Sociology (SOC)

SOC100. Intro To Sociology. 3 Credits.

Examines relationships between human behavior and society by focusing on social processes, social interactions, and social inequalities such as social class, race, and gender. Introduces fundamental concepts including culture, norms, status, power, socialization, organizations, an social institutions. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC193. Sociology Select Topic. 1-12 Credits.

Selected topics courses are regularly scheduled courses that focus on a particular topic of interest. Descriptions are printed in the Schedule of Classes each semester. Selected topics courses may be used as elective credit and may be repeated for credit, provided that the topic of the course changes.

SOC220. Social Inequality in the United States. 3 Credits.

Theoretical approaches to the study of social inequality, such as the distribution of wealth, privilege, and power in the United States and the impact on individual life chances and institutional arrangements. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC250. Crime and Society. 3 Credits.

Introduction to the sociological examination of issues related to crime, criminal law, and the criminal justice system. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC276. Social Problems in a Global Context. 3 Credits.

A critical examination of social problems in a global context. Topics may include poverty, inequality, crime, population, war, terrorism, and environmental degradation. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC293. Sociology Select Topic. 1-12 Credits.

Selected topics courses are regularly scheduled courses that focus on a particular topic of interest. Descriptions are printed in the Schedule of Classes each semester. Selected topics courses may be used as elective credit and may be repeated for credit, provided that the topic of the course changes. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC295. Indep Study Sociology. 1-12 Credits.

SOC301. Self in Society. 3 Credits.

Social roles and the experience of personal essence. Depersonalization in large-scale organizations, and self-actualization in the total life cycle. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC302. Contemporary Sociological Theory. 3 Credits.

An exploration of recent theoretical approaches to understanding the social world. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC303. Sociological Theory. 3 Credits.

Classical and contemporary theories of society are analyzed, with emphasis on critical analysis in historical perspective. The major themes of sociological thought will be examined. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC304. Sociology of Religion. 3 Credits.

Analysis of the social and intellectual foundations of the major religions of the world. Study of religious organizations, beliefs, behaviors, and ideologies. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC305. Juvenile Delinquency. 3 Credits.

Sociocultural basis of juvenile delinquency and theories of delinquent behavior. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC306. Research Methods. 4 Credits.

Introduction to data collection and sociological analysis. Practical methods for analyzing qualitative and quantitative data and completion of small-scale research projects. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC307. Social Statistics. 4 Credits.

Statistical analysis of sociological data with computer applications. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC308. Medical Sociology. 3 Credits.

Can medicine and science ever truly exist apart from considerations of rights, justice, and politics? This course will delve into recent and evolving debates on structurally competent and just health care, within nations and globally.

SOC309. Social Demography. 3 Credits.

Population trends and their social implications. Analysis of mortality, fertility, migration, population characteristics, and distribution problems and policies. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC310. Comparative Political Economy. 3 Credits.

Critical examination and comparisons of different forms and mixtures of capitalist, socialist, and communist social economic, and political systems. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC311. News Media and Public Opinion. 3 Credits.

Role and formation of public opinion in modern societies; in particular, the effect of the news media -- print and broadcast -- on the shaping of political attitudes and behavior. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC312. Sociology of Violence. 3 Credits.

Sociology of Violence examines violence in our society including violence between families, between acquaintances, and between strangers. Through an examination of empirical research, theoretical writing and popular film, students will gain a better understanding of the extent and impact of violence, explore potential causes of violence, and examine their personal perspectives of why violence exists in our society. As a writing-intensive course it will also develop students' skills in critical thinking, writing, and speaking. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC314. Sociology of Children and Childhood. 3 Credits.

This course will examine micro (social psychological) and macro (structural) approaches to the study of children and childhood. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC315. Race and Ethnicity. 3 Credits.

Sociological perspectives on the structural causes of racial and ethnic inequality in the U.S. with a focus on social justice movements aimed at eradicating that inequality. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC316. Sociology of War and Conflict. 3 Credits.

The roots of national and international conflicts examined from both historical and sociological perspectives. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC317. Environmental Sociology. 3 Credits.

Society's relation to the natural environment, including the impact of economic and technological development and the political response to environmental degradation. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC318. Sociology of Culture. 3 Credits.

Will examine the wide ranging forms culture may take, including ideology, art, and technology. We will consider how culture produces, manifests, and reproduces social structure and how culture serves as a site of social resistance. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC319. Gender and Crime. 3 Credits.

