Sociology

SOC 1301 (SOCI 1301) Introduction to Sociology (3 semester credit hours) An overview of the sociological perspective and its application to social research and social policy. (3-0) Y

SOC 2300 Introduction to Gender Studies (3 semester credit hours) An introduction to the way gender shapes individuals, social institutions and culture. Examines gender, class, sexuality, race/ethnicity, and nationality as interactive systems. Topics include biological arguments about gender and sexuality; the cultural construction of gender; the psychology of sex roles; the ways gender shapes families, workplaces and other social institutions. (Same as GST 2300) (3-0) Y

SOC 2303 Culture, Media and Society (3 semester credit hours) Examines how various forms of modern media represent the values and lifestyles of American popular culture, and how we experience the media in our everyday lives. The course will address social issues and cultural changes related to the use of mass media, as well as social media. (3-0) Y

SOC 2305 Individual and Society (3 semester credit hours) The study of the relationship among the individual, social structure, and culture. Explores self-concept and personality, the process of socialization, role-taking and social interaction, norms, values, group membership, and group processes. (3-0) R

SOC 2320 Contemporary Social Issues (3 semester credit hours) An overview of how sociological concepts and approaches can be applied to the study of the causes and consequences of various social issues in contemporary society. Topics may include poverty, crime, violence, social isolation, urban decay, changes in the family, consumerism, and health disparities. (3-0) R

SOC 3303 Classical Social Theory (3 semester credit hours) Introduction to the classic theorists in sociology, primarily works by Karl Marx, Max Weber, Emile Durkheim, and Georg Simmel. This course examines how these early theorists defined and described society within their own social contexts, as well as how we derive meaning from their writings to understand and explain issues of twenty-first century societies. Prerequisite: SOC 1301. (3-0) Y

SOC 3305 Applied Data Analysis (3 semester credit hours) This course provides an introduction to data analysis techniques using standard social science statistical software packages. Topics include application, limitations, and interpretations of research results. Prerequisite: EPPS 2301 and (EPPS 2302 or EPPS 2303). (3-0) Y

SOC 3315 Socio-Behavioral Sciences for Medicine (3 semester credit hours) Exploration of selected sociological and psychological constructs and theories scholars have employed to explain individual and group behaviors, with specific emphasis on human motivation and patient compliance. Instructor consent required. (3-0) Y

SOC 3320 Urban Sociology (3 semester credit hours) This course will provide an overview of cities and metropolitan areas, and of sociological concepts related to cities and their social aspects. Topics to be addressed include the historical development of cities; the spatial, demographic, economic, and political characteristics of urban and metropolitan areas; the social and psychological dynamics of urban life; the impact of technology on cities and urban growth; and the evolving nature of community in contemporary society. (3-0) R

SOC 3321 Deviance (3 semester credit hours) Analysis of historical and contemporary perspectives which propose the causes, consequences, and cures for deviance. Description of theories, research, and public policy associated with efforts to control deviant behavior and deviant groups, and to establish normalcy. (3-0) R

SOC 3325 Race and Ethnicity (3 semester credit hours) Examines how race/ethnicity plays a role in social stratification in U.S. society, the economy, government, education, and other social institutions, and how public policies address social inequalities associated with such stratification. (3-0) R

SOC 3331 Education and Society (3 semester credit hours) This course focuses on education as a social institution and an agent of socialization. The formal organization of education, education and the family, education and social stratification, and education as a vehicle for examining and solving social problems are explored. Also considered is the relationship between funding sources and educational objectives and outcomes. (3-0) R

SOC 3333 Religion in Society (3 semester credit hours) The course examines how religions in U.S. society help shape the views and behaviors of members of the public as they participate in U.S. social institutions, including the economy/workforce, education, government/law, and healthcare. Specifically, this course uses sociology to examine how religious views and values help shape Americans' attitudes toward and participation in these and other social institutions. The course also uses sociology to examine how diversity of religions presents social challenges in U.S. society and what Americans' responses to diversity of religions tell us about U.S. society. (3-0) R

SOC 3336 Culture Regions (3 semester credit hours) Survey of a major region of the world as defined by a set of common cultural traditions and institutions such as Latin America, the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, or South Asia. Each time the course is offered, it will review the key cultural, social, economic, and political features of the region being addressed. The specific region to be studied will be announced in advance, and the course may be repeated for credit when a different culture region is treated. (3-0) Y

SOC 3342 The Life Cycle (3 semester credit hours) An examination of the institutions that shape the course of people's lives from birth to death. Topics include primary socialization, family, schools, peer groups, occupations, retirement, and death. (3-0) R

SOC 3343 Sociology of the Family (3 semester credit hours) Trends in family life are examined with special attention to how these relate to changes in men's and women's roles. Topics include sex-role socialization, division of household labor, sexuality, emotional aspects of marriage, marital power and decision making, and divorce. (3-0) R

