Course Listing For Sociology Courses

This course provides students with a broad, general introduction to the field of sociology, its approaches to social life, and how this knowledge can be applied to improving the quality of individual life and society. Basic principles of sociology are introduced: investigating social behavior, culture, institutions, social interactions, social inequality, and social change.

This course studies sports in American society through the lens of Sociology. The course uses the basics of Sociology to explore the relationship between sports and major social institutions, including the economy, mass media, politics, and religion. The course also examines the relationship between sports and structural social inequalities related to race, class, and gender. From sports’ early beginnings in the United States, to the present state of modern sports, and into the future, this course describes how sports and society work to shape one another.

This course examines the family institution with respect to its cultural and historical setting, family variations, and the modern cultural and social patterns that make up courtship, marriage, and the family. The major focus is families in the contemporary United States; however, family systems from other societies are also examined.

This course introduces students to the problems of racial and ethnic groups in American society and the concepts of dominance, minority, power, status, conflict, prejudice and discrimination. The course examines both interpersonal dynamics and the larger context of changing intergroup relations in today’s world.

This course introduces the process of social inquiry. It focuses on the methods, techniques, and questions that direct, enable, and motivate the enterprise of social research. Prerequisite: SO 101 or permission of the instructor

This course introduces students to understanding gender and society from a sociological perspective. The course provides a comprehensive review of historical background about the magnitude of changes in the gender system and the societal and interpersonal level of forces at play. This course will review the current research on the social construction of gender and gender stratification in social institutions. The attention is given to both the influences of and the interaction of social structure and culture in women’s and men’s lives.

This course discusses major social problems through principles of sociological perspective. The course will illustrate links between sociological theories, social research, and social intervention and policies. The course provides a basis for critically analyzing the functioning of the main institutions of society. Prerequisite: SO 101 or permission of the instructor

This course discusses major schools of sociological thought and the contexts in which they arose. The strengths and weaknesses of each approach are analyzed and the major premises of the most important thinkers are studied. The course will illustrate links between theory and research, and provide a basis for critically analyzing the functioning of the main institutions of society. Prerequisite: 6 hours of Sociology, junior or senior standing, or permission from instructor

This course studies major issues of criminology, including the field of criminology, the nature of criminal law and criminal defenses, explanations of criminal behavior, types of crimes, an overview of the criminal justice system, and social reaction to crime. This course also provides an opportunity for students to consider careers in the field of criminal justice. Prerequisite: SO 101 or permission of the instructor

This course examines psychological and sociological principles that affect the behavior of individuals as members of groups. Representative topics include the biological foundations of behavior, prejudice, culture and personality, leadership, small group interaction, crowd behavior, mass media, childhood, adolescence and old age. Prerequisite: SO 101 and PY 101, or written permission of the instructor

This course examines the sociological basis of panics, riots, mobs, fads, fashions, and revolutions. Collective behavior is looked at as the basis of social change. Different types of social deprivation leading to mass movement are investigated. Social movements and their origin in discontent are examined. The analysis of some contemporary social movements and the bases of conflict in contemporary America are included. Prerequisite: SO 101 or permission of the instructor

This course involves the analysis of contemporary issues of healthcare and medicine using the concepts and theories of medical sociology and critical analysis. Topics include social factors and illness; the meaning and experience of illness; the social organization of medical care; environmental and occupational health; and healthcare providers and bioethics. Prerequisite: SO 101 or permission of the instructor