SOCIOLOGY COURSE LISTINGS AND DESCRIPTIONS
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SOCS 1810 Sociology: Understanding Social Life
Provides a
foundation for the social scientific understanding of social action, social
processes, and social institutions.
Drawing on several theoretical orientations and distinct methodological
approaches, the course addresses such topics as face-to-face interaction, social
inequality, conflict, deviance, family, gender, race, and social change.
Points of contact with other social science disciplines will be
emphasized. Also offered as SOCS
1850 for HONORS students. 4 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
0101
Introduction to Sociology
Foundation
for advanced work in sociology; survey course for the general student. Also
offered as SOCI 0105 for HONORS students. 4
qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2020
Sociological Classics
Two or more classic works will be read and discussed in detail, with
emphasis upon understanding the particular classical work and its place in the
sociological tradition. Meets
theory requirement for majors. (May
be taken at graduate level as SOCI 3830.) 5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2030
Sociology Colloquium
Faculty members talk about the work sociologists do, the skills they use,
and the problems and issues they address. This
small, informal class provides a chance for students to get acquainted with
individual faculty members and their work.
2 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2040
Groups, Organizations, and Societies
Key concepts in social organization theory and methodological issues, case
studies, simulation games and survey research are used to illustrate social
processes and problems of analysis. 5
qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2050
Power, Politics, and Society
Provides students with a general sociological perspective on the social
bases of politics in their historical context, theoretical tradition, and
empirical foci. Students will
explore four major topics: 1)
Issues, perspectives, and variations in political thought; 2) social bases of
politics: stratification, socialization and ideology; 3) power; and 4) political
participation. 5
qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2060
Self and Society
The impact of social groups and socialization processes on the formation
of individual perceptions, thoughts, emotions and self awareness.
Both normal and deviant formations are considered.
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2070
The Life Course
Focus is on how social, education, practical, and economic systems
structure ways in which people learn to behave and change behavior.
Socialization of children, adolescents, career decision, family creation
and break-up, and experiences in midlife and old age.
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2140
Urban Sociology
The sociological study of the city focuses on the interrelationships
between people, social institutions and space.
The process of urban development is examined.
Comparison of competing theoretical perspectives.
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2190
American Communities
Basic social institutions, trends in urbanization and their relationship
to changes in political, family, religious and economic structures; population
problems. 5
qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2210
The Family
Emphasis
on different kinds of families and on contemporary issues of changing gender
roles, intimacy, childbearing, family breakup and reconstitution, and the
family's relationships with other social institutions. 5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2230
Education as a Social Problem
Current issues in education; the interrelationships among other
institutional sectors of society; religion, government and ethnic groups.
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2250
Criminology
The social meaning of criminal behavior is explored.
Students will critically examine the relationship between crime and
society--in particular, how the production and distribution of economic,
political, and cultural resources shape the construction of law, order, and
crime. Students will also compare
different types of crime, criminals, and victims, and contrast efforts to
understand and control them. 5
qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2255
Juvenile Delinquency
Designed to provide students with an introduction into the sociological
study of delinquency in American society. The
history of juvenile delinquency, the creation of delinquent misconduct as a
social and legal category, and the current state of delinquent behavior will be
explored. 5
qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2260
Deviance and Society
Groups create deviance by defining some behavior as unacceptable.
This course examines some behaviors often called deviant, such as mental
illness, substance abuse, governmental crime, and unconventional lifestyles, and
asks who calls them deviant, why, and how the behavior affects the community.
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2310
Population and Society
Population
analysis and population as a parameter in the study of society; topics may
include urbanization, contraception and population theory and policies. 5
qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2320
Race and Ethnic Relations
The relationship of racial and ethnic minority groups to systems of
social stratification; emphasis on the United States.
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2420
Social Inequality
Dimensions of social class and its effect upon economic, political and
social institutions and style of life. 5
qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2450
Environmental Sociology
Provides a social scientific approach to environmental problems;
environment as the sustenance base for society; influence of natural and built
environment on social structure and vice versa.
Of interest to anyone studying society-environment interactions.
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2540
Current Social Problems
The major factors involved in the origins, the persistence, and the
termination of various social problems. 5
qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2611, 2612, 2613, 2614 Research
Practicum
Experience
the research process of hypothesis formation, data collection, data analysis and
interpretation of results through collaboration with ongoing faculty research or
through developing a guided individual research project. Prerequisite:
SOCI 2900. Arr.
SOCI
2640
Community Response to Natural Disasters
Introduction to social science literature of human response, including
families, emergency organizations, and communities to natural disasters, e.g.,
hurricanes, floods, tornadoes. Emphasis
placed on assessing the use of social science knowledge as a basis for public
policy guidance. 5
qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2719
Social Movements
Traditionally, social movements have been conceptualized as one of three
generic types of collective behavior, which refers to the action of groups that
operate without a clear-cut direction from established social structure and
culture. The aim of this course is
to familiarize students with a range of perspectives and research issues
pertinent to the understanding of social movements.
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2730
Men and Women in Society
The purpose of this course is to study how the biological fact of sex is
transformed into socially created gender roles.
