Sociology
Degrees
Required courses in these programs of study may have prerequisites. Reference the course description section for clarification.
Undergraduate Programs
Sociology may be defined as the scientific study of human society and the social interactions which emerge among people. Sociology seeks to develop a body of interrelated scientific propositions or generalizations that explain social behavior in holistic terms. Its basic goal is to understand how human beings fit their activities together into a system of stable (and sometimes unstable) social arrangements. As such, sociology focuses on the groups, organizations, institutions, and communities which make up the larger society. Sociology seeks to place society in the international setting of today’s changing world. More importantly, it helps us to understand the relationships among these various social units and the implications of these relationships for order and change.
Sociology Courses
SOCI 101. INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY. 5 Credits.
Explores the concepts, principles and theories of sociology. Sociology seeks to develop a body of interrelated scientific propositions or generalizations that explain social behavior in non-psychological terms. Its basic goal is to understand how human beings fit their activities together into a system of stable (and sometimes unstable) social arrangements.
SOCI 195. INTERNSHIP. 1-5 Credits.
SOCI 263. SOCIAL PROBLEMS. 5 Credits.
Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–global studies.
An overview of major perspectives on social problems and a demonstration of their relevance for contemporary issues. Topics may include poverty, racism, sexism, aging, alienation, colonialism and the Third World, human ecology, crime, deviance and the law.
SOCI 290. INTRODUCTION TO STUDENT SERVICES. 2 Credits.
Notes: graded Pass/Fail.
Pre-requisites: must be admitted as an ambassador.
A history of the university and campus. An overview of the university curricula and range of student services with emphasis on the development of leadership and communication skills. Lab.
SOCI 297. WORKSHOP, SHORT COURSE, CONFERENCE, SEMINAR. 1-5 Credits.
SOCI 299. SPECIAL STUDIES. 1-5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: permission of the instructor and the department chair.
SOCI 301. SURVEY OF CRIMINOLOGY. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: sophomore standing.
Provides an introduction to the field of criminology, including descriptions and explanations of crime and efforts to control it. Topics include theories of crime causation, measurement of crime, criminal law, the criminal justice system, and street, victimless, white collar, political and corporate crime.
SOCI 320. RACE AND ETHNIC RELATIONS: GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: ENGL 101 or equivalent.
Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–diversity.
This course offers a sociological examination of the system of racial and ethnic inequalities from a global perspective. It will introduce students to 1. relevant sociological concepts and theories, 2. an overview of historical and contemporary development of racial inequalities, and 3. sociological research in this area of study.
SOCI 321. SEX AND GENDER. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: SOCI 101.
Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–diversity.
A sociological analysis of differences and similarities between women and men. Examines the impact of gender ideologies of individual identity and social and political arrangements (especially instances of stratification and inequality). Also considers how changes in the gendered nature of society (e.g., socioeconomic organization, socialization, sexuality) occur.
SOCI 331. CLASSICAL SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: SOCI 101.
Establishes the nature and requirements of sociological explanation. Identifies main currents of preclassical social thought. Explains, discusses and evaluates classical systems of sociological theory.
SOCI 333. SOCIOLOGY OF SPORT. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: SOCI 101.
Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–diversity.
This course applies basic sociological concepts and theories to explore, analyze, and explain sports' role in our everyday lives. Topics include (but are not limited to) the following: sport and culture, sport and socialization, sport and race, sport and gender, sport and the economy, and sport and politics. The core theme of the course is to understand the interconnected relationship between how organized and professional sports shape and is being shaped by society.
SOCI 351. SOCIAL STRATIFICATION. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: SOCI 101.
Course investigates class structures, statification systems, and social mobility in contemporary American society.
SOCI 356. INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL STATISTICS. 5 Credits.
Cross-listed: CRIM 356.
Notes: required for Sociology and Criminal Justice majors.
Pre-requisites: SOCI 101.
A holistic approach to statistical methods, techniques, and critical analysis used in social science research. This course focuses on sociological and criminological issues such as race, class, gender, age, health, education and social justice.
SOCI 357. METHOD FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: SOCI 101.
