Introductory Sociology
The Introductory Sociology exam assesses knowledge of material in a one-semester introductory sociology course.
Overview
The Introductory Sociology exam is designed to assess an individual's knowledge of the material typically presented in a one-semester introductory-level sociology course at most colleges and universities. The exam emphasizes basic facts and concepts as well as general theoretical approaches used by sociologists on the topics of institutions, social patterns, social processes, social stratifications, and the sociological perspective. Highly-specialized knowledge of the subject and the methodology of the discipline is not required or measured by the test content.
The exam contains approximately 100 questions to be answered in 90 minutes. Some of these are pretest questions that will not be scored.
Knowledge and Skills Required
Questions on the Introductory Sociology exam require test takers to demonstrate one or more of the following abilities. Some questions may require more than one of these abilities:
- Identification of specific names, facts, and concepts from sociological literature
- Understanding of relationships between concepts, empirical generalizations, and theoretical propositions of sociology
- Understanding of the methods by which sociological relationships are established
- Application of concepts, propositions, and methods to hypothetical situations
- Interpretation of tables and charts
The subject matter of the Introductory Sociology exam is drawn from the following topics. The percentages next to the main topics indicate the approximate percentage of exam questions on that topic.
Institutions (20%)
- Economic
- Educational
- Family
- Medical
- Political
- Religious
Social Patterns (10%)
- Community
- Demography
- Human ecology/environmental sociology
- Rural/urban patterns
Social Processes (25%)
- Collective behavior and social movements
- Culture
- Deviance and social control
- Groups and organizations
- Social change
- Social interaction
- Socialization
Social Stratification (Process and Structure) (25%)
- Aging
- Power and social inequality
- Professions and occupations
- Race and ethnic relations
- Sex and gender roles
- Social class
- Social mobility
The Sociological Perspective (20%)
- History of sociology
- Methods
- Sociological theory
Score Information
ACE Recommendation for Introductory Sociology
| Credit-granting Score | 50 |
| Semester Hours | 3 |
Note: Each institution reserves the right to set its own credit-granting policy, which may differ from the American Council on Education (ACE). Contact your college to find out the score required for credit and the number of credit hours granted.