Sociology Subjects 2025: Semester Subjects, Electives, Books and Specializations

Akansha BishtSenior Executive
A bachelor’s degree in Sociology is a 3-year undergraduate program, and a master’s in Sociology is a 2-year post-graduate program. This course deals with the theoretical aspects of social life, the changes in social life, human behavior to social causes, and consequences that shape the social structure and cultural factors. This course offers jobs in fields like Journalism, Survey Researching, Rehabilitation Counseling, Human Resources, Social Working, Family Counseling, Media Planning, etc. Students looking forward to building a career in the field of Sociology could take up this course. Those who would like to engage themselves in social activities and work towards the betterment of society or change society with their thoughts and ideologies are well suited for this course.
List of Subjects in Sociology -Typical Core Subjects for Sociology
|
Subject Title |
Subject Details |
|---|---|
|
Sociology of India |
This subject provides an overview of the images and ideas of India from a sociological perspective. It also looks into sociological concepts in the Indian context. |
|
Introduction to Sociology |
This subject provides an introduction to sociological thoughts and focuses on the concepts of sociological thinkers over some time. This course also offers an understanding of various sociologists' original works and transcriptions. |
|
Political Sociology |
This subject provides an overview of the concepts of sociology with the theoretical and practical aspects of the political aspects. The changes in the political situation and its growth are examined to have an analytical perspective of the same. |
|
Sociology of Religion |
This subject provides an overview of the distinctiveness of the sociological approach in studying religion. The religious phenomenon and the customs, rituals, beliefs, etc., are examined from a much closer point of view. |
|
Sociology of Gender |
This subject provides an overview of the sociological aspects of gender as a critical relation with categories of gender and sexuality. This subject tries to understand concepts such as gender and their common notions. |
|
Economic Sociology |
Economic Sociology provides an overview of the economy and the socio-cultural environment involving various complexes—understanding the elements of economy and its production, distribution, exchange, and consumption perspectives. |
Typical Elective Subjects for Sociology
|
Subject Title |
Subject Details |
|---|---|
|
Agrarian Sociology |
This subject provides an overview of the formation of the sociological collectives and the South Asian societies Agrarian buildings. It helps students understand the agrarian past and present, along with necessary theories and practical aspects. |
|
Environmental Sociology |
This subject provides an overview of the reflection of sociology in the environment as an objective approach. These concepts enable the students to understand the issues of the environment and the environmental developments and movements in India. The sociological perspective of the relationship between nature and social perspectives is also considered. |
|
Visual Culture |
This subject provides an overview of the concepts of visualising everyday culture within the boundaries of politics, identity, and resistance. It also enables the students to understand the potential representations involving sociological interest. |
|
Reading Ethnographies |
This subject enables the students to learn ethnographic textual and conceptual formats. Reading ethnographies help students understand the critical and analytical concepts of sociology. |
|
Family and Intimacy |
This subject enables the students to learn the sociological perspectives involved in the relationship between family members and their history, culture, and social contexts that can impact the relationships from misunderstandings. It also enables the students to have a clear view of the diversity of the cultural and societal norms towards which the family members should showcase empathy. |
Detailed Syllabus for Sociology
The semesters and the respective subjects of the sociology course vary from one college or institution to the other. This is an overview of the subjects and their details that form part of the curriculum of sociology syllabus.