How do individuals learn that they are male or female?
How do they learn how males and females behave?
What gender distinctions are built into language, education, mass media,
religion, law, health systems, and the workplace?
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2740
Careers in American Society
The study of careers in society with an emphasis on the social roles of
groups such as lawyers, doctors, teachers, social workers, and executives
contains some of the most fascinating examinations within the field of
sociology. Through a careful
exploration of these groups, this course will cover a range of important social
issues including the social transformation of professions (where they come from
and where they are going), the relationship between these groups, the
individual, and society, and the manner in which these professional groups are
trained and the implications of that training for consumers.
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2741
Sociology of Business
This course examines how individuals "fit into," are influenced
by, and in turn influence business institutions.
Students will look at changes in the structure and meaning of the work
place; compare and contrast different types of business and work relationships,
forms of work, business roles and organizational structures; and examine how
business institutions affect society as a whole.
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2745
Social and Personal Change
This course provides an overview of the field of social change.
Transformative processes at the individual and societal levels are
examined, and the nature of change in modern societies is explored.
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2750
Law and Society
An
overview of theory and research about the relationship between law and society. Legal
rules, roles, organizations, and inter-institutional relations will be examined,
as well as the activities of the legal profession, courts, juries, legislatures
and regulatory agencies. 5
qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2760
Discipline and Punishment
Institutional mechanisms for imposing discipline and for punishing
"wayward" individuals and groups will be critically examined.
Explanation of the contradictory social objectives of punishment and
corrections; organizational settings for administering punishment and
identifying the kinds of institutional routines that predominate in coercive
environments. 5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2780
Women and the Law
The impact of law on women and the effect upon law of women's
participation in the legal process. Law
is seen as both a source of social change and social control.
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2790
Policing Society
The emergence and development of police organizations and tactics;
factors that influence policing styles and objectives; historical precedents;
policing the street; policing the boardroom; policing the world; and policing
everyday life. 5
qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2800
Sociology of Sport
Beginning with the earliest civilizations, through the dynasties of
Greece and Rome, and the Industrial Revolution, this course will trace the
history of work and leisure up until modern times.
Focuses on how various sociological forces and trends have affected work
and leisure today. Also concentrates on the institution of sport in society, as
a specific dimension of work and leisure. 5
qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2820
Drugs and Society
An
examination of the relationship between drug use, drug control, and social
contexts. Various sociological
themes as they relate to the use and control of drugs in American society will
be explored. 5
qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2830
White Collar Crime
This
seminar will focus on the organization and control of white collar crime,
broadly defined to include frauds, corruption, price fixing, embezzlements,
regulatory violations, as well as other crimes committed by high status
individuals for and against organizations.
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2840
Contemporary Social Theory
Contemporary social theories, including neofunctionalism, symbolic
interaction, rational choice theory, feminism, ethnomethodology, neoMarxism,
conflict theory, and postmodernism, are examined.
Meets theory requirement for majors.
(May be taken at graduate level as SOCI 3840.)
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
2900
Methods of Social Research
The relationship between theory and data, experimental and survey design,
other techniques of controlling variables, constructing and evaluating scales,
the use of questionnaires and other research instruments, the logic of data
analysis. Required for majors.
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
3050
Political Sociology
Power relations in a variety of societal and cultural settings; various
processes which lead to the legitimation of authority.
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
3070
Socialization
The focus of this seminar is on theories of socialization and research on
growth and change through the life cycle. Cross-cultural
material will be utilized and policy issues will be examined.
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
3150
Sociology of Education
Educational systems at varying levels of analysis:
group, organization, community, society, and their interrelations.
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
3480
Sociology of Complex Organizations
Functioning
of large complex social groups:
analysis of goals, structure, survival and change in government,
education, religion, business and the military.
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
3560
Mind, Self and Society
Seminar
on advanced issues concerning the impact of society and social change on the
origin and development of individual minds and selves; critical analyses of such
theorists as G.H. Mead.
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
3640 Community Response to Natural Disasters
Social science literature of
human response, including families, emergency organizations, communities to
natural disasters, e.g., hurricanes, floods, tornadoes; emphasis on assessing use of
social science knowledge as basis for public policy guidance. 5
qtr. hrs.
SOCI
3650
The Politics of Law
This
seminar looks at conflict and disputing in a comparative manner, both across
societies and across institutions (political and legal); recent works on the
nature of disputing and some of the institutional alternatives provided under
the law; examples of the disputing process around the world.
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI 3700 Seminar in Selected
Topics in Sociology
Varying topics including police behavior, sociology through fiction,
criminal justice seminar, sociology of consumer protection, strategies in
assessing educational innovations, advanced ethnographic methods. May be taken
four times for credit.
arr.
SOCI
3712
Aging in America
This is a seminar on the second half of life, from age 45-90.
Aging is approached as a
normal, positive part of the life course rather than as a social problem. The course has three main goals: to
understand the meaning of the aging process to individuals; to explore how a
society structures the experience of aging and being old, especially in regard
to class and gender; and to look at the social implications of the extension of
healthy (and unhealthy) longevity and the movement of the large cohort of
"baby boomers" into the second half of life.
