Sociology (SOC)

SOC 201. Introduction to Sociology - SB3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

Description: This course is designed to familiarize students with the sociological perspective of society, introducing them to the study of human societies, how societies are organized and changed, and the implications of social organization on everyday life. The course will cover basic concepts and theories used in sociology, discuss how sociologists conduct research, and examine several social institutions (e.g., economics, education, politics, media, etc.) and social issues/topics (e.g., environment, gender, poverty, racial/ethnic conflict, etc.). The overall objectives of the course are to understand sociological perspectives, foster critical thinking, analyze social phenomena using sociological approaches and concepts, and to gain an increased understanding of modern society.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 202. Social Problems - SB, D13 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

Description: This course focuses on the major threats to social cohesion and order in society and how such social problems affect human behavior. Generally, when individuals have problems, they contextualize them in highly personal terms; their perspective is guided primarily by their immediate situation and personal circumstances. However, there are socially structured contexts out of which individuals emerge and in which social problems are created, sustained, and/or changed - and, thus, impact human behavior. The purpose of the course, then, is to expand the student's understanding of current social problems related to inequality, social institutions, and modernization using the "sociological imagination," which distinguishes between personal and social problems and assumes the latter to be shaped by social forces/factors beyond an individual's control.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 203. Self and Society3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Description: Introduction to the study of the relationship between the individual and society. Focus on growth of self, the behavior of people in groups, and the theories and research that aid understanding these phenomena.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 206. Social Justice-SBD1 - D1, SB3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Description: This course explores sociological approaches to the pursuit and achievement of social justice, examining the socially constructed contexts in which issues regarding social justice are created and sustained. Specifically, it seeks to broaden students' understanding of various concepts and issues related to social justice, such as the theoretical frameworks which facilitate understanding of social (in)justice; the social contexts in which struggles for social justice occur; the dynamics of power, privilege, discrimination, and oppression and their impact on the lives of marginalized groups; the stereotypes, prejudices, and myths which help to perpetuate social injustice; the needs and goals of diverse groups; and strategies for encouraging greater social justice.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 210. Race in the United States - SB, D13 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Description: This course examines race as a social construction and surveys the sociological meanings and practices of race and the intertwined, and enduring, social, political, and historical forces that shape and maintain elaborate forms of racism(s) in the U.S. As such, the course will include topics, such as theories of racism and white supremacy, forms and implications of cross-racial dialogue; the intersections between race, ethnicity, and feminism; racialization of crime; the entangled relationship among race, citizenship, and immigration practices; forms of resistance historically undertaken in the face of racial oppression, etc. Overall, students will learn to recognize, and begin to engage, the various social processes of race, especially the ways race is made, embedded, and reproduced through interactions among social institutions, individuals, and ideologies.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 301. Introduction to Social Statistics3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite(s): Completion of General Education Quantitative Reasoning Requirement.

Description: This course introduces students to statistical concepts used in the social sciences (e.g., sampling, descriptive statistics, the analysis of associations, and hypothesis testing) and the role that quantitative analysis plays in developing and testing knowledge, including designing and carrying out research, applying various statistical procedures for analyzing data, evaluating research and argumentation to assess validity of knowledge claims, and presenting data. Students will learn how to use statistics to make sense of the social world, to interpret figures reported in professional and media outlets, and to critique conclusions drawn from statistical data analysis.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 303. Introduction to Research Methods - WR3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

Description: Social science research contains a systematic approach to analyzing the social world with various approaches and techniques. As important as these approaches and techniques are for developing scholars to understand, it is also pertinent that they can understand the limits and critiques of such approaches and techniques used for research. This course will introduce students to the general approach of social science research, while providing a foundation to understand different approaches to conducting research and introduce students to the research methods that sociologists use to empirically investigate the social world, including the logic of inquiry, the elements of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research design, and ethical issues in research.

Note: Approved for the Arts & Sciences upper-level requirement in written communication (WR).

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 305. Urban Sociology3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Description: This course serves as an introduction to the sociology of 'urban' areas and will explore patterns of the form and development of cities through comparisons across time and space, examine how humans organize social life in cities, and study the institutions that structure and facilitate 'urban' life. Ultimately, students should be able to analyze how urban development is related to the political, social, and economic forces in cities, regions, nations, and the world; analyze reliable information and empirical data on the demographic and economic structure of cities, suburbs, and metropolitan areas; and use theoretical perspectives on race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, and other socially organized categories presented throughout the course to explain urban development patterns.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 306. Demography3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered

