Sociology (SOCA)

Examines social relations, social organization, and social systems through the study of process, structure, and function.

Prerequisites: None.

Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.

Meets: Social & Behavioral Science: SOCA

Small group dialogues that help students become aware of their own biases as well as understand the impact of racism in schools, communities and society. May be taken more than once for credit with different topic.

Offered: Fall, Spring.

Examines selected topics in sociology and/or anthropology.

Prerequisites: None.

Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.

Introduces the formation and dynamics of ethnic and race relations in the United States and their social consequences in terms of marginalizing people and the unfair distribution of their life chances. Fulfills Ethnic Diversity Requirement. Cross-listed with: ETHN 206.

Prerequisites: ANTH 100 or SOCA 101.

Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.

Meets: Social & Behavioral Science: SOCA, Ethnic Diversity

Surveys nature and functions of the family; cross cultural and/or life course comparisons of marriage and family arrangements; gender role training; premarital and marital social and sexual activities, power dynamics, and other family processes.

Prerequisites: SOCA 101.

Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.

Meets: Social & Behavioral Science: SOCA

Explores theory and research on gender roles and gender stratification, focusing on political, economic, family and other settings. Includes historical, cross cultural and subcultural comparisons. Cross-listed with: WGSS 213.

Prerequisites: None.

Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.

Explores theory and research on substance abuse including legal (alcohol, tobacco) and controlled substances. Focuses on differences in patterns of chemical use within historical, cultural and class contexts. Includes a community project and provides CBL credit.

Prerequisites: SOCA 101.

Offered: Fall.

Meets: Social & Behavioral Science: SOCA, Community Based Learning

Surveys American Indian peoples of the United States and Canada focusing on various aspects of culture, history and recent culture change. Cross-listed with: ANTH 227.

Prerequisites: ANTH 100 or SOCA 101.

Offered: Fall (even years).

Meets: Ethnic Diversity

Examines past and current theory and research including crime as a consequence of social, economic, political, and personal factors. Includes critique of approaches to prevention and correction.

Cross-listed with: CRMJ 233.

Prerequisites: CRMJ 101 or SOCA 101 or consent of instructor.

Offered: Fall.

Covers conceptions of juvenile delinquency; the offender in the juvenile justice system; the philosophy, structure and function of juvenile courts; the philosophy, development, and organization of diversion, detention and treatment of the juvenile offender. Cross-listed with: CRMJ 234.

Prerequisites: CRMJ 101 or SOCA 101, or consent of instructor.

Offered: Fall, Spring.

Studies the various levels, roles and functions of law enforcement in America; evaluates the nature and responsibilities of law enforcement including police accountability and civil liability. Examines the racial, ethnic, and gender issues in law enforcement. Cross-listed with: CRMJ 235.

Prerequisites: CRMJ 101 or SOCA 101, or consent of instructor.

Offered: Fall, Spring.

Covers research report writing with the ability to demonstrate an understanding for the relationship among argument, evidence, conclusion, concepts, methods, and theoretical orientations in sociology. Focuses on understanding the format of research papers and improving writing ability. Community-based learning designation.

Prerequisites: SOCA 101; ENGL 101 with a grade of C+ or better.

Offered: Fall, Spring.

Meets: Community Based Learning

Introduces descriptive and inferential statistics as applied to measurements of behavior. Focuses on statistical computation, analysis, and interpretation of data using scientific calculator and SPSS statistical software. Examines quantitative solutions and computer output that can be applied in business and social service settings.

Prerequisites: Computational skills, MATH 102 or 104 or 111.

Offered: Fall.

Examines selected topics in sociology.

Prerequisites: SOCA 101.

Offered: Occasionally.

Introduces philosophies, methods and problems of social research; sampling and data collection techniques; questionnaire construction, interviewing techniques, field methods, and content analysis.

Prerequisites: ANTH 100 or SOCA 101; sophomore standing.

Offered: Fall, Spring.

Develops skills in specific methods of data collection and analysis in sociology. Topics will vary. May be repeated with a different topic.

Prerequisites: SOCA 295.

Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.

Explores major sociological concepts and theories, and their application in the analysis of social structures and processes.

Prerequisites: ANTH 100 or SOCA 101; junior standing.

Offered: Fall, Spring.

Applies theory and methods of program evaluation including measuring and evaluating program outcomes; analyzing community needs; and assessing program impacts. Community-based learning designation.

Prerequisites: SOCA 101.

Offered: Yearly.

Meets: Community Based Learning

Provides training in an aspect of grass-roots leadership, focusing on sociological perspectives. Includes grant writing, team building, and working with media, emphasizing different areas in different semesters. May be repeated for credit.

Prerequisites: ANTH 100 or SOCA 101; junior standing.

Offered: Occasionally.

Examines the criminal justice response to family violence, including child abuse, spousal abuse, elder abuse, and date rape. Explores prevalence and extent of family violence as well as strategies for treatment and prevention. Cross-listed with: CRMJ 305.