This course seeks to realize two complementary objectives: First, to acquaint you with the origins of sociological inquiry and the variety of styles and logical systems which shape such research; secondly, to demonstrate the nature of the research techniques which follow.
SOCI 362. SOCIOLOGY OF POLITICS. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: SOCI 101.
Analyzes causes and consequences of the distribution of power within and between societies and with the social and political conflicts which lead to changes in the distribution of power.
SOCI 363. SOCIOLOGY OF DEVIANCE. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: SOCI 101.
Examines the conditions under which deviance as a social reality emerges, develops, and changes over time. Typical concerns are the process of social typing; official responses to deviances; managing the deviant identity; and the role of bureaucracies and social class in promoting deviance as a political construction.
SOCI 370. SOCIOLOGY OF THE FAMILY. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: SOCI 101.
A consideration of family structures, cultures and interactions, changing family patterns and contemporary family debates.
SOCI 371. AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY. 5 Credits.
The African American family as a social system influenced by institutions of the larger American society.
SOCI 379. MEDICAL SOCIOLOGY. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: English competency.
Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–global studies.
This course introduces students to medical sociology, sometimes referred to as the sociology of health and illness. Particular attention will be paid to social and cultural forces that affect illness, disparities in health, and access to healthcare. In addition, students will be introduced to the major concepts, methods, and theories that social scientists deploy to understand general trends and topics in health, illness, and medicine.
SOCI 383. ASIAN AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY ISSUES. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: ENGL 101.
Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–diversity.
This course examines the contemporary experiences of Asian Americans in the United States primarily from a sociological perspective. It emphasizes the diversity and complexity of Asian Americans through an intersectional lens. The course will engage students in active learning activities and discussions.
SOCI 385. GLOBAL MIGRATION. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: SOCI 101.
Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–global studies.
This course introduces students to critical debates in the study of migration in social sciences and related disciplines. Furthermore, the course investigates the causes and consequences of modern population mobility from a comparative perspective by posing a core question: what are the socio-cultural, economic, and political outcomes of migration across sending and receiving countries?
SOCI 395. CO-OP FIELDWORK. 1-15 Credits.
SOCI 396. EXPERIMENTAL COURSE. 1-5 Credits.
SOCI 397. WORKSHOP, SHORT COURSE, CONFERENCE, SEMINAR. 1 Credit.
SOCI 398. SEMINAR. 1-5 Credits.
SOCI 399. DIRECTED STUDIES. 1-5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: permission of the instructor, department chair and college dean.
Directed Study.
SOCI 452. JUVENILE DELINQUENCY. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: SOCI 101.
Provides an in-depth examination of the phenomenon of juvenile delinquency. Included in the examination are analyses of types of delinquency, measurement of delinquency, theories of delinquency causation, and the juvenile justice system. Includes field trips and class visitations from professionals who work with juveniles.
SOCI 455. CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORY. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: SOCI 301.
Provides an in-depth inquiry into crime and criminalization. Course places particular emphasis on the social context within which these phenomena occur.
SOCI 459. SOCIOLOGY OF COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: SOCI 101.
Provides a sociological examination of correctional programs and practices in non-institutional settings for both adults and juveniles. Topics include program alternatives to institutional commitment, reintegration of offenders after institutionalization, the community corrections officer, and the process of working with offenders. Field trips to area agencies are also included.
SOCI 463. COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: SOCI 101.
Analyzes large, complex organizations as a social system. Includes theory related to the emergence and structure of bureaucracy, authority and control; organizational conflict and change; the individual and the organization; and the organization and its environment.
SOCI 465. CONTEMPORARY SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: SOCI 101.
Establishes the nature and requirements of sociological explanation. Identifies the classical repertoire of contemporary sociological theories. Explains, discusses and evaluates contemporary systems of sociological theories.
SOCI 470. SOCIAL CHANGE. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: SOCI 101.
This course examines change in everyday life as well as in social institutions. Our discussions will focus on the importance of social movements in creating and responding to cultural and political transformations in the past, present and future.
SOCI 471. SOCIOLOGY OF WORK. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: SOCI 101.
A sociology of knowledge approach to work that examines ways in which much of the conflict that characterizes the world of work arises from differing realities that individuals and groups construct. Also examines the major location of work, organizations, and the way work can be organized as a result of images held and the impact this organization has on the construction of reality.