Description: An introduction to the major theories, data sources, concepts, and measures of demography. Topics include population size, population growth, population composition, population distribution, fertility, mortality, and migration.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 307. Rural Sociology3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Description: Analysis of social change in rural areas of the United States, including social structure, demographic characteristics, mobility, and value orientations of rural people.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 315. Environmental Sociology3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Description: This course offers a critical analysis of the relationship between society and the environment, using sociological theoretical frames to explore environmental issues such as climate change, air quality, and land use. The course uses theories of political economy, policy development, environmental justice, the social construction of the environment, cultural processes, social movements, globalization, sociology of knowledge and science, and social change. Ultimately, students will develop a greater understanding of environmental problems and solutions for addressing those problems; understand social and institutional interactions/relationships with the environment and impacts thereof; understand how structural systems of inequality and oppression (such as racism) produce disparate environmental impacts in different populations; and further develop the capacity for critical thinking, research, and analysis.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 320. Social Theory - WR3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite(s): Completion of one of the following: SOC 201, SOC 202, SOC 203, SOC 206, or SOC 210.

Description: Social theory is a guide for studying social life and making sense of observations and events in social life. It provides the infrastructure for asking questions and using methods for study and informs the explanations or interpretations that follow. In other words, theory organizes our study of social life by developing concepts and languages for identifying and describing tendencies, patterns, and laws of behavior. It contributes to our knowledge of, and to the efforts at, changing or improving social life. Within sociology, there are multiple competing paradigms, or theoretical frameworks, for ordering knowledge. This course will examine these competing paradigms, as articulated by major theorists, discuss the socio-historical significance of the major sociological paradigms, and apply examples of classical and contemporary theory to the modern world.

Note: Approved for the Arts & Sciences upper-level requirement in written communication (WR).

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 323. Diversity and Inequality3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

Description: This course uses a sociological perspective to examine diversity and inequality and includes an examination of the important contributions various social groups have made to society, the barriers to their full participation in society, and the efforts they have made to achieve equality. An appreciation of the nature and consequences of diversity and inequality is essential for understanding social forces and social structures, as well as group processes and organizational dynamics and the way these affect individual life chances. The course will discuss how race, ethnicity, gender, social class, sexuality, among other social forces, are social constructions that affect groups' life experiences, life chances, and access to power; how diversity and discrimination exist in history and in everyday life; how inequalities are systemic and institutionalized; and strategies and policies for social change.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 325. Sociology of Human Sexuality3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

Description: The sociology of human sexuality is examined from a variety of theoretical perspectives. Topics covered in the course include the social and psychological nature of human sexual response; atypical sexual practices, including bondage and transvestite fetishism; sexual dysfunction; sexual orientation and sexual identity; and the business of sex including pornography, prostitution, and strip clubs. The course also considers sexual response as part of romantic relationships and examines dating, marriage, divorce, and polyamory and other non-traditional forms of relationships.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 327. Sociology of Gender3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

Description: This course examines the social construction of gender and the status of women and men in major social institutions such as education, family, the workplace, and the media. Students will be introduced to theoretical perspectives on the development of gender, discuss gender stereotypes, and examine scientific research and perspectives on gender differences and similarities. The course will also explore the structural foundations and theoretical explanations of gender inequality, as well as the intersectionality of gender and other social locations and identities, such as race, social class, sexual orientation, and age.

Note: Cross-listed with WGST 313.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 329. Sociology of Families3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

Description: This course examines structural foundations, theoretical explanations, and historical patterns of family formation to understand trends in family form and function in the U.S. The course will briefly cover the history of American families, but the bulk of the course will examine contemporary U.S. families, considering issues of dating, cohabitation, marriage, divorce, parenting, work and family issues, and social policies affecting families. Throughout the course, we will explore how family experiences differ according to gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and sexuality. While emphasizing how social forces affect contemporary families, the course will also discuss how individuals and groups have agency to change their experiences of family life.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 332. Japanese Families3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Prerequisite(s): None.

Description: To people in the U.S., studying families in Japan may be interesting given the coexistence of persistent cultural traditions shared with other East Asian countries and an advanced economy on par with that of Western countries. In this course, students will explore how different or similar Japanese and US families are regarding each topic we cover and gain a deeper understanding of family dynamics. This course provides an overview of contemporary Japanese families covering topics such as singlehood, marriage, divorce, parenting, and family elderly care; and will use a multi-disciplinary approach (e.g., sociology, demography, anthropology, and psychology). Ultimately, students should be able to describe current trends in Japanese families, understand the diversity of Japanese families, apply concepts and findings from social science research to their own experiences, research a family topic and write a paper, and have informed discussion on Japanese families.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 334. Sociology of Deviant Behavior3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Description: This course examines the topic of social deviance, the behaviors, beliefs, and conditions that violate culturally accepted norms or standards. Deviance is often stigmatized and negatively sanctioned, and this course will explore how deviance is defined, constructed, resisted, and addressed in society. Students will gain insight into how sociologists conceptualize deviance; how norms are created, stigmas attached, and sanctions enforced; how social inequalities affect what is perceived as deviant; the various theoretical explanations and patterns of deviance; criminal and non-criminal forms of deviance; and the social implications of deviance. Topics may include various types of violent deviance (physical, family, interpersonal); self-destructive deviance (suicide); substance use and abuse; and inequalities in deviance (privileged deviance).

