology Minor requirements"; "transfer credits rules"; "GE requirements"); most all policies and procedures are clearly spelled out online and easily accessible to you.  If you need any specific help, contact the Academic Advising Center. They can help you interpret your Program Evaluation, make sure you are on track, and help you resolve various issues.

Academic Advising Center Contacts:

• Visit the Academic Advising website for Walk-In Hours (remote) and arrange Advising appointments
• Academic Advising Center BK 405
• Email:  advising@chapman.edu
• Instagram: @CUacademicadvising
• Email: heichoi@chapman.edu  Heidi Choi, Academic Specialist Advisor for Sociology/Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities and Social Science majors.

If you have questions about your Sociology Coursework specifically, contact your designated Faculty Advisor and/or the Sociology Peer Advisor first (email= socpeeradvisor@chapman.edu or visit Sociology Homepage to schedule a peer-advising appointment).  If not resolved, contact the Sociology Advising Coordinator, Prof. CK Magliola: magliola@chapman.edu.  If signatures/approvals are needed, contact the Chair of the Dept., Dr. Chris Bader: bader@chapman.edu.

Call the Sociology Department Office to speak with Sociology Department's Administrative Assistant, Dani Espiritu, who can help direct you accordingly: (714)997-6621.

Take advantage of:

(1) Official information and resources available online (www.chapman.edu topic search);  

(2) The Academic Advising Center; and

(3) Sociology Program/Faculty Advising resources

Doing so will help you take ownership of your educational goals, optimize your college experience, and smooth the way to graduating with the degrees you want in the time you expect.  

All students are assigned a Faculty Advisor upon matriculation.  This information can be found on your Program Evaluation and Student Center Portal. If for some reason, you do not have a faculty advisor assigned to you, or if you would like to change faculty advisors, submit a Faculty Advisor Request Form.

We feel that each student should have the benefit and convenience of having a faculty advisor they can turn to. In addition to faculty with whom you have class, a faculty advisor serves as a "go-to" resource for the student and provides more personalized guidance when needed.

Of course, you are welcome and encouraged to visit office hours and work with any faculty member, even if they are not your assigned "faculty advisor" for questions and conversations about sociology!