School of Arts and Science

Department of Sociology

Course Descriptions

Course Descriptions

SOC 101. Introduction to Sociology
An introduction to the principles and methods of sociology. Topics include society and culture,
socialization, family, social stratification, race and ethnicity, deviance and social control. Not open to
students who have taken SOC 1010. 3 credits.

SOC 102. Social Problems
An examination of the social problems that confront present day American society, including the problems of urbanization, family instability, crime and delinquency, pollution of the environment, poverty and welfare, race and ethnic conflict, and the rapidity of social and industrial change. Not open to students who have taken SOC 1020. 3 credits.

SOC 301. Major Social Thinkers
A study of classic and modern social theories. Classical theorists such as Marx, Durkheim, Simmel and Weber will be studied along with the modern theoretical approaches of functionalism, symbolic interactionism, conflict theory and ethnomethodology. These theories will be tested against modern principles of the logic of theory construction.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits.

SOC 302. Socialization
A study of the relationship between the individual and society as a lifelong process. The roles of group behavior and social organization in shaping personality; social factors and their impact on the development of the self; how individuals are socialized into playing various roles in society. 3 credits.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits.

SOC 306. Sociology of Deviant Behavior
An introduction to the principles and field work methods in cultural anthropology. A look at various
traditional societies and American subcultures focusing on social organization, family and kinship,
political and economic institutions, and myth and religion. Not open to students who have taken SOC
2414.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits.

SOC 314. Cultural Anthropology
An introduction to the principles and field work methods in cultural anthropology. A look at various traditional societies and American subcultures focusing on social organization, family and kinship, political and economic institutions, and myth and religion. Not open to students who have taken SOC 2414. 3 credits.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits.

SOC 321. Urban Society
Social factors contributing to the development of urban areas; major urban trends including suburbanization, and regional migration; urban problems; theories and methods of studying urban areas.

Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits.

SOC 322. Race and Ethnic Relations
Ethnic groups in American society, problems of prejudice and discrimination, myths and scientific research concerning group differences, contempor-ary issues and dilemmas of intergroup relations. Not open to students who have taken SOC 3310.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits.

SOC 323. Social Class in America
A study of inequality in class, status and power, its consequences and the forces which tend to increase and decrease it; status seeking, social mobility and American socioeconomic class variations; influence of increasing demands of Third World countries for a larger share in the world's resources and power. Not open to students who have taken SOC 3111.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits.

SOC 324. Sex Roles in Modern Societies
Study of sex roles in the contemporary United States; Emphasis will be placed on changing patterns of socialization, cross-cultural comparisons and historical development, class, race and subcultural variations, the effects of urbanism and industrialization, the feminist movement and change toward redefinition of sex roles. Same course as WST 324. Not open to students who have taken SOC 3050.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits.

SOC 325. Sociology of the Family
An examination of contemporary family systems. Topics include mate selection, child-rearing techniques, marriage and parenting, contemporary trends including divorce and the one-parent family, the dual-career family, and nonmarital cohabitation. Not open to students who have taken SOC 3312.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits.

SOC 326. Race and Gender in Mass Communication
This course will critically examine the role of the media in constructions of race and gender in society. It will
analyze the race and gender issues related to media representations, media ownership and the media
workforce. Same course as MCO 326.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits.

SOC 327. Science, Technology and Social Change
A survey of the processes of social and cultural change. This course will study the origins of cultural and social evolution focusing on the role of technological and scientific invention, and diffusion of new ideas and values, with particular emphasis on social movements and environmental impact. 3 credits.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits.

SOC 340. Adapting to a Different Culture
This course is designed to teach individuals the importance of cultural differences so that they can adapt to living, working and studying abroad or to living and working in a multicultural environment in the United States.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits.

SOC 350. Statistics for Social Research
An introduction to descriptive and inferential statistics and its application to sociological research, focusing on measures of central tendency, variance, association, characteristics of normal curves, hypothesis testing, and principles of survey sampling.
Prerequisites: SOC101, SOC102, (or approval of Department) 317.


SOC 360. Peace and Justice in the Contemporary World
An interdisciplinary approach to the issues of both peace and justice in the contemporary world. This team-taught interdisciplinary course will involve lectures, readings and discussion from the disciplines of economics, political science and sociology. Topics to be explored include causes of poverty, economics of discrimination; causes of political tension, conflict and war; political approaches to conflict resolution and problem solving; theories of social conflict, prejudice and discrimination; and the nature and variety of power. Same course as ECO 360, POL 360.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits.

SOC 370. Sociology of Religion
Religion is a social phenomenon and is in an interactive relationship with the other social units that constitute a society. The socilogy of religion concerns itself with this phenomena and its relationship to the rest of society.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits.

SOC 371. Sociology of Sport
An analysis of the role of sport in society and how sports are a reflection of society. Areas examined
include socialization, deviance, racism, sexism, economics, mass media and the future of American sport.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits.

SOC 407. Criminology
A study of different types of criminal behavior - violent, property, organized, business and political crime. The relationship between theory and research in studying crime and their implications for prevention and rehabilitation.

Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits.