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 336. Criminology3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Description: This course offers a sociological framework for understanding crime and criminal behavior, introducing students to the concepts, methods, and theories used by sociologists to examine, explain, and predict criminality in society. Students will be introduced to how social structure, processes, and stratification are related to crime; the development of criminal laws and the social context in which they were created and how the criminal justice system responds to criminal behavior; how crime rates and trends are measured; and the causes and methods for controlling crime. Topics may include the criminalization of drugs and drug enforcement; racial profiling; gun control; various types of crime; interpersonal, property/public order, and/or white-collar crime; victimization; fear of crime; the effectiveness of the death penalty and tough-on-crime policies; mass incarceration, etc.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 337. Motherhood and the Law3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered

Description: This course will examine the various ways the legal system impacts and regulates mothers. Students will critically analyze the effect court decisions and laws have on mothers using an intersectional approach (as developed by Kimberle Crenshaw). The course begins with setting a theoretical framework - built on both theories of motherhood and legal analysis - and from there will study the interplay between the law and motherhood, from reproductive rights through raising children. This course is designed to give students an understanding of how the justice system impacts mothers' lives, maintains systems of inequality, and regulates their bodies.

Note: Crosslisted with WGST 337.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 339. Black Women and the Criminology System3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered

Description: This course will examine the various ways the legal system impacts and regulates Black women. Students will critically analyze the effect court decisions and laws have on Black women using an intersectional approach of race, gender, economic class, differently abled bodies, sexual orientation, religion, and nationality. Students will first study legal standards and terminology as well as race and gender theory to develop a solid foundation on which to examine case law, constitutional standards and current events. This course is designed to give students an understanding of how the justice system impacts Black women's lives, maintains systems of inequality, and regulates their bodies. We will look at women lead the criminal justice reform movement both within and outside of the legal system.

Note: Cross-listed with WGST 339 and PAS 339.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 340. Mental Health and Illness3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered

Description: This course provides an overview of sociological approaches to understanding mental health and illness, exploring some of the following questions (topics may vary): How do sociologists understand mental illness? What distinguishes sociological approaches from other approaches (biomedical, psychological, etc.)? How are mental health and illness affected by a range of social factors? Who is most likely to become "ill" and with what illnesses? What social factors (e.g., gender identity, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, SES, etc.) affect the experiences that people have with mental health and wellness? Historically, how have people been treated, socially and psychiatrically, when they are diagnosed with mental health problems? Are people with mental illness more likely to be violent than others? What is the relationship between crime and mental illness? How do the media portray those with mental illness? Globally, outside of the U.S., how is mental health and illness experienced?

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 342. Medical Sociology3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Description: This course offers an overview of the major theories and conceptual frameworks of medical sociology. At its core, medical sociology emphasizes the importance of moving beyond biological and medical understandings of health and illness by highlighting key social factors that influence individuals' health experiences. This course will cover the interplay of biological, medical and sociological perspectives in addressing inequalities in health and illness by sex/gender/sexuality, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and other demographic characteristics. By the end of the course, students should be able to a) understand key classic and contemporary frameworks in medical sociology; b) assess how factors such as gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status impact health inequalities across the life course; and c) understand the manner in which an individual's health and illness experience is shaped by their interactions with social and healthcare systems.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 343. Sociology of Women's Health3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered

Description: This course introduces students to key conceptual and substantive issues in the sociology of women's health and illness, drawing upon a variety of theories (including feminist and critical theories) and examining the intersections of gender identity, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, social structure, and power in the ways in which women experience health and illness and, how women's health care is structured. While the course is organized around specific biological conditions or illness, the focus of the course is on key sociological concepts including the doctor-patient relationship, help-seeking behavior, the socialization of health care providers, and the cultural and structural dimensions of the health care system. Drawing upon a broader context, recent policy responses related to U.S. women's and LGBTQ health also are addressed.

