Courses

Examines basic sociological ideas including social relations, social interaction, social structure, and social change. Examples are drawn from societies around the world. Meets MAPS requirement for social science: general. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: contemporary societies.

An examination of race and minority problems in U.S. society, including the psychological, social, and cultural sources of prejudice and discrimination. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: United States context.

May be repeated up to 7 total credit hours.

Explores contemporary societies on a global scale. Focuses on such issues as capitalism, socialism, race and ethnic problems, sex discrimination, poverty and the concentration of wealth, crime and deviance, human rights and human values, peace and war.

Examines nonviolence as a strategy of social action. Focuses on ethics and dynamics of nonviolent action; racial and economic justice movements; civil disobedience; and conscientious objection to war.

Examines U.S. society from a normative perspective emphasizing theories of social change. Considers such problems as distribution of power, unemployment, poverty, racism and sexism, the changing role of the family, and drugs. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: ideals and values.

Introduces students to quantitative analysis of social phenomena. Emphasizes understanding and proper interpretation of graphs; measures of central tendency, dispersion, and association; and the concept of statistical significance. Assumes students have only limited mathematical background.

Variety of courses taught by visiting and regular faculty. See current departmental announcements for specific content. Students may receive credit for this course up to three times for different topics.

In-depth study of classical sociological theorists, particularly Marx, Durkheim, and Weber. Examines their roles in defining the discipline of sociology. Prereq., SOCY 1001. Prerequisites: Restricted to students with 27-180 credits (Sophomores, Juniors or Seniors) Sociology (SOCY) majors only.

Builds on previous coursework in survey or field methods to result in an original, article-length research paper analyzing sociological data. Students will hone their writing skills through in- and -out-of-class writing exercises, and read and analyze models of quantitative and qualitative sociological articles to develop sociological writing skills. Prereq., SOCY 3301 or SOCY 3401. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: written communication.

Continuation of SOCY 3001. In-depth study of modern and post-modern theories of the 20th century, including structural-functionalist, conflict, symbolic interactionist, feminist, and world system theories. Prereq., SOCY 1001. Restricted to junior/senior SOCY majors.

Explores human development from a psychosocial perspective, focusing on the interplay between psychological patterns and social forms. Issues such as self-image and social consciousness are studied within the larger context of individual and collective forces leading to transformation. Prereqs., SOCY 1001, and 3001 or 3011, or instructor consent. Same as INVS 3041. Prerequisites: Restricted to students with 57-180 credits (Junior or Senior) Sociology (SOCY) majors only.

Considers theory and research about American social movements. Emphasizes leadership, ideology, recruitment, strategy, organizational dynamics, public response, and reasons for success or failure. Prereqs., SOCY 1001, and SOCY 3001 or 3011. Prerequisites: Restricted to students with 57-180 credits (Junior or Senior) Sociology (SOCY) majors only.

Explores how modern social institutions and culture shape our personal experiences, how personal experiences can affect the nature of those, institutions and culture, and how strategies can be developed for achieving balance between the individual and society. Prereqs., SOCY 1001 and SOCY 3001 3011. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: United States context or ideals and values. Prerequisites: Restricted to students with 57-180 credits (Junior or Senior) Sociology (SOCY) majors only.

Addresses three subtopics of race from a sociological perspective: ethnic and racial identities, immigration, and race and ethnicity in Latin America. Recommended prereq., SOCY 1001.

Uses the conceptual framework of the sociology of race and ethnic relations to explore whiteness as a racial category that is centered and privileged in American society. Investigates the development of whiteness from past white supremacy, current colorblindness, to possible future multiculturalism. Analyzes the consequences of whiteness as a racial identity and a social structure. Prereqs., SOCY 1001 and 1021.

Teaches quantitative research methods and, particularly, methods of survey research. Topics include sampling, interviewing, schedule construction, data analysis, computer methods, index construction, and statistical analysis. Students participate in a survey project, design, collect data, and prepare a research paper on the basis of collected data. Prereqs., SOCY 1001, 2061, and SOCY 3001 or 3011. Prerequisites: Restricted to students with 57-180 credits (Junior or Senior) Sociology (SOCY) majors only.

Skill development prepares students to conduct qualitative sociological research. Emphasizes ethnographic techniques, including intensive interviewing, direct observation, coding, participant observation, and report writing. Students conceive and execute a field research project with data collection, analysis, and a report. Prereqs., SOCY 1001 and SOCY 3001 or 3011. Prerequisites: Restricted to students with 57-180 credits (Junior or Senior) Sociology (SOCY) majors only.

Explores conflict resolution theory and method as applied to interpersonal, intergroup, and interorganization conflict. Prereqs., SOCY 1001, and SOCY 3001 or 3011.

Studies individuals in social context. Reviews philosophical and sociological treatments of the relation between the individual and society. More specific topics include the socialization process,theories of human development and personality formation, language acquisition, conformity, aggression, sex differences in personality and gender identity, and the relation between attitudes and overt behavior. Prereqs., SOCY 1001, and SOCY 3001 or 3011. Restricted to junior/senior SOCY majors. Prerequisites: Restricted to students with 57-180 credits (Junior or Senior).

Studies theories of class, ethnic, sex, and age stratification. Examines social inequality in the United States and analyzes the resulting conflicts. Prereqs., SOCY 1001, and SOCY 3001 or 3011. Restricted to junior/senior SOCY majors. Same as SOCY 5071.

Analyzes the school as a social organization. Among topics considered are power and control in the school; classroom interaction and its relation to learning and personality development in students; roles of educators; and reciprocal relations of school andcommunity. Prereqs., SOCY 1001, and SOCY 3001 or 3011. Restricted to junior/senior SOCY majors.

Explores theories of democracy and development in relation to movements for nonviolent social change. Focuses on means and ends, spirituality, leadership, decision--making, civil society, cooperative economics, ecology, and decentralized power. Prereqs., SOCY 1001, and 3001 or 3011. Restricted to senior SOCY or PSCI majors. Same as INVS 4402.

Examines complex interactions between religious and other social structures, such as the economy, government, and the family, and how globalization is affecting religious traditions across the globe. Includes discussion of how various religions are used or misused to justify terrorism and other acts of violence. Prereqs., SOCY 1001, and SOCY 3001 or 3011. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: ideals and values. Prerequisites: Restricted to students with 57-180 credits (Junior or Senior) Sociology (SOCY) majors only.

Variety of advanced specialty courses taught by visiting and regular faculty designed for upper division sociology majors. See current departmental announcement for specific content. May be repeated up to 9 total credit hours for different topics. Prereq., SOCY 1001. Restricted to junior and senior SOCY majors.