SOC 408. Juvenile Delinquency
A study of what constitutes delinquency, a survey of some of its causes, the effect of societal reaction, the problems of measurement and prevention. An emphasis will be placed on contemporary issues and current research in such areas as gang behavior and methods of rehabilitation. Not open to students who have taken SOC 3315.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits.

SOC 409. Females in Crime and Delinquency
This course examines the myths and realities concerning females in crime and delinquency. It includes analysis of causes of deviance, types of involvement and treatment of females in the justice system (law, courts, prison and parole) with an emphasis on current research findings. Same course as WST 409.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits.

SOC 410. Penology and the Sociology of Corrections
An examination of the mechanisms by which societies deal with those whose behavior is criminal; a study of the development of corrections and how it is used in contemporary societies, focusing on various models of corrections and implications for the offender, the institution, and the social planner. Not open to students who have taken SOC 3314.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits.

SOC 411. Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Deviance
An examination of deviance and social control; the ways in which they are defined according to the value systems of specific cultural and social groups in traditional society and in modern Western society.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits.

SOC 413. Mass Media and Society
A study of the social consequences of living in the Mass Media Age of TV, radio, press, and cinema; focus on media's impact on the family, religion, education and on political-economic institutions; problems of criminal violence, censorship, mass exploitation and manipulation.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits.

SOC 417. Research Methods in Sociology
Study of the logic and methods of sociological research; practice in formulating problems; deriving hypotheses and creating research designs; an overview of data collection and treatment techniques, field observation and participation methods; principles of sampling, questionnaire construction, survey methods, documentary analysis and credibility of records.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits

SOC 420. Population and Society
Techniques used in studying population processes. Topics include changing birth, death and marriage rates; sex ratios; world population patterns; food, energy ad environmental problems. Not open to students who have taken SOC 3200.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits.

SOC 423. The African American Experience
An examination of the dimensions of the social experiences of African Americans. The course will span from slavery to the present with significant focus on the late 20th century. Analyses of interpersonal and institutional relationships from interdisciplinary perspectives. Themes of racial socialization and identity, the nature of prejudice, diversity within the African American community on the basis of gender, class and other factors, and demographic trends/patterns will be explored.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits.

SOC 430. Societies and Cultures of the Third World
An examination of culture and social organization in societies of the Third World, such as those in the Caribbean, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. The impact of colonialism, cultural and technological change, and religious and political movements on the traditional cultures in these areas.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department. 3 credits.

SOC 449. Sociology Practicum
Opportunity for supervised field experience in the area of the student's particular interest in such fields as criminology, ethnic studies, sociology of the family, urban society, etc. Open to juniors and seniors only.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department.
3 credits.

SOC 450. Senior Seminar
A coordinating seminar for advanced students who wish to participate in research projects in sociology or the social sciences. Socially relevant projects will be selected from the personal interests of students registered. Each student will submit a research paper summarizing his findings and analyzing them from a social science perspective. Open to seniors only. Capstone Course.
Prerequisite: Senior Standing and approval of Department Chair; courses in statistics and research methods are strongly recommended as advance preparation
. Also required: SOC101 or SOC102. 3 credits.

SOC 490-499. Special Topics in Sociology
This course is designed to offer an opportunity to explore selected topics in sociology which are either not covered in the sociology curriculum or which will be covered in greater depth. Some of the topics which may be covered in the course are: "Religion and Society," or "The Sociology of Political Economy." This course may be repeated under a different topic for additional credit.
Prerequisite: SOC101 or SOC102 or approval of Department.
3 credits.

SOC 1010. Introduction to Sociology
An introduction to the principles and methods of sociology. Topics include society and culture,
socialization, family, social stratification, race and ethnicity, deviance and social control. Not open to
students who have taken SOC 101, SOC 2401, or SOC 3500. 3 credits.

SOC 1020. Social Issues
Examines social issues and public policy in American society. Topics include urbanization, sexual and racial inequalities, family problems, crime and delinquency, drugs and alcohol, health care, aging and pollution. Not open to
students who have taken SOC 102. 3 credits.

SOC 2300. Introduction to African-American Studies
An interdisciplinary course offering new approaches to the history, culture and social experience of African Americans. While focused primarily on the black experience in the United States. AFRO Caribbean issues will also be addressed. An overview of the participation, treatment and status of blacks in the institutions of the family, education, politics and the economy will be provided. Same course as CDS 2300. 3 credits.

SOC 2400. Faces of Culture
This course, which includes 26 half-hour television programs, presents the basic concepts of culture, including subsistence patterns, organizing devices, patterns for transmission of culture, economics, political organization, social control, and culture change. Methods of anthropological research and major theoretical orientations are also described, and examples of cultural variations are shown, including traditional and modern societies. Attention is given to examining one’s own culture from an anthropological perspective. Not open to those who have taken SOC 2414. Same course as CDS 2400. 4 credits.

SOC 2401. Sociological Imagination
This video course is an introduction to sociology. The course has 30 half-hour video programs. They are organized to deal with the principles and methods of sociology. This course covers the following content areas: society and culture, socialization, groups, institutions, and social change. Not open to those who have taken SOC 101, SOC 1010, or SOC 3500. Same course as CDS 2401. 4 credits.