Prerequisites: CRMJ 101 or SOCA 101.

Offered: Fall.

Explores assessment of the needs of a community or environment using the methods of evaluation research. Community-based learning designation.

Prerequisites: ANTH 100 or SOCA 101; junior standing.

Offered: Occasionally.

Meets: Community Based Learning

Explores survey research including data collection and data analysis. Multi-career cross-listing: MAPS 507.

Prerequisites: SOCA 295.

Offered: Fall, Spring.

Investigates patterns of behavior and beliefs about death, dying, and bereavement from a sociological perspective. Examines medical, legal, and ethical issues.

Prerequisites: ANTH 100 or SOCA 101.

Offered: Spring.

Examines the role of larger society in constructing and defining our day-to-day interactions and the relationship between group structures and processes, particularly issues of social inequality.

Prerequisites: SOCA 101 and three additional credits in sociology.

Offered: Fall (even years).

Provides comparative study of religion and society with an emphasis on the major religious traditions. Examines the relationship between religions, beliefs and social values.

Prerequisites: ANTH 100 or SOCA 101.

Offered: Occasionally.

Introduces the concepts, theoretical frameworks and concerns of sociological linguistics, emphasizing ethnomethodology, language planning, and cultural politics affecting linguistic minorities.

Prerequisites: SOCA 101.

Offered: Occasionally.

Examines racism within various institutions such as public government bodies, private business, and universities. Outlines political, social, ecological, and economic effects of racism. Fulfills Ethnic Diversity Requirement. Multi-career cross-listing: MAPS 523.

Prerequisites: ANTH 100 or SOCA 101.

Offered: Fall, Spring.

Meets: Ethnic Diversity

Examines the experiences of African Americans, both current and historical, using a variety of theoretical models and perspectives. Includes macro-level contexts of those experiences. Fulfills Ethnic Diversity Requirement.

Prerequisites: ANTH 100 or SOCA 101.

Offered: Occasionally.

Meets: Ethnic Diversity

Examines the quality of life issues among elderly; focuses on medical, social, educational, recreational and economic institutions.

Prerequisites: SOCA 101; junior standing.

Offered: Fall.

Examines the culture, social, political, historical, and economic experiences of Asians in America. Covers Asian Americans as perpetual foreigners, racism, immigration, citizenship, language, education and job opportunities. Fulfills Ethnic Diversity Requirement.

Prerequisites: ANTH 100 or INTS 103 or SOCA 101.

Offered: Fall.

Meets: Ethnic Diversity

Introduces the social institutions and changes in contemporary China. Covers population, family, education, economy and politics.

Prerequisites: ANTH 100 or INTS 103 or SOCA 101.

Offered: Fall (odd years).

Elucidates theoretical perspectives on deviant behavior and traces the development of how deviance is defined, explained and controlled.

Prerequisites: SOCA 101; junior standing.

Offered: Fall (odd years).

Examines mental illness as a social role/social label is examined in terms of institutional and sociocultural factors.

Prerequisites: SOCA 101; junior standing.

Offered: Occasionally.

Examines childhood as a socially constructed idea with profound effect on our lives and our communities; changing images, definitions, agreements, and rules about childhood; the social structures incorporating childhood; and the relationship of childhood to power distributions and economic inequalities. Community-based learning designation.

Prerequisites: SOCA 101.

Offered: Spring.

Meets: Community Based Learning

Focuses on the social, political, and cultural dynamics of the Latina/o experience in the U.S. including racial/ethnic identity, racism, economy, immigration, colonialism. Fulfills Ethnic Diversity Requirement. Cross-listed with: ETHN 343.

Prerequisites: ANTH 100 or ETHN 201 or SOCA 101.

Offered: Fall.

Meets: Ethnic Diversity

Examines patterns of inequities and their relationship to social conflict, social organization, belief systems, race/ethnic identities, gender roles, and global systems of wealth and power.

Prerequisites: ANTH 100 or SOCA 101.

Offered: Spring.

Examines the effects of major historical. economic, political, and architectural trends on class composition of cities.

Prerequisites: ANTH 100 or SOCA 101.

Offered: Occasionally.

Examines the relationship between politics and the larger social structure, such as structure of power in the United States and the economy; political consciousness and the debate on the changing nature of industrial societies. Cross-listed with: POLS 356.

Prerequisites: SOCA 101.

Offered: Occasionally.

Elucidates population size, composition and processes of migration, including social and economic determinants of demographic changes and their effects on social organization.

Prerequisites: SOCA 101; junior standing.

Offered: Occasionally.

Explores selected legal rules, principles, and institutions from a sociological perspective, including influence of culture and social organization on law; role of law in social change; social aspects of the administration of justice; and social knowledge and law. Cross-listed with: CRMJ 359.

Prerequisites: CRMJ 101 or SOCA 101.

Offered: Occasionally.

Examines social conditions under which ethnic groups are labeled as "races" in the United States and in selected other societies, focusing on perceptions of whiteness and hybridity and their social consequences. Cross-listed with: ETHN 360.

