This course is a basic introduction to the field of sociology, which enables students to see and understand the social world and their place in it in new ways. Students will become familiar with basic sociological concepts and social institutions, explore different explanations for social phenomena, and learn about the methods sociologists use to answer questions about society.
3 Credits

This course focuses on major problems affecting basic institutions and groups in today's society. Students analyze these problems and consider alternative solutions. Topics of discussion may include juvenile delinquency, crime, poverty, mental disorders, drug addiction and alcoholism, family disorganization, overpopulation, and race relations. Hopefully, this analysis will provide you with a new way to look at the social world, and a better understanding of the sociological perspective of social problems.
3 Credits

Course description unavailable, please contact Academic Services.

3 Credits

Course description unavailable, please contact Academic Services.

1 Credits

This course deals with courtship and marriage patterns, the structure and functions of the family in various cultural settings, and the associated problems of marriage relationships. Special emphasis will be given to the nature of marriage and family in contemporary America.
3 Credits

The study of deviant behavior is rooted in attempts to explain criminal behavior, such as robbery, theft, and assault, which are often committed by lower-income persons. Eventually the field broadened to include the study of embezzlement, fraud and other criminal acts that upper class business-people engage in. At the same time, the field moved to study behavior that was not criminal, but simply different from the prevailing norms, which is how sociologists define deviance. This expanded view of deviance requires new ways of thinking about and explaining deviant behavior, and ultimately requires asking questions about why a certain behavior is considered deviant or acceptable, and questions about who gets to make that judgement. In this class, we examine all these fields of inquiry, and the theoretical models that develop from them.
3 Credits

This course provides a comprehensive, definitive, and modern overview of the field of criminology. The course covers the nature of criminal law, major types of crime, and leading criminological theories. Students are also exposed to the workings of the criminal justice system, including police operations, court procedures, and correctional processes. Throughout the course, students use readings, case studies, and class discussions to develop their critical and analytical thinking skills.
3 Credits

This is an upper-division course that investigates critical issues of race and ethnicity within the U.S. context. The main purpose of this course is to broaden our understanding of race and ethnicity from a sociological perspective. More specifically, this course is designed to demonstrate that race is socially constructed and that the social definitions of race have profound implications for the rights and privileges extended to people historically and in contemporary times. The course covers theoretical bases for understanding prejudice, discrimination, racism, white privilege, and ethnic identity as well as research on how race and ethnicity are embedded in our major social institutions, such as in the media, workplace, families, courts, prisons, schools, and neighborhoods.
3 Credits

This course is designed to examine critical issues in women?s lives from a sociological perspective. The course will demonstrate how gender is socially constructed and that the social definitions of gender have profound implications for the rights and privileges extended to women (and men) historically and in contemporary times. Students will learn how gender ?intersects? with race, class, and sexuality and how social processes affect women?s experiences in the economy, media, government, within families, and in relation to bodies, health, and sexuality.
Prerequisite: Principles of Sociology (SOCI1010) or Contemporary American Social Problems (SOCI1020)
3 Credits

This course will provide a detailed introduction to the sociology of sport. Various sociological concepts, theories, and research will be used to raise critical questions concerning the relationship between sports, culture, and society. Specifically, the course will explore a number of topics relating to sports, including the socialization process, sports and children, deviance, violence, gender issues, race, social class, the media, and the economy.
3 Credits

This course will examine women, gender, and equity with a special emphasis on health ? from a comparative, sociological perspective between the United States and Iceland. Iceland provides a model case study because it has been ranked the most gender equitable country in the world for the last nine years by the World Economic Forum. Iceland is also a global leader in reported happiness among residents. Students will explore the current status of women in relation to major social institutions, such as the economy, family, education, and politics, and focus on physical and mental health disparities from a gendered perspective between the two countries. Through an immersion experience, students will compare and contrast cultural norms, structural conditions, and policy contexts that shape gendered lives and health disparities in Iceland and the U.S. Overall, the course will give students the analytical tools to think critically about gender and power.
3 Credits

This course will provide a comprehensive explanation and analysis of sociological theory including both classical and more contemporary theories. Specifically the course will cover, but not limited to, functionalism, conflict theory, symbolic interactionism, phenomenology, critical theory, post modernism, and feminist theory. Special attention will also be paid to the historical circumstances that gave rise to these theories and the theorists who developed them. Finally, the course will emphasize the relevance of both classical and more modern theories in contemporary society and its institutions.
3 Credits

This course is designed to introduce students to a variety of research methods used by social scientists. It will focus on the fundamental principles and processes of both quantitative and qualitative research methods through active learning. That is, students will learn how to develop a research question, select appropriate research methods to answer particular questions, analyze and understand data collected, and communicate the findings to a larger audience. This course will give students the competence and skills necessary to not only understand and critically evaluate arguments and data presented to you at work or in the media every day, but also to engage in social inquiry themselves.
3 Credits

This course examines a critical integrative theme, chosen at the time the course is offered, which is relevant to various social science disciplines. Students address the integrative nature of the social sciences under the direction of a seminar director and conduct a detailed study of the seminar theme in one specific social science discipline, under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Possible seminar themes include: racism and sexism, poverty, crime and violence, urban affairs, defense and arms limitation, labor-management relations, power in society, and corporate ethics.
3 Credits

Under the guidance of a faculty member, the student will complete 120 hours of documented experience of a practicum at a university-approved site. The student?s experience may be a volunteer or paid position that is directly related to the field of history. Participation in professional activities allows students to experience the work environment in their chosen field, make informed career choices, and enhance their employment credentials. These experiences reinforce the connection between the classroom and the diverse workplaces that employ historians through the application of classroom theories to actual occupational problems. This course requires 120 hours on site, as well as the completion of the academic requirements established by the Department of Social Sciences.
3 Credits