Note: Cross-listed with WGST 312.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 344. Sociology of Music in Contemporary America3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Description: Application of sociological perspective to various American musical subcultures, e.g., pop, rock, jazz, classical. Analysis of social organization, economic and commercial aspects, socialization and career mobility of musicians, structure of performing groups and their audiences, and trends in musical taste.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 346. Sociology of Religion3 Units

Description: Study of religion as a product of collective human endeavor, as a social institution; functions, types, and structures of religious organizations and conduct; relationships between religion and other aspects of sociocultural and class existence.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 350. Special Topics in Sociology3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered

Description: A special topics course explores a topic not covered in existing courses. Topics will vary but, when offered, will be announced in the Schedule of Classes.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 374. Money, Economics and Society - WR3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered

Description: This course focuses on the economy as a social institution and examines sociological theories of the development of capitalism, along with the historical development of industrialization, labor-management relations, trade unions, the service economy, and globalization. Students will learn the basic elements of the economy and different ways in which economies can be organized; gain an understanding of the interaction of supply and demand, known as a market; and discuss the concepts of commodities and money. Ultimately, students will be able to define key economic concepts and indicate multiple ways in which an individual's social position and the broader social structure shape economic institutions and affect even the most basic economic transactions.

Note: Approved for the Arts and Sciences upper-level requirement in written communication (WR).

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 380. Animals and Society3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered

Description: The relationship between humans and animals dates back many millennia, as animals have long served as sources of food, clothing, transportation, service, as well as intrigue and controversy. However, this relationship has been inconsistent across time and cultures, and, in recent years, greater attention has focused on how animals factor into the lives of humans in light of ecological and agricultural concerns; changing patterns of family and community; increasing use of animals in not only service but also sport and entertainment; and debate regarding the hierarchical and ethical nature of these relationships. Today, social scientists are examining the complex and changing social, ethical, and ecological consequences of human-animal interaction, and this course offers a sociological examination into the increasingly prevalent and controversial roles animals play in society and the effect of those roles on both humans and animals.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 392. Faces of Global Poverty - WR3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered

Description: Persistent poverty in the Third World and specific groups in the United States. Focuses on the causes, consequences, solutions and survival strategies.

Note: Cross-listed with PAS 392/WGST 343.
Note: Approved for the Arts & Sciences upper-level requirement in written communication (WR).

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 394. Globalization, Culture and Third-World Development3 Units

Description: Examination of the social, economic, political, and ideological aspects of global economic development as they affect and shape the African development experience.

Note: Previously cross-listed with PAS 334.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 400. Independent Study - CUE, WR3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite(s): 18 hours in sociology, including 9 hours in the core; 3.5 GPA in Sociology; 3.0 GPA overall.

Description: Eligible students may request permission to conduct an independent study which explores a topic of interest to the student and is in the realm of expertise of a sociology faculty member who has agreed to supervise the study. Students interested in conducting an independent study should contact the undergraduate advisor in Sociology for details.

Note: Note: A maximum of six credit hours will apply toward the sociology major.

Course Attribute(s): CUE - This course fulfills the Culminating Undergraduate Experience (CUE) requirement for certain degree programs. CUE courses are advanced-level courses intended for majors with at least 90 earned credits/senior-level status.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 405. Community Engagement - CUE3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Prerequisite(s): SOC 201 and SOC 323 and sociology major or minor with 90+ credit hours; or consent of instructor.

Description: This course introduces students to community-based learning through classroom instruction and a volunteer or internship experience which connects students with local organizations and allows them to develop a greater understanding of social issues by applying their degrees.

Course Attribute(s): CUE - This course fulfills the Culminating Undergraduate Experience (CUE) requirement for certain degree programs. CUE courses are advanced-level courses intended for majors with at least 90 earned credits/senior-level status., CBL - This course includes Community-Based Learning (CBL). Students will engage in a community experience or project with an external partner in order to enhance understanding and application of academic content.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 406. Applied Sociology - CUE3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SOC 201, SOC 301, and SOC 303; or consent of undergraduate coordinator.

Description: Techniques for adapting research methodologies and skills to applied concerns and settings. Development of skills that are applicable to the examination of social issues and concerns.

Course Attribute(s): CUE - This course fulfills the Culminating Undergraduate Experience (CUE) requirement for certain degree programs. CUE courses are advanced-level courses intended for majors with at least 90 earned credits/senior-level status.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 410. Sociology of Aging - CUE3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered

Prerequisite(s): SOC 201 and SOC 323; or 9 hours at the 300+ level in one social science; or permission of instructor.

Description: The course examines how aging is socially constructed in the U.S. beginning with a brief overview of aging from a demographic, historical, biological, and psychological perspective and then more fully from a sociological perspective. Topics explored may include: the quality of later life, particularly through major transitions and role changes; ageism and societal attitudes toward the aged, particularly how society structures experiences of aging related to class, gender, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc.; relationships and social support systems; family, love, and sex; living arrangements; care-giving; employment and retirement; poverty, welfare, income, and housing; leisure activities; policies, programs, and services for the aging; health care; death, dying and bereavement; and the future of aging.