SOCI 472. SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: SOCI 101 or advanced standing in department program.
Investigates religious institutions in society in terms of their structure, function, and change.
SOCI 481. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: SOCI 101.
An analytic approach to the social-psychological consequences of social structure. Focal concerns may include alienation, anti-psychiatry, personality and social class, role behavior, and socialization.
SOCI 482. IDENTITY AND POWER. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: SOCI 101.
This course is about the relationship between power and identity. Identity can be defined as presentations of the self that facilitate human social interaction and thereby situate individuals in social structures. We will use the concept of power" to explore how identities are central to various forms " of social inequality.
SOCI 483. SOCIOLOGY OF CHILDREN. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: SOCI 101.
Addresses children and childhood from the preschool years through adolescence. Examines historical shifts in the meanings of childhood and the methods used for studying the worlds of children. Explores the theoretical approaches to child development and socialization and how these can be used to understand children’s experiences in different cultural settings and situations.
SOCI 485. SOCIOLOGY OF REVOLUTIONS. 5 Credits.
Revolutions are rapid, widespread and deep transformations in the institutional structures, ways of thinking, relationships and cultural habits of society. They involve not only taking power by replacing governments, but also transforming power by radically changing people, spaces and social systems. We will first study The Communist Manifesto by Marx and Engels, arguably history's most important book on revolutions. Then we will consider nonviolent means for challenging global capitalism and promoting social justice. And finally, we will discuss whether contemporary world social forums really help make another world possible. Throughout the course, we will think about how past and present struggles shape the future of revolutions.
SOCI 486. CONTEMPORARY WORLD SYSTEMS. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: junior standing or permission of instructor.
Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–global studies.
Course examines contemporary world systems; integration, conflict and change.
SOCI 488. SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION. 5 Credits.
A sociological analysis of the controversies surrounding the limits and possibilities of schooling in society. It examines, in a historic and comparative manner, the issues of educational expansions, equality of opportunity, unequal achievement and school quality, the school's role in reinforcing inequality, what schools teach, and the problems of order, control, and motivation. At all times, the material reviewed is set in a theoretical context.
SOCI 489. DOING SOCIOLOGY. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: senior standing; SOCI majors only.
This course explores the wide variety of ways one can do sociology. Students reflect on their academic journey and think critically about how they can use the sociological knowledge they have acquired. Students examine real-life examples of how individuals use sociology in their personal, community and professional life. Students conduct research on possible career paths where they can pursue their passion in sociology.
SOCI 490. SENIOR CAPSTONE: SOCIOLOGICAL PRACTICE. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: SOCI 465 or permission of the instructor.
Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–senior capstone.
This course is designed to move from a basic understanding of sociological research and practice to more advanced applications in the field. Working as a team and addressing a specific social problem or issue, students will define the problem, carry out research, craft and/or evaluate strategies and present reports in appropriate formats.
SOCI 491. SENIOR THESIS. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: SOCI 489.
Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–senior capstone.
The thesis represents a summative assessment of the student’s academic competence in his or her field of study. Students will complete and defend an original research project in the field of sociology.
SOCI 495. INTERNSHIP. 1-5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: permission of the instructor, department chair and college dean.
Supervised field experience aligned with the student's academic program.
SOCI 496. EXPERIMENTAL COURSE. 1-5 Credits.
SOCI 497. WORKSHOP, SHORT COURSE, CONFERENCE, SEMINAR. 1-5 Credits.
Special short-duration programs of contemporary significance in societal-cultural behavior areas. The range and scope of topics is essentially interdisciplinary and students from all academic areas are eligible to participate.
SOCI 498. SEMINAR. 1-5 Credits.
Notes: may be repeated once for credit.
Examination of current research topics in sociology. The specific content of the seminar varies according to recent developments in sociology and according to the interests of the instructor.
SOCI 499. DIRECTED STUDY. 1-15 Credits.
Pre-requisites: permission of the instructor, department chair and college dean.
Independent and/or group study in selected areas of sociology.
SOCI 599. INDEPENDENT STUDY. 1-10 Credits.