SOC 3344 Film and Society (3 semester credit hours) Utilizes full-length commercial films and documentaries to illuminate and demonstrate sociological concepts, phenomena and important contemporary social issues. The course also assesses the impact of films on American culture and society. (3-0) R

SOC 3346 Sociology of Sport (3 semester credit hours) Analyzes sport and its place in the culture of contemporary societies. Focuses on how sport and sport experiences are related to social development, social relations and major spheres of social life such as the economy, education and religion. (3-0) R

SOC 3352 Sex, Gender and Society (3 semester credit hours) This course explores how sexuality is perceived, defined, and experienced in the context of society. How sexuality influences our lives, is reflected in social norms, attitudes and beliefs, through public and private policies and practices, and the social institutions is also investigated. This class also focuses on how prevalent gender differences really are in our society and examines the social construction of gender. (3-0) R

SOC 3363 Immigrants and Immigration in U.S. Society (3 semester credit hours) This course focuses on the "newest" immigrants - those arriving after 1965 - and their U.S.-born children. The course examines these immigrants' impact on U.S. society and their placement in U.S. social institutions (the workforce, or the economy; education; healthcare; the legal or political system; religious organizations; etc.), and how U.S. social institutions affect immigrants' assimilation and integration into U.S. society, and that of their children. (3-0) R

SOC 3379 Diversity in the Public Sector (3 semester credit hours) This course will focus on diversity beyond just race/ethnicity and gender, and examine dimensions of sexual orientation, religion, skill level, physical ability, communication styles, and multi-generations in the workplace. Understanding diversity and learning how to manage its complexity is the key focus of this class. Students will examine the importance of multiple cultures in public organizations in work teams and discuss the challenges that come with multiculturalism. Social interactions that contribute to the understanding of difference groups in diverse settings are examined. (Same as PA 3379) (3-0) R

SOC 3381 Field Research Methods (3 semester credit hours) This course introduces students to field research, the principal methodology of qualitative research. Students learn how to make observations and conduct interviews, and how to record and analyze data collected through these field methods. While students do not conduct actual research, they will complete a series of practice exercises to develop an individual research proposal. The proposal will be the basis of the research project students will undertake in the follow-up field research course, SOC 4317 or PA 4317 Field Research Practicum. (Same as PA 3381) (3-0) Y

SOC 3382 Sustainable Communities (3 semester credit hours) This course will survey the following topics in public policy and environmental justice: climate change, loss of habitat and biodiversity, water security, and the effects of new technologies. We will examine policy issues in light of the challenges faced by societies to balance the needs of all stakeholders in terms of economic, social, and environmental impacts; e.g., the triple bottom line. Emphasis is placed upon gaining an understanding of the elements of environmental justice and their impacts on different sectors of society through multiple ethical paradigms. (Same as PA 3382) (3-0) R

SOC 4302 Class, Status, and Power (3 semester credit hours) Explores the nature of systems of differentiation and ranking in societies and their consequences; examination of how prestige, occupational skills, education, and economic assets are used to create class distinctions in the United States; considers the impact of social class on life chances; concepts and processes of social mobility; and the influence of power inconsistencies on income, wealth, and status. Prerequisite: SOC 1301 or SOC 3303. (3-0) Y

SOC 4306 Advanced Sociological Research (3 semester credit hours) Advanced topics in research methods and data analysis are examined with an emphasis on project based learning. Smaller exercises will culminate into a complete research paper that incorporates theory, review of literature, data analysis and research findings. Projects will focus on a range of topics including, but not limited to, education, race and ethnic relations, culture, the family, health care, and workplace diversity. Prerequisites: SOC 3303 and SOC 3305. (3-0) Y

SOC 4317 Field Research Practicum (3 semester credit hours) Students will be guided by the instructor in conducting individual research projects in the field. Students will base their field research on the research proposal they developed in PA 3381 or SOC 3381 Field Research Methods. Prerequisite: PA 3381 or SOC 3381 and instructor consent required. (Same as PA 4317) (3-0) Y

SOC 4357 Drugs, Alcohol and Society (3 semester credit hours) This course examines the societal influences that lead to illicit drug and alcohol use and misuse, as well as the social consequences of those actions. The focus is on the social construction of addiction rather than on individual pathological behaviors. The relationship between individual and group behavior, and social structure is also explored. (3-0) R

SOC 4369 Public Health and Society (3 semester credit hours) An overview of public and population health, with an emphasis on the relationship between social forces and health. Topics to be covered include the history of public health institutions and occupations; the determinants and social components of infectious and noninfectious diseases, including major public health epidemics and the response to them; public health rates, risk factors, indicators, and vital statistics; public health law, policy, and ethics; and the effects of social forces on health, including social inequality, culture and lifestyle, and environmental and occupational influences on health. Particular emphasis will be devoted to health disparities in the U. S. and globally. (3-0) R