Prerequisites: ANTH 100 or SOCA 101.

Offered: Occasionally.

Meets: Ethnic Diversity

Examines migration and immigration as major processes of change in the United States and internationally, focusing on migrant communities, social networks, and work activities. Cross-listed with: ANTH 362.

Prerequisites: ANTH 100 or SOCA 101.

Offered: Spring (even years).

Analyzes the organization of correctional agencies and the role of corrections in the criminal justice system. Includes review of theories, practices, systems, and treatment methods. Cross-listed with: CRMJ 363.

Prerequisites: CRMJ 101 or SOCA 101.

Offered: Fall, Spring.

Explores the intersections of race, crime and law in terms of the historical context, the present day situation and future directions. Focuses on multiple perspectives from offender to victim to criminal justice practitioner. Community-based learning designation. Cross-listed with: CRMJ 365.

Prerequisites: CRMJ 101 or SOCA 101; junior standing.

Offered: Fall, Spring.

Meets: Ethnic Diversity, Community Based Learning

Examines the everyday lives of people in the LGBTQ community as they participate in identity politics, collective action, resistance, and empowerment in a heteronormative society. Cross-listed with: WGSS 367.

Prerequisites: ANTH 100 or SOCA 101 or WGSS 110.

Offered: Occasionally.

Examines the causes and consequences of crime victimization including the history and recent re-emergence of the study of the victim and types and circumstances of criminal victimization. Addresses victims' rights and the victims' rights movement. Cross-listed with: CRMJ 368.

Prerequisites: CRMJ 101 or SOCA 101.

Offered: Spring.

Examines technology and technological change from perspective of interactions between technology and social organization. Discusses the causes and effects of technological change through critical, structural, contextual, and inter-actionist approaches.

Prerequisites: ANTH 100 or SOCA 101.

Offered: Occasionally.

Examines fundamental issues concerning social organization, including theories and research methods for analyzing organizations; individuals and groups in organizations; organizational structure; communication, leadership and decision-making; and organizational change, and effectiveness.

Prerequisites: SOCA 101; junior standing.

Offered: Fall.

Examines the position of women in the work world including the importance of gender in determining definitions and valuations of work. Considers the context of women globally and historically.

Prerequisites: ANTH 100 or SOCA 101.

Offered: Occasionally.

Analyzes education as an institution that influences and is influenced by society. Reviews the functions of education, how social conflict shapes schools, and the connections between education and social inequality.

Prerequisites: ANTH 100 or SOCA 101.

Offered: Occasionally.

Investigates the health status of populations and the social, political, economic, and environmental factors that influence health, disease, and illness in populations. Focuses on historical patterns, current challenges, and alternatives for future change.

Prerequisites: ANTH 100 or SOCA 101.

Offered: Spring.

Examines environmental philosophies, movements, attitudes, and issues from a sociological perspective. Considers a diverse, multicultural array of approaches.

Prerequisites: ANTH 100 or SOCA 101.

Offered: Occasionally.

Delves into American social work, emphasizing recent changes in organization and methods. Includes issues of subcultures and minorities in social welfare institutions.

Prerequisites: SOCA 101.

Offered: Occasionally.

Examines selected topics in sociology.

Prerequisites: SOCA 101.

Offered: Occasionally.

Examines the role of research in program planning and implementation. Includes application in a community-based learning project. Multi-career cross-listing: MAPS 606.

Prerequisites: ANTH 300 or a minimum of 2 credits in SOCA 300.

Offered: Spring.

Analyzes comparative social change and international development, focusing on theories of change, the role of development agencies, and case studies of development projects. Cross-listed with: ANTH 455.

Prerequisites: 6 credits of upper-level anthropology or sociology courses.

Offered: Occasionally.

Examines selected topics in sociology.

Prerequisites: SOCA 101; Junior standing.

Offered: Occasionally.

Provides opportunity for community work experience with emphasis on job preparation skills, i.e., resume writing, networking, interviewing.

Prerequisites: SOCA 101; junior standing; consent of instructor and department chair.

Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.

Empirical investigation of an approved topic under the guidance of a sociology professor.

Prerequisites: SOCA 100 or SOCA 101 and junior standing and consent of instructor.

Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.

Provides capstone experience for majors, including reflection on competencies gained from the major, how they relate to experiences after graduation, and work on a research project that allows application of skills and competencies learned.

Prerequisites: SOCA 295; ANTH 302 or SOCA 301; and senior standing.

Offered: Fall, Spring.

Instructs students in developing a portfolio to document their achievements. Makes explicit their personal and career abilities and goals through completing a resume and through documentation of their attainment of program competencies in their coursework.

Prerequisites: Senior standing or consent of instructor.

Offered: Fall, Spring.

Provides opportunity for independent work on specific problems in sociology under faculty supervision.

Prerequisites: Sociology major, junior standing; consent of instructor and department chair.

Offered: Fall, Spring, Winterim.