Course Attribute(s): CUE - This course fulfills the Culminating Undergraduate Experience (CUE) requirement for certain degree programs. CUE courses are advanced-level courses intended for majors with at least 90 earned credits/senior-level status.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 415. Sociology of Death & Dying - WR, CUE3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered

Prerequisite(s): SOC 201 and SOC 323; or 9 hours at 300+ level in one social science; or permission of instructor.

Description: This course explores how social groups, institutions, organizations, and membership in various demographic groups (age, gender, race/ethnicity, social class, family, education, religious affiliation, etc.) shape the way death, dying, and bereavement are socially constructed, viewed, and experienced in the U.S. The course examines topics such as: who is considered ?dying? and what the dying process entails; generational differences in familiarity with death; death in popular culture; dying and death in the health-care system; biomedical and legal issues related to end-of-life decisions (euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide, etc.); religious and cultural views of death and dying; risk-taking, near-death experiences and perspectives on life after death; suicide and other types of death (accident, violence, disaster, war, etc.); the funeral process and ?business of dying?; body/organ donation; expressions of bereavement and grief; and mourning customs.

Course Attribute(s): CUE - This course fulfills the Culminating Undergraduate Experience (CUE) requirement for certain degree programs. CUE courses are advanced-level courses intended for majors with at least 90 earned credits/senior-level status.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 416. Sexual Assault and the Legal System3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered

Description: Sexual Assault and the Legal System is designed to give students an understanding of how rape culture impacts the justice system, and vice versa. Students will critically analyze the effect stories about sexual assault have on the legal system using an intersectional approach of race, gender, economic class, differently abled bodies, sexual orientation, religion, and nationality. Students will first study legal standards and terminology as well as critical race and feminist theory to develop a solid foundation on which to examine case law, constitutional standards and current events.

Note: Cross-listed with WGST 416.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 417. Reproductive Justice3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered

Description: In this course Reproductive Justice and the Law, we will examine how the legal system impacts reproductive justice. We will break down the term reproductive justice and how it differs from reproductive rights. We will discuss the complex political, social, religious, and cultural dynamics that make reproductive justice one of the most controversial, and pressing, issues of our time.

Note: Cross-listed with WGST 417.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 418. Domestic Violence3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered

Description: This course will examine the ways the legal system shapes and enforces domestic violence law. We will examine the jurisprudence behind criminal law in general and legal foundation of domestic violence laws in particular. We will examine not only the history of domestic violence, but also the human element, studying the role of individual discretion and how neuroscience illuminates why outcomes for individuals can vary so greatly within the same legal system. We will study specific laws (ex: mandatory arrest) and we will apply an intersectional lens to all topics discussed. This class ultimately asks if the legal system is even capable of addressing the social harm of domestic violence, and if that answer is yes, how this is to be accomplished.

Note: Cross-listed with WGST 418.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 420. Sociology of Sport3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Prerequisite(s): C- or better in SPAD 284; admission to the College of Education and Human Development or College of Business or officially accepted as a Sport Administration minor or Athletic Coaching minor.

Description: Examines race, gender, social class, and other factors as they affect sport in society.

Note: Cross-listed with SPAD 391.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 425. Sociology of Leisure - WR, CUE3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Prerequisite(s): SOC 201 and SOC 323; or nine hours at the 300+ level in one social science; or permission of the instructor.

Description: Since at least as far back as Classical Greece, social thinkers have debated the role of leisure in society, whether it be a means to recharge the enervated body and mind for more productive work; strengthen an individual's character, skills, sense of balance, and self-concept; or to pass time through amusement. The study of leisure suggests that what is considered "proper" leisure has varied from place to place and changed over time, i.e., judgments of leisure are culturally constructed. Leisure is generally regarded as a key social institution that helps to socialize individuals and shape society. The first half of the course will examine contemporary and past leisure patterns, theories on leisure, benefits derived from leisure for self and society, relationships with work, socialization into particular leisure pursuits, and constraints to participation. The latter half will cover the commodification of leisure and the leisure "industries," college students' leisure, and tourism.

Course Attribute(s): CUE - This course fulfills the Culminating Undergraduate Experience (CUE) requirement for certain degree programs. CUE courses are advanced-level courses intended for majors with at least 90 earned credits/senior-level status.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 427. Data Visualization3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Prerequisite(s): BSTA 301 or SOC 301 or PSYC 301 or CJ 326 or MATH 109 (or approved equivalent); or consent of instructor.

Description: This course offers ways in which to explore, analyze, and tell the story of data in a strategic manner. Topics will include how to make data more accessible and engaging by combining theories on perception with empirically derived practices to develop effective graphs, tables and text; how to generate compact dashboards, which display central metrics and multiple charts as a single page; how to use data visualization to explore novel variables and relationships as well as to monitor established ones; and how visualizations can be helpful conducting data analysis (e.g., to reveal conditional or nonlinear relationships, or to assess whether data meet assumptions of a statistical procedure).

