B.A. Hons. Sociology or Bachelor of Arts {Honours} in Sociology is a 3-year undergraduate course. It is offered in many colleges and universities throughout the territory of India.

For being eligible to pursue this course, students should have cleared their 12th. The school should be affiliated to a recognized board.

Some of the top institutes offering this course in India are:

• Lady Shri Ram College for Women, New Delhi
• Miranda House, New Delhi
• Hindu College, New Delhi
• Presidency University, Kolkata 
• St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
• DAV College, Chandigarh

For admission to B.A. Hons. Sociology, most of the universities have started conducting entrance tests lately. In some universities like Delhi University, admission is also given on the basis of cut-off lists.

The average course fee ranges from INR 15,000 to INR 2,50,000 for the 3 year period.

In this course, students learn about the society and its behaviour. They learn the basic norms that are useful when dealing with people around you and communicating yourselves to them. The students are also introduced to various ideologies and isms like Marxism, Fascism, Gandhism, etc. Various modern and classical sociological thoughts are also taught.

Check B.A. Hons. Sociology Syllabus.

After graduating from B.A. Hons. Sociology, students get job opportunities like:

• School Teacher
• PR Executive
• Journalist
• Social Workers
• Data Analyst

They even have chances of getting a job in the government sector. The average starting salary is between INR 10,000 to INR 20,000. Normally a college lecturer earns more than INR 80,000 per month.

B.A. Hons. Sociology: Course Highlights

B.A. Hons. Sociology: What is it about?

B.A. Hons. Sociology is an undergraduate program which deals with various aspects of social behaviour and its consequence on modern society. Sociology is a branch of study which investigates into multiple aspects of society and social behaviour. A bachelors degree in sociology teaches the fundamental concepts related to the structure of society, organization of society and how humans interact within these constructs. The basic subject matter of sociology concerns itself with topics related to family structure, global warfare, religious cults, social class, race, and gender etc.

The scope and subject range of a sociology course is one of the rarest among undergraduate courses. With its huge emphasis on society and social structure, this course fits in perfectly with the needs of modern society. B.A. Hons. Sociology is an ideal course for students who are interested in learning the various mechanisms of society and the different factors which contribute to the formation of a community or organization. This course helps develop multiple useful skills such as communication skills, analytical and critical thinking, research aptitude, etc.

This course not just focuses on the society but also on the aspects of human behaviour in relation to a community making it ideal for students wishing to pursue a career in Public Relations, Marketing or Human Resources. A Bachelor degree in Sociology also paves way for a career in Public Administration and Social Work.

To get more details, check B.A. Hons. Sociology Syllabus.

B.A. Hons. Sociology: Top Institutes

B.A. Hons. Sociology: Eligibility

There are no particular eligibility criteria for admission into this course. The students just need to have qualified their 10+2 from a school affiliated to a recognized board. The student should have secured essential grades.

B.A. Hons. Sociology: Admission Process

The admission process for B.A. Hons. Sociology generally begins in the month of May or June after the declaration of 10+2 examination result. When the application process begins, students have to submit an application form to the respective universities. The application forms are available both online and offline.

After the application process is over, universities and colleges release their cut-offs. Students who fulfil the minimum cut off percentage are then admitted to the program in respective colleges. There are certain universities like Jamia Millia Islamia University which conduct entrance tests for admission to this course. The entrance test may have both objective and descriptive type questions. The test is of a maximum of 2 hours duration. The entrance test syllabus concerns the following topics:

• Language Skills
• General Awareness
• Logical Reasoning
• Social Awareness

Selection Criterion

The selection criterion is based on the performance in the entrance test and marks scored in the qualifying exam, i.e., 10+2 exam. The entrance test is of a maximum of 100 marks and the qualifying marks are set by the universities respectively. Some universities may also keep negative marking.

B.A. Hons. Sociology: Distance Mode

Students who wish to pursue this course through correspondence mode of education have ample options to choose from. Apart from IGNOU some of the universities which offer B.A. Hons. Sociology in distance mode are:

• Annamalai University
• Netaji Open University
• Babasaheb Ambedkar University
• Nalanda Open University
• Karnataka Open University

For the distance programmes, the minimum duration is 3 years and the maximum duration is generally 6 years.

At IGNOU, there are two modes of admission – Formal and Non- Formal. While students who have successfully completed 10+2 examination are admitted in the formal program, students who have not cleared their 10+2 examination are admitted through the Non-Formal program. Such students have to clear the Bachelor Preparatory Program (BPP) first.

B.A. Hons. Sociology: Career Prospects

B.A. Hons. Sociology: Jobs

Students get ample opportunities in both government sectors and private sectors. They can work in the capacities of:

• School teacher
• PR and Advertisement Executive
• Law Firms
• International Agencies, etc.

Check B.A. Hons. Sociology Jobs.

Higher Studies

A lot of students may choose to pursue further academics. For such students, there is no dearth of options. The first and most obvious option is an M.A. Sociology degree from any reputed university offering postgraduate courses in India. Students looking for a professional edge can also pursue an MBA in Human Resource Management or an MBA in Marketing.

Another good option for BA Sociology graduates is an MA in Social Work which is offered at institutes such as Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. A sizeable portion of students also opt for an MA in International Relations or an MA in Gender Studies available at universities such as Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi and Ambedkar University, Delhi.