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
3713 Women and Aging
Women's
experiences of growing older from mid-life through old age; effects of gender,
class and ethnicity upon the aging experience; focus upon how sexism and ageism
independently and in combination affect women's lives; interconnection between
social context and individual experience; emphasis is upon the development of
educational processes for whole life living as well as the rethinking of social
policies regarding aging. 5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
3719 Collective Behavior and Social Movements
Social movements
traditionally conceptualized as one of three generic types of collective
behavior, referring to action of groups that operate without a clear-cut
direction from established social structure/culture; range of perspectives and
research issues pertinent to understanding social movements. 5
qtr. hrs.
SOCI
3721
Sociology of Race and Ethnic Relations
Regularities,
past and present, that occur between ethnic and racial groups and the theories
that explain them. 5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
3740
Occupations and Professions
The world of work; the social setting of occupational types and social
changes affecting careers; the professions and the quasi-professional
occupations. 5
qtr. hrs.
SOCI
3750
Social Change
From groups and organizations to societies and civilizations; evolutionary
and revolutionary change in contemporary society.
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
3780
Ethnicity and Gender Over the Life Course
The impact of time on a human life; the role of age cohorts; the issue of
continuity and change in self concept; the effects of biological aging or
personal crises; the ways in which a person's living of one life phase may
influence the structuring of a later one. The
emphasis in this course will be primarily on the adult life course, with some
critical examination of current "developmental" models of adulthood.
It is designed to encourage the exploration of issues and ideas and the
ways in which social science perspectives can enrich research and theory in this
field. 5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
3790
Sociology of Gender Roles
Theories of gender development and both U.S. and
cross-cultural research will be explored. The
status of women and men will be compared. 5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
3800
Sociology of Poverty
Causes,
incidence and consequences of poverty; the various pockets of poverty: aged,
urban, ethnic minorities, women; exploration of poverty in the U.S. and
cross-culturally. 5
qtr. hrs.
SOCI
3810
The Sociology of the Welfare State
Origins, concepts, and services; institutionalization in contemporary
society; development from private philanthropy to residual (dole-relief) systems
to basic rights within a social system. 5
qtr. hrs.
SOCI
3830 Seminar in Classic Sociological Theory
Two or more classic works
read/discussed in detail; emphasis on understanding particular classical work,
its place in sociological tradition. 5
qtr. hrs.
SOCI
3840 Seminar in Contemporary Sociological Theory
General sociological
theories, including functionalism, conflict, interactionism, exchange,
ethnomethodology; application/relevance of general theories to substantive
social areas. 5 qtr.
hrs.
SOCI
3900
Advanced Methods of Sociological Research
Overview of research design and procedural issues in the use of data
gathering techniques of sociology: experimentation, surveys, content analysis,
field observation and historical analysis.
5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
3930
Methods of Survey Research
Examination of issues of social survey methods: research design, sampling,
questionnaire design and construction, interviewing techniques, response
validity and reliability, coding, and computer analysis of data.
Prerequisite: SOCI 3900 or
permission of instructor. 5
qtr. hrs.
SOCI
3970
Methods in Field Research
Combining qualitative with quantitative methods; participant observation;
community studies; fieldwork techniques. Prerequisite: SOCI 3900 or permission of instructor. 5
qtr. hrs.
SOCI
3976
Capstone Seminar: The Sociological Imagination
Intended
as the culmination of the sociology major.
Explores issues ranging from theoretical to practical.
Goal is for students to see how sociology can work for them, personally,
professionally, and intellectually. 2 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
3981, 3982, 3983 Internship
The
purpose of the internship is to give students the opportunity to gain valuable
work experience; explore various career options; develop job competencies; and
apply theoretical knowledge to the practical concerns of the world. Students
must have junior or senior standing, be sociology majors or minors, have a
cumulative GPA of 3.0, and must have taken at least three sociology courses
beyond our introductory sociology course (SOCS 1108/1158 or SOCS 1810/1850). 5
qtr. hrs.
SOCI 3991 Independent Study (undergraduate). Prerequisite: independent study form from University Hall, Room B155. arr.
SOCI
4222 Seminar on Deviance
Theoretical/methodological
issues in study of deviance. 5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI
4610 Law and Society
Cross-listed with L4605 at
the law school. How legal system affects society/society affects legal system;
problems related to interface between law, social sciences, informal/formal
legal processes; methodological issues; variations/limitations on legal
effects/effects on law. 5 qtr. hrs.
SOCI 4991 Independent Study (MA/MS). Prerequisite: Graduate independent study/research form (available at Sociology or Graduate Studies office). arr.
SOCI 4995 Independent Research (MA/MS). Prerequisite: Graduate independent study/research form (available at Sociology or Graduate Studies office). arr.
SOCI 5991 Doctoral Independent Study. Prerequisite: Graduate independent study/research form (available at Sociology or Graduate Studies office). arr.
SOCI 5995 Doctoral Independent Research. Prerequisite: Graduate independent study/research form (available at Sociology or Graduate Studies office). arr.
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