Note: Cross-listed with SOC 627.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 435. Sociology of Health and Illness - WR, CUE3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered

Prerequisite(s): SOC 201 and SOC 342; or 9 hours at 300+ level in one social science; or permission of instructor.

Description: This course provides an overview of the micro-interactional study of small-scale face-to-face interactions and small group behaviors known as the sociology of health and illness. It also examines the meso-sociological patterns of the ways in which class, race/ethnicity, and gender are intertwined in micro-level experiences of health and illness. Specifically, students will learn how health and illness are defined sociologically, gain a sociological appreciation of the experiences of illness and social responses to those experiences, become familiar with and comfortable using key concepts and theories in the micro-level study of the sociology of health and illness, gain insights into their own health and illness-related experiences, and become a more informed health consumer. Ultimately, students will be able to discern the relative strengths and limitations of different approaches in the micro-level study of the sociology of health and illness.

Course Attribute(s): CUE - This course fulfills the Culminating Undergraduate Experience (CUE) requirement for certain degree programs. CUE courses are advanced-level courses intended for majors with at least 90 earned credits/senior-level status.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 440. The Health Care System - CUE, WR3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered

Prerequisite(s): SOC 201 and SOC 323; or 9 hours at the 300+ level in one social science; or permission of instructor.

Description: This course provides an overview of macro-level medical sociology, focusing on the socio-historical development of health care systems and institutions in the United States. Specifically, the course will explore how health care systems and institutions have emerged within particular socio-historical contexts in the United States and how select health policies address and affect health and health care both locally and nationally. By the end of the course, students should be able to identify key concepts and theories in macro-level medical sociology, apply the insights from this course to experiences in their own lives, and be a more informed health consumer.

Course Attribute(s): CUE - This course fulfills the Culminating Undergraduate Experience (CUE) requirement for certain degree programs. CUE courses are advanced-level courses intended for majors with at least 90 earned credits/senior-level status.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 442. Sociology of Disabilities3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered

Prerequisite(s): SOC 201 and SOC 323; or 9 hours at 300+ level in one social science; or permission from instructor.

Description: This course examines the ways in which disability is socially defined, experienced, and addressed by policy. Incorporating theories from sociology, disability studies, and women's studies, this course adopts an intersectional perspective and explores disability through the lens of gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, and more. Topics may include: concepts of disability (including stereotypes), the history of disability in contemporary U.S. culture, the medical vs. social model of disability, chronic illness and disability, media and disability, disability politics, the disability rights movement(s), and socio-legal institutional and policy responses to disability.

Note: Cross-listed with WGST 415.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 450. Special Topics in Sociology - WR, CUE3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite(s): SOC 201 and SOC 320 or SOC 323; or 9 hours at the 300+ level in one social science; or permission of instructor.

Description: A special topics course explores a topic not covered in existing courses. Topics will vary but, when offered, will be announced in the Schedule of Classes.

Course Attribute(s): CUE - This course fulfills the Culminating Undergraduate Experience (CUE) requirement for certain degree programs. CUE courses are advanced-level courses intended for majors with at least 90 earned credits/senior-level status.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 451. Special Topics in Sociology - CUE, WR3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered

Prerequisite(s): SOC 201 and SOC 320 or SOC 323; or 9 hours at the 300+ level in one social science; or permission of instructor.

Description: A special topics course explores a topic not covered in existing courses. Topics will vary but, when offered, will be announced in the Schedule of Classes.

Note: Approved for the Arts and Sciences upper-level requirement in written communication (WR).

Course Attribute(s): CUE - This course fulfills the Culminating Undergraduate Experience (CUE) requirement for certain degree programs. CUE courses are advanced-level courses intended for majors with at least 90 earned credits/senior-level status.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 453. Social Change3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Prerequisite(s): SOC 201 and SOC 320; or consent of instructor.

Description: Examines social change from a sociological perspective; explores theories, spheres, patterns, consequences of change; involves students in field study of actual case of change in local community or region.

Note: Cross-listed with SCHG 453.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 454. Social Inequality & Stratification - WR, CUE3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Prerequisite(s): SOC 201 and SOC 320 or SOC 323; or 9 hours at 300+ level in one social science; or permission of instructor.

Description: This course examines social inequality and various forms of stratification in the U.S., including the systems of distribution of power, property, resources, privileges, and prestige. Social stratification along class, racial, and gender lines, as well as other forms of stratification, manifests through unequal social opportunities and outcomes within and between groups. Scholars and policy makers have long been interested in the causes, consequences, and solutions to inequality. Yet the social complexities which underlie the persistence of inequality are challenging to understand and address, particularly in the context of economic, political, and social changes. This course will address several key issues, including defining social inequality and stratification and how they emerge; why they persist over time; their effects on individual life chances; how groups/organizations and societies have worked and continue to work to ameliorate inequality; and how change can occur.

