Sociology Courses
SOC 100 Introduction to Culture and Society - 3 credits
An introduction to sociology, the scientific study of the relationship between social organization and human behavioral processes. The focus is on concepts central to the discipline and the illustration and application of theoretical perspectives to aspects of social reality such as gender, age, race and ethnicity, inequality and social change, as well as social institutions including the family, polity, education, medicine, economy and religion. The course equips students to be informed participants in social processes and institutions, both from an appreciative and change agent stance.
SOC 134 Changing the World from the Inside - 3 credits
This course introduces students to holistic approaches to various global problems. As social change agents, students are challenged to translate their self-awareness into envisioning, formulating and analyzing creative, practical approaches to shaping the world to best meet human needs in the new millennium.
SOC/SWK 202 The Social Welfare Institution - 4 credits
SOC 222 Social Justice: A Global Perspective - 3 credits
This course teaches global awareness of human rights violations and a basic understanding of programs and resources existing to combat human suffering. Global inequalities will be viewed through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Topics examined are: AIDS pandemic, child soldiers, human trafficking, genocide, feminization of poverty and violence, war refugees, and global child exploitation.
SOC/SWK 243 Social and Psychological Aspects of Aging - 4 credits
An introduction to the field of aging from two primary areas of inquiry: the psychological and sociological aspect of aging. The problems and issues concerning aging will be examined for they raise profound implications affecting social, economic and political arenas of our society. The course will also examine new models of aging that go beyond cultural stereotypes to challenge students to view this stage of the life cycle as a time of creativity, wisdom and beauty.
SOC/SWK 245 Introduction to Peace Studies - 3 credits
An overview of the history, philosophy and ideas encompassing the evolving field of peace studies. Topics include the causes of war, the nature of power, approaches to building peace, and nonviolent conflict resolution.
SOC 247 The Sixties: The Second American Revolution (GS) - 3 credits
This course is a survey of the various global social movements that characterized the 1950-1975 time period. In addition to coverage of the civil rights, anti-war, gay rights, and women’s movements, there will be a special focus on the music of this time period, the war on poverty and aspects of pop culture including the hippy/psychedelic drug culture.
SOC 252 Social Psychology - 3 credits
This subfield in sociology and psychology examines how the thought, feelings and actions of individuals are linked to the behavior of others and to larger processes of human social organization. The focus is on concepts and frameworks central to the field and the illustration and application of these frameworks to aspects of everyday life. Topics include: aggression, conformity, interpersonal attraction, attitude formation and change, group dynamics, status-roles, personality and self and mental illness. The course equips students to be informed participants in social process and the impact societal institutions have on such processes.
SOC/SWK 271 Contemporary Environmental Issues - 3 credits
An examination of the environment health of the world focusing on specific global problems in urgent need of resolution. Primary emphasis is on the social, economic and political issues that surround each environmental problem.
SOC/SWK 313 Minorities and Human Relations - 3 credits
A comparative study of racial and ethnic contacts with emphasis on such social processes as acculturation, conflict, competition, anticipatory socialization and marginality, nationalistic movements, prejudice, and discrimination.
SOC/SWK 321 The Family as a Social Institution - 3 credits
A consideration of family and marriage as basic institutions in human societies with emphasis upon the variety of forms they assume in different cultures and subcultures, including ethnic, regional and class variations in American society. Special attention is paid to modifications in family and marriage patterns, structure and customs in response to social and cultural change, particularly the rapid changes occurring in the 21st century.
SOC/SWK 324 Social Science Statistics - 3 credits
Designed to provide social and behavioral science majors with a fundamental understanding of what statistics are and how and why they are used in social scientific research. The focus is on gaining a working knowledge of “the big picture” associated with being a consumer of empirical research in an information age. In this context, this course emphasizes both theoretical and applied statistical analysis. Students explore the theory-research paradigm connected with all sciences, current issues in social science measurement, the basics of the normal curve, the role of populations, samples and sampling distributions in hypothesis testing, and key descriptive and inferential statistical techniques often used in both popular and social scientific literature.
SOC 329 Practices, Policies and Politics of Aging - 3 credits
A focus on social, economic and health care policies associated with the aged in the United States. Students examine how these policies have impacted the relationship between and within the generations and how they will likely effect these generations in America’s future. Students also study the increasingly powerful impact the elderly are having as a demographic, economic and political subgroup. Emphasis is placed on consideration of future policies and practices that are necessary to address this growing population’s needs.
SOC 331 Applied Gerontology - 3 credits
A seminar designed to be taken concurrently with the field practicum in social gerontology (SOC 332). This course applies the student’s theoretical knowledge of gerontology gained in previous courses to the actual provision of services to the elderly. The student’s experiences in the field are explored and integrated with theory. The course is sufficiently broad-based to address a variety of field placements. Prerequisite: BIO 112 or HLT100, SOC 243, 329 and NTR 114.
SOC 332 Field Practice in Gerontology - 3 credits
A 90-clock-hour experience in a professional setting in which services to the elderly are provided. Students select their own placements with faculty consultation and supervision of the practicum experience. This course is designed to be taken concurrently with Applied Gerontology (SOC 331) as the concluding course in the certificate program in gerontology. Prerequisite: BIO 112 or HLT107, and SOC 243, 329 and NTR 114.
SOC 360 and 361 Special Topics - 2-3 credits each term
The topic for intensive study in this course is selected by participating faculty members and students.
SOC 390 Independent Study - 1-3 credits
This course consists of individual research, supervised readings, or projects carried out under supervision.