|
Semester |
Core/Elective |
Subject Title |
Subject Details |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Core |
Sociology of India |
This subject provides an overview of British and American Social Anthropology but takes a different view on Western culture and Social Culture. |
|
|
Core |
Political Sociology |
This subject provides an overview of the concepts of sociology with the theoretical and practical aspects per the political aspects. Analysing the changes in the political situation and its growth is part of this subject. |
|
2 |
Core |
Sociology of Religion |
This subject provides an overview of the distinctiveness of the sociological approach in studying religion. The religious phenomenon and the customs, rituals, beliefs, etc., are analysed from a much closer point of view. |
|
|
Core |
Sociology of Gender |
This subject provides an overview of the sociological aspects of gender as a critical relation with categories of gender and sexuality. The understanding of concepts such as gender and their common notions of gender. |
|
3 |
Core |
Social Stratification |
This subject provides an overview of the society's categorization of its people based on gender, income, wealth, education, family background, and power. |
|
|
Core |
Sociological Thinkers - I |
This subject provides an overview to give the students a basic understanding of Sociology and apply the said theories in their daily, real-time life experiences. |
|
4 |
Core |
Sociological Research Methods - I |
This subject provides an overview to equip students with the required knowledge and skillset to design social research, thus improving Social, Environmental, and Agricultural Systems. |
|
|
Core |
Research Methods |
This subject provides an overview of the various methods that can be incorporated while employing Research Methodology in the field of Sociology. |
|
|
Elective |
Environmental Sociology |
This subject provides an overview of the relationship between the societies and their natural environments and emphasises more on the Social Factors that influence Environmental Resource Management. |
Specialisations offered in Sociology
|
Specialisation |
Specialisation Subjects |
Subject Details |
|---|---|---|
|
General Elective |
Rethinking Development |
This subject provides an overview of the concepts of rethinking the development of the key ideas and the animating forces of the societies and lives of people living in the communities. The students understand the different ideas, approaches, policies, developmental theories, and approaches, which conclude with the consequences and the experiences of development. |
|
Discipline-Specific Elective |
Urban Sociology |
This subject provides an overview of the concepts and key ideas of the sociological perspectives of the urban phenomenon in both historical and sociological concepts relating to urban sociology. The course also involves the evolution of critical thinking in urban political policy. |
|
Generic Elective |
Sociology of Media |
This subject provides an overview of the major themes and outlines the correlations between media and society. It also familiarises the students with various concepts and theories in media sociology. The media's production, control, and reception are represented in a sociological perspective. |
|
Core Course |
Sociology of Kinship |
This subject enables the students to study the concepts of relevant understanding in the family, marriage, and kinship perspectives. It enables the students to look beyond the surface of issues to innovate how and why the issues of kinship arise irrespective of the various perspectives for understanding kinship. This subject also acknowledges the historical evolution of the kinship theories and the reproductive technologies recasting the kinship ideologies. |
Books and Authors Related to Sociology
Great scholars recommend many books for students who are aspiring to pursue Sociology. These books are a reliable source of knowledge, and the content provided would be genuine and informative. These books could provide an insight into the subjects and their basic outline in a much more engaging way. Many of these books would be available in libraries, or the online versions of these books could also be downloaded and accessed by any student.
|
Subject |
Book Title |
Author |
|---|---|---|
|
Introduction to Sociology |
Sociology |
Horton, Paul B., Chester L. Hunt, Tata McGraw Hill |
|
Political Sociology |
Para-Political Systems |
Bailey, F.G., University of London Press |
|
Sociology of Religion |
Religion as a Subject for Sociology |
Beteille, Andre, 2002, Oxford University Press |
|
Sociology of Gender |
Doing Gender |
Candace West and Don H. Zimmerman |
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Student Forum
Answered a month ago
Of course, some of my favorites from the Sociology subject are -
- Contemporary Sociology by J. P. Singh.
- Sociology: Looking Through the Window of the World by Lynda I Dodgen and Adrian M Rapp.
- Radical Environmentalism by J. Cianchi.
- Controlology: Beyond the New Criminology by J.R. Ditton.
- Social Concepts
R
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a month ago
I believe they are and especially when you're a working person looking for some short-term or flexible courses to give your career new heights. There are so many online courses for Criminology, like UG, PG-degree, diploma, certification, and even PhD. So that you can decide according to your career
R
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a month ago
Of course, they do. Here are some top Criminology colleges in India you can consider for great placement options.
| Best Criminology Colleges | Average Package Offered |
|---|---|
| Srinivas University Placements | INR 10 LPA |
| University of Lucknow Placements | INR 7.46 LPA |
| Kristu Jayanti University Placements | INR 6.5 LPA |
| Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya Placements | INR 5.11 LPA |
Note - The information is taken from the official sites of the college.
Know more about -
S
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a month ago
Of course you can. A few learning platforms, like Old Dominion University, offer a PhD in Criminology. Though it's a university abroad, you can get admission to its online PhD program, i.e., PhD in Criminology and Criminal Justice. It's a 24-month degree course and the average fee is INR 24.79 Lakh.
M
Contributor-Level 9
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Can you suggest some good Sociology books I can read apart from the syllabus?