Note: Approved for the Arts and Sciences upper-level requirement in written communication (WR).

Course Attribute(s): CUE - This course fulfills the Culminating Undergraduate Experience (CUE) requirement for certain degree programs. CUE courses are advanced-level courses intended for majors with at least 90 earned credits/senior-level status.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 455. Sociology of Work - CUE, WR3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Spring Even Years

Prerequisite(s): SOC 201, SOC 320, and SOC 323; 9 hours at 300+ level in one social science; or consent instructor.

Description: Examines historical forces which have shaped the social division of labor, various structural arrangements in the workplace, and current occupational trends; the use of sociological theory in the study of industrial society; the social organization of work, alienation, labor relations, personnel policy, the impact of industrialization on social life and culture.

Note: Approved for the Arts and Sciences upper-level requirement in written communication (WR).

Course Attribute(s): CUE - This course fulfills the Culminating Undergraduate Experience (CUE) requirement for certain degree programs. CUE courses are advanced-level courses intended for majors with at least 90 earned credits/senior-level status.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 456. Gender and Work3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered

Prerequisite(s): SOC 201 and SOC 320; or 9 hours at 300+ level in one social science; or permission of instructor.

Description: This course explores paid and unpaid work and gender from a sociological perspective. It begins with theoretical frameworks: gender as a social structure that operates on the individual, interactional, and institutional levels; and an intersectionality perspective, which explores the intersections of gender with race/ethnicity, social class, sexuality, and nationality. The course focuses on U.S. women and men but will briefly analyze social policies in different nations. Throughout the course, the class will explore how social structures shape individuals' experiences of paid and unpaid work - but also stress human agency, the dynamic nature of work, and social change.

Note: Cross-listed with WGST 414.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 458. Women: International Perspective3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SOC 201 and SOC 327; or 9 hours at 300+ level in one social science; or consent of instructor.

Description: Examination of major social concerns of women around the world, such as issues related to labor and slavery, sex trafficking, religion, media representation, health, education, political involvement, and violence against women.

Note: Cross-listed with WGST 458.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 460. Gender in the Middle East3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered

Prerequisite(s): SOC 201 and SOC 327; or 9 hours at 300+ level in one social science; or permission of instructor.

Description: This course examines the ways in which gender shapes and is shaped by social, political, economic, and cultural processes in the Middle East, allowing students to identify similarities and differences among Middle Eastern countries in their approaches to gender policies and gender relations. As such, the course will explore the gender structure of societies (e.g., in the law, the media, the labor market, and schools); the relationship between gender, nationalism, religion, and secularism; and how social movements shed light on the agency of people in making changes within their own social contexts.

Note: Cross-listed with WGST 460.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 464. Race and Ethnicity - CUE, WR3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Prerequisite(s): SOC 201 and SOC 320 or SOC 323; or 9 hours at 300+ level in one social science; or permission of instructor.

Description: This course will focus on the role of race and ethnicity in the production of social ideals, the making of citizens, and everyday lived experiences. It will start with an examination of race today, through the exchanges of difference and power, and continue toward a deeper sociological appreciation of the contemporary functions through which race and ethnicity continue to be made and remade within society. Ultimately, the course will seek to address how race and ethnicity matter in today's society; how ideas about difference are strengthened or challenged through social experiences, institutions, and ideologies; and the social, political, and ethical consequences of mis-understanding the continued salience today.

Note: Approved for the Arts and Sciences upper-level requirement in written communication (WR).

Course Attribute(s): CUE - This course fulfills the Culminating Undergraduate Experience (CUE) requirement for certain degree programs. CUE courses are advanced-level courses intended for majors with at least 90 earned credits/senior-level status.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 467. Immigrants and Identity-CUE - CUE, WR3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Prerequisite(s): SOC 201 and SOC 320 or SOC 323; or 9 hours at the 300+ level in one social science; or permission of instructor.

Description: America is a nation of immigrants; colonists, indentured servants, slaves, economic migrants, refugees and those fleeing home countries, and other arrivals have entered the U.S. for centuries. This course introduces students to sociological concepts, theories, and research exploring the complex links between identity formation and negotiation and racial, ethnic, and other social statuses affecting immigrants, refugees, and their children. We will examine broader questions of membership, belonging, and citizenship and discuss sociological work on the creation and negotiation of racial, ethnic, and citizenship boundaries, as well as the influence of U.S. policies, institutional practices, and public discourse in these processes. Students will engage with social and historical factors affecting immigrant identities and the diverse responses of immigrants and organizations through their own claims-making and identity negotiations.

