Senior Experience Options

As the capstone course in sociology, the senior experience gives you an opportunity to apply what you have learned up to this point in the major. It will show your level of mastery in:

  1. Developing the capacity to think sociologically, cultivating a “sociological imagination” with which to interpret the social world;
  2. Developing the ability to recognize and apply multiple theoretical perspectives to an understanding and analysis of human agency and social structure;
  3. Developing the tools needed to think methodologically about how to gather and use data to study social life;
  4. Cultivating and strengthening your ability to think critically and write analytically;
  5. Planning and implementing an original research project through which you demonstrate an integrated understanding of sociological thinking, theory, and research and analysis methods.

Sociology 495 Internship - Internships are unavailable in Fall 2021 due to Covid 19

Students work at selected social service and community organizations supervised by on-site staff. This option provides opportunities to observe the operation of agencies, to engage in field research, to analyze organizational behavior through the lens of sociology, and to develop interpersonal skills. Students will spend 12 or more hours a week (for a total of 120 hours) interning and will also participate in a student-run seminar.

Course requirements consist of a journal (which includes both a log of internship hours and daily detailed fieldnotes that become data for your final paper), a “staged” research paper (15-20 pages with 15-20 appropriate and useable references), class discussion and facilitation, oral presentation of research, resume, and senior portfolio. Students are responsible for locating and making their own internship arrangements. See the Department of Sociology and Office of Community Service Learning websites for internship possibilities.

(A list of previous internship sites is available here.)

Sociology 499 Seminar

Through an original research project, students apply the theoretical and methodological knowledge gained in the major to a concrete research question (or issue) studied throughout the semester. This option allows students to consider the range of sociological sub-specialties comprising the discipline, collect and analyze data to enhance sociological knowledge, and effectively discuss research and the research process. The seminar also makes use of and develops students’ own sociological interests by selecting a topic within the framework of this discussion-centered course.

Students will spend 6-8 hours a week on their projects as they collect and analyze original data (80 hours) and conduct library research (40 hours). Course requirements include classroom discussion and facilitation, oral reporting and presentations of research, a “staged” research paper (20-25 pages with 20-25 appropriate and useable references), resume, and senior portfolio. 

Senior Internship Proposal - Internships are unavailable in Fall 2021 due to Covid 19

To apply for the Senior Internship, you must write a 4-5 page proposal in which you address the following:

1) Internship Site: Provide the following information about your chosen internship: name of organization, organization’s mission, and activities/tasks/projects to which you will be assigned.

2) Research Question: Describe your preliminary research topic, research question, or area of interest that you might explore at your internship site and that also enables you to integrate and apply your sociological knowledge and skills. In others, what are you tentatively trying to uncover and investigate about the social world there?

3) Sociological Framework: What makes this proposed topic, question, or area of interest sociological? How will you frame it or conceptualize it sociologically? What might it allow us to learn and understand about our society?

4) Methods: How will you propose to collect data to address this topic, question, or area of interest? Specify the research method(s) that you may use along with possible sample/s and data collection procedures. For example, if you plan to conduct semi-structured interviews with a population, indicate who that population is, and how you will have access to interview them; or describe the specific field site you have selected for ethnographic research; or identify an existing data set that you will use and manipulate for quantitative analysis. Also, tell us what experience you already possess in carrying out what you propose here.

5) Theory: What specific sociological concepts and theories could help you to understand the social phenomenon you are investigating? Be specific. Also, what sociology courses have you taken that may provide you with the materials and perspectives to effectively engage this research topic, question, or area of interest?

6) The Sociological Self: Analyze how your interests in this internship site and this topic, question, or area of interest relate to both your personal and professional goals; why do you believe the senior internship is the most appropriate capstone option for you?

Senior Seminar and Thesis Proposal

To apply for the Senior Seminar, you must write a 4-5 page proposal in which you address the following:

1) Research Question: State your topic and research question(s) that enables you to integrate and apply your sociological knowledge and skills; what are you trying to uncover and investigate about the social world?

2) Sociological Framework: What makes this proposed topic, question, or area of interest sociological? How will you frame it or conceptualize it sociologically? What might it allow us to learn and understand about our society?

3) Methods: How will you collect data to answer your research question? This is the most specific (detailed) section in this proposal, as it lays out how you will gather data to test your research question(s). Specify the research method(s) you will use, how you will gather data, and your specific site/sample. For example, if you plan to conduct semi-structured interviews with a population, indicate who that population is, and how you will have access to interview them; or indicate the specific field site you have selected for ethnographic research; or indicate an existing data set you will use and manipulate for quantitative analysis. Also, explain how your proposed research project is feasible based on your skills, resources and timeframe. Feasibility can be shown in a number of ways: provide confirmation that the group under study has granted you access, include a letter of support from the group under investigation, describe how specific times, places, and other dimensions impact the successful completion of your proposed project, and outline specific factors, needs or resources (e.g. transportation, supplies, equipment, conflicting obligations, time constraints) that influence how you will go about your research. Essentially, you must “convince” us that your proposed research study is possible.

4) Theory: What specific sociological concepts and theories could help to understand the social phenomenon you are investigating? Also, what sociology courses have you taken that may provide you with the materials and perspectives to effectively engage this research topic, question, or area of interest?

5) The Sociological Self: Analyze how your interests in this topic/question relate to both your personal and professional goals; why do you believe this senior seminar or honors thesis is the most appropriate capstone option for you?

 

Willamette University

Sociology Department

Address
Smullin Hall 3rd floor
900 State Street
Salem Oregon 97301 U.S.A.
Phone
503-370-6556 voice
503-370-6720 fax

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