SOC 4371 Mental Health and Illness (3 semester credit hours) Explores the diverse, disturbing, disruptive, and disabling phenomena of mental disorders. Topics to be covered include the classification of mental disorders, the etiology and epidemiology of mental illnesses, and the history of societal responses to mentally ill, including public policies. (3-0) R

SOC 4372 Health and Illness (3 semester credit hours) An examination of the social conditions and correlates of diseases, the social behavior of the sick, health institutions and professions, and the formulation and implementation of health policies and programs. (3-0) R

SOC 4375 Gender and Work (3 semester credit hours) A sociological analysis of historical trends and current patterns of gender inequality in paid and domestic work; examination of theories and research related to the role of gender in shaping labor market opportunities, experiences, and rewards; identification of various forms of workplace discrimination and potential remedies. (3-0) R

SOC 4378 Jobs and Work in Society (3 semester credit hours) This course explores the structure of work and workplaces, with an emphasis on the division of labor, technology and work, labor force trends, job satisfaction, worker productivity and performance, occupational safety, and career patterns. (3-0) R

SOC 4380 Women, Work and Family (3 semester credit hours) An examination of the relationship between women's work for pay in the marketplace and their unpaid work in homes across time and in different cultures. Topics include historical separation of work from home under capitalism; division of household labor between men and women; public policy initiatives (socialized/commercial housework and daycare, family leave, telecommuting, part-time and flex-time work) designed to make juggling work and family easier; the ways class, race, and ethnicity constrain and enable women's choices. (Same as GST 4380) (3-0) R

SOC 4384 Social Epidemiology (3 semester credit hours) A non-technical overview of epidemiology (disease investigation) and its role in public health theory and practice, with emphasis on the social dimensions of health, illness, and injury. (3-0) Y

SOC 4385 Health and Illness in Global and Cross-national Perspective (3 semester credit hours) A review of frameworks for understanding global health issues and the improvement of health at a population level. Topics include measurement of (and strategies for reducing) the burden of morbidity and mortality; the relationships among culture, political economy, and health; comparative health care systems and health policies; the relationship between economic development and health; and the role of global governmental and nongovernmental institutions in promoting health. Course concepts will be examined in the context of case studies of global epidemics and the response to them. (3-0) R

SOC 4386 Social Policy in Modern Societies (3 semester credit hours) Examines the controversies and research concerning the development of welfare states and public social provision. Particular emphasis is placed on the U.S. public social spending system, in historical and comparative perspective. Explanations of developments in social policies and an assessment of their applicability to the American welfare state and those of other societies are considered. (Same as PA 4386) (3-0) R

SOC 4387 Religion in International Development (3 semester credit hours) This course begins with an introduction to the role of religion in international development , and continues by exploring the role religion plays in the economic and political development of nation states and how Protestantism, Catholicism, and Islam encourage development in Latin America, the Middle East, and South Asia. Specifically, we will study how these religions - including their core beliefs, reinterpretation of scripture, and women's leadership of religious institutions - contribute to the advancement of women's social, economic, and political status, opportunities, and legal rights. Alongside religion, the course examines economic, educational, and political institutions and social movements (work, or employment, higher education, democracy, and the human rights movement) that also contribute to women's advancement (3-0) R

SOC 4388 Religions in Global Societies (3 semester credit hours) This course examines how religions in global societies, in which social and cultural pluralism are prominent in social institutions, reflect and help shape globalization processes of interconnectivity, multiculturalism, and integration of new social groups that are related to the economy (workforce), government (law/legislation), education, and healthcare. (3-0) R

SOC 4390 Health Behavior (3 semester credit hours) An overview of human behavior and how it affects health on the macro level. This course will introduce human behavior theories and their application in health promotion program planning. (3-0) R

SOC 4391 Community Health Practice (3 semester credit hours) A tactile learning experience, this course will introduce current public health best practice methods and strategies and allow students the opportunity to apply these skills in real world settings. (3-0) R

SOC 4396 Selected Topics in Sociology (3 semester credit hours) May be repeated for credit as topics vary (9 semester credit hours maximum). (3-0) R

SOC 4V97 Independent Study in Sociology (1-6 semester credit hours) Independent study under a faculty member's direction. May be repeated for credit (6 semester credit hours maximum). Instructor consent required. ([1-6]-0) S

SOC 4V98 Internship (1-6 semester credit hours) Credit/No Credit only. May be repeated for credit (6 semester credit hours maximum). Instructor consent required. ([1-6]-0) S

SOC 4V99 Senior Honors in Sociology (1-6 semester credit hours) For students conducting independent research for honors theses or projects. May be repeated for credit (6 semester credit hours maximum). Instructor consent required. ([1-6]-0) S