Course Attribute(s): CUE - This course fulfills the Culminating Undergraduate Experience (CUE) requirement for certain degree programs. CUE courses are advanced-level courses intended for majors with at least 90 earned credits/senior-level status.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 470. Political Sociology - CUE3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Prerequisite(s): SOC 320; 9 hours at the 300+ level in one social sciences, or consent of instructor.

Description: Focuses on the theoretical and empirical issues pertaining to the relationship between political processes, political structures, the state, and society.

Course Attribute(s): CUE - This course fulfills the Culminating Undergraduate Experience (CUE) requirement for certain degree programs. CUE courses are advanced-level courses intended for majors with at least 90 earned credits/senior-level status.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 472. Sociology of Education - WR, CUE3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Prerequisite(s): SOC 201 and SOC 303 or SOC 323; or 9 hours at the 300+ level in one social science; or permission of instructor.

Description: Education occupies a central role in our society as the site of both social reproduction and social mobility. This course draws on sociological principles, theories, and concepts to analyze dimensions of educational inequality, and processes and structures within educational systems. Students will be introduced to historical origins and ideologies shaping educational inequality, educational processes and structures as sources of inequality, and prospects and debates related to reducing educational inequality. Students will examine the ways in which student and family resources, social backgrounds, experiences, and conditions interact with schools and other educational institutions.

Note: Approved for the Arts and Sciences upper-level requirement in written communication (WR).

Course Attribute(s): CUE - This course fulfills the Culminating Undergraduate Experience (CUE) requirement for certain degree programs. CUE courses are advanced-level courses intended for majors with at least 90 earned credits/senior-level status.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 480. Juvenile Delinquency - CUE3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Prerequisite(s): SOC 201 and SOC 323, or 9 hours at 300+ level in one social science; or consent of instructor.

Description: The nature and extent of juvenile delinquency, including causation, control of delinquency, and methods of delinquency research.

Course Attribute(s): CUE - This course fulfills the Culminating Undergraduate Experience (CUE) requirement for certain degree programs. CUE courses are advanced-level courses intended for majors with at least 90 earned credits/senior-level status.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 498. Honors Thesis 1 Unit

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite(s): Sociology major; earned at least 90 hours, including at least 18 hours in sociology, and earned a minimum grade of C in SOC 303 and SOC 320; 3.5 GPA in sociology; 3.6 GPA overall.

Description: Eligible students may request permission to conduct a research project which explores a topic of interest to the student and is in the realm of expertise of a sociology faculty member who has agreed to serve as the thesis chair. Students interested in conducting an honors thesis should contact the Honors Program and the undergraduate advisor in Sociology for details.

Note: Approved for the Arts and Sciences upper-level requirement in written communication (WR).

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 499. Senior Honors Thesis - WR, CUE3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite(s): Sociology major; earned at least 90 hours, including at least 18 hours in sociology, and earned a minimum grade of C in SOC 303 and SOC 320; 3.5 GPA in sociology; 3.6 GPA overall.

Description: Eligible students may request permission to conduct a research project which explores a topic of interest to the student and is in the realm of expertise of a sociology faculty member who has agreed to serve as the thesis chair. Students interested in conducting an honors thesis should contact the Honors Program and the undergraduate advisor in Sociology for details.

Note: Approved for the Arts and Sciences upper-level requirement in written communication (WR).

Course Attribute(s): CUE - This course fulfills the Culminating Undergraduate Experience (CUE) requirement for certain degree programs. CUE courses are advanced-level courses intended for majors with at least 90 earned credits/senior-level status.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 500. Special Topics3 Units

Prerequisite(s): Nine hours of core courses or consent of instructor.

Description: Exploration of well-defined topics in Sociology not treated in regular courses. Topic will be announced in Schedule of Courses.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 512. Gender, Race, Work, and Welfare3 Units

Prerequisite(s): 9 hours of social sciences work at the 300 level or above; or consent of instructor.

Description: Introduction to theory and research on labor market and welfare state with focus on gender race/ethnicity as they influence women's experiences of and ideas about work and welfare.Credit may not be earned for both WGST 512/PAS 512 and SOC 612/WGST 612/PAS 612.

Note: Cross-listed with PAS 612, WGST 512, WGST 612, and SOC 612.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

SOC 612. Gender, Race, Work, and Welfare3 Units

Prerequisite(s): 9 hours of social sciences work at the 300 level or above; or consent of instructor.

Description: Introduction to theory and research on labor market and welfare state with focus on gender race/ethnicity as they influence women's experiences of and ideas about work and welfare.Credit may not be earned for both WGST 512/PAS 512 and PAS 512/WGST 612/PAS 612.

Note: Cross-listed with PAS 612, WGST 512, WGST 612, and PAS 512.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes