Bachelor degree: Specialty Sociology

Sociology is one of the fastest growing modern sciences. The focus of the sociological perspective is the functioning of society, the changes of social order, the challenges social relationships. Deeper understanding of society requires extensive knowledge and skills that can be a powerful tool for improving the living conditions of each social group. Sociology education provides students with a wide range of tools to study public phenomena and social orientation skills.

The main purpose of the training is to provide:

Fundamental theoretical and methodological knowledge about modern societies;
Knowledge and analytical capacities to explore socio-economic transformations in the context of globalization;
Knowledge and skills of empirical research methods in various spheres (social, economic, political, marketing, advertising, and opinion research).

CONTENT OF TRAINING

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCES

Sociology training is in line with the practices in leading foreign universities but also has a specific advantage - students receive solid economic and humanitarian training. In the first and second years, in addition to sociological disciplines, courses include the professional fields of Economics and Public Communications and Information Sciences. Bachelors receive wide-ranging theoretical and practical training that enables both effective professional realization and continuing education in a variety of master's programs in the field of sociology, economics and public communications.

In particular, specific knowledge and skills to explore socio-economic life include two areas.

Theory and methodology of sociological and economic analysis:

Knowledge of classical and modern paradigms in sociology and economics;
Wide range of theoretical and practical knowledge about the specifics of sociological analysis, its capabilities, constraints and spheres of application;
Critical understanding of modern transformations in the economic and social spheres.
In-depth theoretical knowledge about social, political and economic institutions and their transformations in the conditions of globalization, crises and acute social conflicts.
Understanding the methodology and specific techniques of theoretical and applied sociological research in various spheres.

Methodology of empirical research:

Understanding the spheres of application, the possibilities and limitations of empirical research in different spheres of public life.
Undertaking technology and methods (sociological, statistical, economic, etc.) to study social, economic, political, cultural processes;
Specific knowledge and skills to implement quantitative and qualitative research methods.
Skills to critically evaluate, understand and diagnose problem situations that are characterized by incomplete/limited information and unpredictability;
Possession of a wide range of skills and capabilities for creative implementation of innovative quantitative and qualitative methods for collecting, processing and analysing data to solve social problems and complex management tasks.

The "Sociology" specialty prepares highly qualified specialists with knowledge and competence to study the complex interactions between the economy and the other areas of society - governance, politics, public administration, education, culture, security, communications, ecology, legal system, civic and informal organizations, social movements.

PROFESSIONAL REALISATION AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONTINUED TRAINING

The bachelors in Sociology have opportunities for successful professional realization areas as:

Managers of enterprises;
Managers in business and public administration entities as sociologists or economists;
Experts in ministries, departments and other institutions of central and local government;
Managers in corporations, commercial companies, foundations and international organizations;
Experts in survey research companies - sociological, social, marketing, public relations, advertising;
Specialists in government agencies such as the Employment Agency and the Labour Offices, the Agency for Social Assistance and its Directorates, the Child Protection Agency, etc.
Analysts at NSSI, NHIF and their units; experts in human resources departments; social managers in companies and companies; experts in insurance, cultural organizations and others.

Bachelor degree: Specialty Economic Sociology and Psychology

Specialty "Economic Sociology and Psychology" is an innovative educational product based on the interdisciplinary interaction between scientific disciplines economic sociology and economic psychology. Economic Sociology offers a new approach to the analysis of economic phenomena and explores the social conditioning of economic phenomena, the role of economic institutions in society, the influence of organizations and social networks in economic life. Economic Psychology studies the psychological mechanisms of economic behaviour and economic decision-making, the role of social communities in the economy, group interactions in economic organizations and others.

The main objectives of the training are:

To provide students with theoretical knowledge about modern trends in sociology and psychology.
To develop practical skills for analysis of modern societies, their economic systems and institutions.
To provide knowledge and skills to manage social relationships, behaviour of economic actors and to regulate socio-psychological climate in organizations.
To provide knowledge and build skills for implementation and evaluation of programs, projects and social policies at national and European level;
To build skills and provide knowledge about the preparation and implementation of empirical sociological and psychological studies of the economy (incl. marketing, advertising, political research, etc.).

CONTENT OF THE TRAINING

The Economic Sociology and Psychology bachelor degree curriculum includes a range of mandatory and optional disciplines taught in eight semesters. In the first and second year all students from professional field Economics study mandatory and optional university courses providing fundamental economic, sociological and humanitarian training:

Mandatory courses: Fundamentals of economic theory; Economic Sociology; Micro- and macro-economy; Fundamentals of Finance; Principles of Accounting; marketing; Economic history; History of economic theories; Informatics; Statistics; Mathematics; Basics of law; Basics of Management; Forecasting and planning; Intellectual Property; Enterprise economy; Corporate finance; Labour Economics; and sport (optional).

Optional courses: Political Science; Philosophy; Ecology and Sustainable Development; European integration; World Economy; Geo-economics and regional development; trade; Industrial logistics; Fundamentals of entrepreneurship.

In the third-year study:

Mandatory subjects: Human Resources; Social Policy; Economic culture; Economic policy; Economics of the public sector; Industrial relations.

Optional courses: Microeconomic Theory; Organizational behaviour; Heuristics; Philosophy and economics; Introduction to Econometrics; Introduction to political economy; Commercial Law; Internet and WEB design; Institutional Economics; Demography; Company culture; Design of management information systems; Auditing; Innovation; Political and economic systems.