This course offers a systematic introduction to the study of gender in criminology and criminal justice. Students will explore the relationship between gender and crime, including gender differences in offending, victimization, criminal justice processing, and as criminal justice professionals. The course will also examine the strengths and weaknesses of theoretical approaches to crime and their engagement with issues of gender. A minimum grade of C- ls required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC320. Social Structure and the Individual. 3 Credits.

Reciprocal influences between the individual and society with emphasis on social-cultural factors. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC323. Death in American Society. 3 Credits.

A multidisciplinary exploration of dying and death, interaction with the dying, care for the dying, children and death, grief, bereavement, and funerals. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC325. The American Left. 3 Credits.

A history and analysis of the American New Left; topics include the civil rights and black liberation struggles, the student and women's movements, the counterculture, and the anti-Vietnam War protests. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC328. Political Sociology. 3 Credits.

Social conditions influencing political behavior; political structure and dynamics of complex industrial society; mass movement and the conflict of ideologies; totalitarianism and democracy in modern society. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC332. Criminological Theory. 3 Credits.

A theoretical analysis of the nature and causation of crime and its control through readings and discussion of writings which have had a major impact on the development of criminology. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC333. Deviant Behavior. 3 Credits.

The nature of deviance is examined and considered as a socially constructed concept. Different theoretical perspectives on the causes of deviant behavior are critically analyzed. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC336. Social Movements. 3 Credits.

Analysis of ideology, organization, and strategy of mass collective action in the pursuit of political and social change. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC337. Social Change. 3 Credits.

The forces that produce significant changes in social structure and cultural patterns, including how individuals may promote social change. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC339. Human Rights and Social Welfare Policy. 3 Credits.

Examines the context of social welfare policies through a human rights framework. Focuses on vulnerable and marginalized groups, including women, children, and LGBTQ+ people, and the intersections of gender, sexual and gender identity, race, ethnicity, class, and ability.

SOC340. Poverty and Society. 3 Credits.

This course examines historical and contemporary social, economic, and political forces that create and perpetuate racialized and gendered inequality and poverty in the United States.

SOC345. Urban Sociology. 3 Credits.

This course will examine how socio-economic forces have contributed to economic transformations of the urban landscape. Growth, politics and the concomitant problems of housing, inflation, gentrification, urban sprawl and residential segregation will be analyzed. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC350. Introduction to Human Services. 3 Credits.

Drawing from national and international social welfare policies and practices, Introduction to Human Services examines the social political context in which human services recipients and professionals are situated. Theories from human services, social work, European social pedagogy, and sociology will be presented. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC360. Sociology of Gender. 3 Credits.

Sociological perspectives, along with cross-cultural and historical material, used to develop a broad framework for analyzing the position of women in contemporary society. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC361. Images of Poverty in Film. 3 Credits.

An examination of how cinema creates and perpetuates class, gender, and racial stereotypes in U.S. society and how it impacts impoverished individuals. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC362. Race, Class, and Gender. 3 Credits.

The socio-historical factors that have structured the experiences of specific disenfranchised groups with a focus on the role that social institutions have played in constructing and perpetuating race, class, and gender inequality. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC370. Sociology of Families. 3 Credits.

An analysis of the changing family forms and major trends affecting U.S. families. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC371. Sociology of Aging. 3 Credits.

Social issues of aging in contemporary society. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC375. Race, Crime and Punishment. 3 Credits.

An examination of the relationship between race, crime and punishment in the United States. Draws from historical and sociological literature to examine the ways that race and racism have shaped American approaches to punishment.

SOC379. Social Interaction. 3 Credits.

Analysis of the sociological origin of beliefs, behaviors, and emotions. An exploration of theoretical perspectives of social psychology including symbolic interactionism and role theory. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC380. Social and Economic Development. 3 Credits.

Study of socio-economic change in developed and developing societies. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC381. Immigration & Identity. 3 Credits.

Immigrants have shaped American society for centuries. Students will use a sociological perspective to analyze the social, political, economic, and cultural context in which immigrants and their children are incorporated into society. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC385. Education and Society. 3 Credits.

Analyzes social forces and processes influencing education in the United States. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC387. Sociology of Sport. 3 Credits.

Analysis of sport in contemporary society with particular focus on dimensions of power, privilege, and prestige. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC393. Soc Selected Topic. 1-12 Credits.