SOC 2414. Introduction to Anthropology
A study of the scope and principles of anthropology; human origins and primitive cultures; development of social organization, language, cultural institutions and personality. Not open to those who have taken SOC 314 or SOC 2400. 4 credits.

SOC 3030. Sociology of Health and Disease:
A Cross-Cultural Perspective An examination of social and cultural factors involved in the defining of health and disease in the different cultures of the United States and elsewhere. The concept of curing in different societies will be
discussed; special attention will also be directed to cultural responses and resistances to health care and curing systems. Not open to those who have taken SOC 303. 4 credits.

SOC 3050. Female and Male in Contemporary Society
An analysis of the sex and gender roles of male and female in contemporary society; the focus will be on the changes in these roles and on the relationship of these roles to the patterns of culture and socialization within society. These issues will be examined in the context of modern American society and several other cultures. Same as WST 3050. Not open to those who have taken SOC 324. 4 credits.

SOC 3100. Deviant Behavior in Society
A study of how society comes to define certain behavior as deviant; special social problems of the mentally ill, the criminal, the drug addict and the alcoholic will be stressed; the relationship of deviant subcultures to social disorganization, social conflict, and social change. Not open to those who have taken SOC 406. 4 credits.

SOC 3111. Social Stratification: Class and Caste in America
An analysis of social ranking; the study of class and caste, the influence of differential and socioeconomic and ethnic status on behavior, the aspiration levels and social patterns of mobility. Not open to those who have taken SOC 323. 4 credits.

SOC 3200. Population and Society
Techniques used in studying population processes. Topics include changing birth, death and marriage rates; sex ratios; world population patterns; food, energy and environmental problems. Not open to those who have taken SOC 320. 4 credits.

SOC 3310. Sociology of Race and Ethnic Relations
A study of the contrast between the myths and the scientific findings on race and ethnic differences. Concentration on ethnic relations in American urbanindustrial society including relation of race and ethnos to culture and social structure; patterns of ethnic group and majority/minority group relations; problems of dominance, assimilation, accommodation, prejudice and discrimination. Not open to those who have taken SOC 322. 4 credits.

SOC 3312. Sociology of the Family
A study of the family as a social institution in Western industrial society; racial, ethnic and class differences in family patterns; contemporary problems of theurban family. Not open to those who have taken SOC325 or IDS 2400 or CDS 2400. 4 credits.

SOC 3314. Sociology of Penal Institutions
An analysis of the evolution of penology and its application in contemporary societies, focusing on the master correctional plans of the United States, Europe and the Far East, and evaluating those plans in light of rising crime rates in those areas. Not open to those who have taken SOC 410. 4 credits.

SOC 3315. The Socialization of the Juvenile Delinquent
This course traces the historical development of the theories of juvenile delinquency; biological, psychological and social. Modern trends in prevention and treatment of juvenile delinquency will be examined. Not open to those who have taken SOC 408. 4 credits.

SOC 3316. Sociology of Community
An analysis of urban, suburban and rural communities will be made; urban problems such as crime, ethnic conflict, poverty and pollution will be analyzed; ethnic, social class, occupational anddeviant sub-communities will be examined. Not open to those who have taken SOC 321. 4 credits.

SOC 3500. Perspectives in Sociology
The goals of this guided independent study course are: (1) to expose the student to a range of basic concepts, terms and scholarly discussion about some aspects of social behavior: socialization, social interaction and attitudes and beliefs; (2) to assist students in developing an appreciation for the nature of social science, its theory and application to the social aspects of the world; and (3) to permit a structured opportunity for students to develop skills in analysis from a social-scientific perspective, as well as personal study skills, particularly in critical reading, thinking and writing.
Major theorists to be studied include Marx, Weber, Durkheim and Freud. Prerequisite: SOC 101, SOC 1010 or SOC 2401. 6 credits.

SOC 3700. Sociology of Religion
This course will investigate the social and cultural sources, processes and contexts of religion (ideas, practices, organizations) and the influences of religion on individuals and other spheres of social life (government, economy, ideology, class structure, etc.). Particular attention will be given to religious encounter with the modern world (pluralism, secularization, technology) and the role of religion in social change and social integration. 4 credits.

SOC 4070. Criminology
A study of different types of criminal behavior — violent, property, organized, business and political crime. The relationship between theory and research in studying crime and their implications for prevention and rehabilitation. Not open to those who have taken SOC 407. 4 credits.

SOC 4103. Intercultural Group Communication
This course focuses on the special problems in human communication that characterize the interaction of minority groups and of peoples from varied ethnic backgrounds. The assmuptions, language patterns, non-verbal behaviors and media techniques are some of the factors studied in the lifestyles of religious minorities, non-whites, the economically deprived, senior citizens, children, and those born outside North America. Not open to those who have taken SCS 346. Same course as SCS 4103. 4 credits.

SOC 4700. Sociology of Sport
An analysis of the role of sport in society and how sports are a reflection of society. Areas examined include socialization, deviance, racism, sexism, economics, mass media and the future of American sport. 4 credits.

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