In the fourth-year study:

First, specialty mandatory specialised subjects: Sociology of the market; Sociology of conflicts; Introduction to Psychology; Economic Psychology; Methodology and organization of empirical research; Statistical methods in empirical studies; Data processing and analysis with SPSS; Qualitative methods in empirical studies.

Second, optional special subjects in two modules:

Module Economic Sociology - Classic and contemporary sociological theories; Social stratification and mobility; Sociology of social communities; Sociology of economic life; Sociology of deviant behaviour and crime; Sociology of the third sector.
Module Economic Psychology - Social Psychology, Organizational Psychology, Psychology of Personality; Intergroup relations and social persuasion; Psychology of social cognition and thinking, Behavioural change: assessment and decision-making.

The training is conducted by leading researchers in their fields. Department Economic sociology has good facilities and highly qualified faculty of professors, associate professors and assistant professors, PhDs, doctors in economics, sociology and psychology. Students have opportunities to participate in internships and practices in specialized market research and advertising agencies, governmental and non-governmental organizations, private companies. They can participate in the activities the department led Centre for Sociological and Psychological Research.

Knowledge, skills and professional competence

An important advantage of Economic Sociology and Psychology training is its interdisciplinary character. Students acquire theoretical knowledge and practical skills in economics, sociology and psychology. Teaching focuses on theoretical competence of students in the development and problems of the economy at macro and micro level in the public and private sectors. In parallel, teaching also focuses on sociological and psychological knowledge economy and economic behaviour of businesses. Students get acquainted with the nature, operation and transformation of economic institutions and organizations, as well as regulative, legal, cultural and value-regulatory systems. Another focus in on implementing sociological and psychological empirical studies of economic life, which creates additional opportunities for professional development.

In the first and second year study, mandatory and optional university courses in Economics, predominate. Third and fourth year teaching incudes mandatory and optional faculty courses, and optional and specialized courses that offer choice between sociological or psychological profile of the training. Graduates have opportunities for careers and further training in various graduate programs in economics, sociology and psychology.

The "Economic Sociology and Psychology" graduates are highly qualified professionals with interdisciplinary economic, sociological and psychological theoretical and practical training including:

A wide range of theoretical knowledge of classical and contemporary paradigms in economics, sociology and psychology;
Skills for analysis of socio-economic phenomena;
Knowledge of psychological research tools and its application in modern organizations;
Skills for orientation in complex socio-economic situations;
Teamwork communication skills and skills for managing field studies;

PROFESSIONAL AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION

Bachelor degree graduates in Economic Sociology and Psychology have good opportunities for successful careers as:

analytical specialists in central and local public authorities;
researchers and experts in scientific and applied research organizations;
researchers and experts in marketing and advertising companies, social and political studies;
analysts and experts in political parties, trade unions and employers' associations, non-profit organizations;
mediators in social, industrial, professional and other conflicts;
analysts in print and electronic media;
experts in the implementation of social programs and projects;
specialists in labour offices, social assistance services, insurance companies and others.

Bachelor degree graduates in Economic Sociology and Psychology can continue their education in degree "Master.

ADMISSION 2017

Entrance exam for Sociology in UNWE will be be possible both through the Unified Entry Exam and through the National Essay Contest organized by the Department of Economic Sociology.

MASTER’s Programmes

In the autumn of 2016 the department of Economic Sociology Department offers new Master's Programs:

SOCIAL RESEARCH, ANALYSIS AND PROJECTS

BUSINESS PSYCHOLOGY and sociology

PhD programme

The training includes both students on government subsidised PhD programmes (full-time and part-mime) and In this degree is done doctoral studies on Government Procurement (regular and part-time training) and self-paced (independent) PhD training. Current PhD training in the department of Economic Sociology focuses on the following topics/areas:

Drug addictions policies in Bulgaria: management, effectiveness and efficiency
Economic inequalities in Bulgaria
Economic migration and social integration of immigrants: Bulgarian situation and in the European context. "
Budget time for women of childbearing age in the post-socialist Bulgaria.
Organizational (corporate) image as a competitive market factor."
Transformation of relationships and dynamics in the public sphere: online communication in a digital segregation.
The Bulgarian virtual labour market and the transformation of power
The transformation of social capital in the field of virtual business networks
Social assessment of integration policies in Bulgaria. "
The corporate market actor between self-interest and social responsibility.
Social entrepreneurship and organizational behaviour
Sociological dimensions of the economic crisis in the business sector

The Economic Sociology department organizes regular meetings of the doctoral seminar which might be attended by teachers and students interested in the theoretical scientific inquiry.

Rules for the organization and conducting doctoral exams

These rules apply to the mandatory exams of block "B" in individual plans of doctoral students in the Department of Economic Sociology.

Doctoral students apply to the Head of Department "Economic Sociology", indicating the names of the courses, the dates of the examinations agreed in advance with their academic tutor.

Applications shall be submitted in person at the office of the department no earlier than the month before the examination date and no later than a week before the exam. Applications shall include a copy of the individual plan of the doctoral student.

After accepting the application, the head of the department appoint a committee for each specific exam.

Examinations for block "B" disciplines are based of the curricula developed by course leaders.

Specialities