Selected topics courses are regularly scheduled courses that focus on a particular topic of interest. Descriptions are printed in the Schedule of Classes each semester. Selected topics courses may be used as elective credit and may be repeated for credit, provided that the topic of the course changes. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC399. Modular Course. 0 Credits.

A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC407. Organizations and Work. 3 Credits.

Examines the social organization of the work place, occupational inequality, the management of workers, and industrialism, unionization, and post-industrialization in contemporary societies. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC409. Law and Social Issues. 3 Credits.

Social context of law, its uses to uphold and also to challenge power structures. Impact of race, gender, language and other social factors; conflicting ideas about equality and social justice, personal expression and conscience. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC410. Sociology of Sex & Sexualities. 3 Credits.

Applies sociological methods and theories to the study of the sexed body, desires practices, identities, and communities; especially focuses on sex and sexuality as sites where social inequalities are both produced and challenged. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC425. Drugs in American Society. 3 Credits.

A review of the major issues in the study and treatment of drug abuse in their social context. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC431. Mass Media and Culture. 3 Credits.

An examination of the impact of mass media on contemporary popular culture. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC432. Sociology of Film. 3 Credits.

Students use sociological theory and research to analyze the content, form, production, and reception of Hollywood, independent, foreign, and documentary films. Themes include gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, immigration, class, stratification, labor, deviance, social control, crime, and law. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC435. Public Health and Social Policy. 3 Credits.

Sociological analysis of issues in health delivery services. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC443. Human Services Theory and Practice I. 3 Credits.

Critical examination of knowledge and skills related to working with families and groups. Emphasis on cultural diversity, a variety of intervention approaches, and group work processes. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC444. Human Services Theory and Practice II. 3 Credits.

Critical examination and acquisition of human services practice frameworks, including Quality of Life and Positive Youth Development. Emphasis on the right to communication, self-determination, and ethical decision-making. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC445. Human Services Theory and Practice III. 3 Credits.

Capstone course for the Concentration in Human Services. Critical examination of U.S. as well as international social welfare policy within a human rights framework. Research into and writing of student-selected thesis. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC450. Sociology of Food and Agriculture. 3 Credits.

Examination of the social, economic, and political dimensions of the food and agriculture system in the US and globally. How this system has changed over time, the role of technology, ecological implications, and the possibility for alternatives. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC451. Alienation and Mental Illness. 3 Credits.

A comparative and critical review of those social conditions which systematically produce alienation and mental illness. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC452. Seminar in Criminal Behavior. 3 Credits.

Critical issues in the sociology of crime with a focus on such topics as prevention of street crimes, white collar crimes, and crime against humanity. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC480. Fieldwork in Human Services I. 4 Credits.

This is an introductory field education course in which students examine and practice beginning counseling skills. Concurrently, students do an internship of 132 hours: 104 hours at the field site (8 hours a week); 3 hours in placement coordination and individual supervision with the college instructor; and 20 classes at the college. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC481. Fieldwork in Human Services II. 4 Credits.

This is the second required field education course in which students examine and practice intermediate counseling skills. Concurrently, students do an internship of 132 hours: 104 hours at the field site (8 hours a week); 3 hours in placement coordination and individual supervision with the college instructor; and 20 classes at the college. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC482. Fieldwork in Human Services III. 4 Credits.

This is the third and last required field education course in which students examine and practice advanced counseling skills. Concurrently, students do an internship of 132 hours: 104 hours at the field site (8 hours a week); 3 hours in placement coordination and individual supervision with the college instructor; and 20 classes at the college. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC490. Senior Seminar in Sociology. 3 Credits.

Organization, execution, and presentation of selected substantive and methodological problems. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC493. Selected Topic Sociology. 1-12 Credits.

Selected topics courses are regularly scheduled courses that focus on a particular topic of interest. Descriptions are printed in the Schedule of Classes each semester. Selected topics courses may be used as elective credit and may be repeated for credit, provided that the topic of the course changes. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC494. Fieldwork in Sociology. 1-15 Credits.

Student volunteers in the community gain an intellectual and a professional experience that allows them to develop an inside understanding of a particular organization, its clients' needs, and its connection to the larger social structure. A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.

SOC495. Indep Study Sociology. 1-12 Credits.

SOC499. Modular Course. 0 Credits.

A minimum grade of C- is required for any course to count toward the Sociology major or minor.