Undergraduate Course Descriptions
Blue: Core classes
Maroon: Non-Law, Crime, and Deviance
Green: Law, Crime, and Deviance
Pink: Honors
Soc 1001: Introduction to Sociology. (4 cr; = Soc 1011V, credit will not be granted if credit has been received for Soc 1001V, meets CLE req of Cultural Diversity Theme and Social Science core). Scientific study of human societies/behavior. Major theories, methods, concepts, research findings. Characteristics of basic social units, their patterns of interrelation, processes of change.
Soc 1011V: Honors: Introduction to Sociology. (4 cr; = Soc 1001, credit will not be granted if credit has been received for Soc 1001; prereq. honors; meets CLE req of Cultural Diversity Theme, Social Science Core and is Writing Intensive; meets HON req of Honors). Scientific study of human societies/behavior. Major theories, methods, concepts, research findings. Characteristics of basic social units, their patterns of interrelation, processes of change.
Soc 3003: Social Problems. (3 cr; A-F only. prereq. 1001 or instr consent). Analysis of major social problems including inequality, crime, drug abuse, pollution, racism, among others. Examination of proposed solutions and evaluation of policy consequences.
Soc 3090: Topics in Sociology. (3 cr.). Topics specified in Class Schedule.
Soc 3101: Introduction to the American Criminal Justice System. (3 cr; A-F only; credit will not be granted if credit has been received for Soc 3111; Soc majors may not be able to receive credit for both Soc 3101 and Soc 3102 to fulfill major requirements, please see the Sociology Advisor before completing both courses; meets CLE req of Citizenship/Publ Ethics Theme). Components, dynamics, and philosophical underpinnings of criminal justice and agencies (law enforcement, courts, corrections).
Soc 3102: Introduction to Criminal Behavior and Social Control. (3 cr.; A-F only; credit will not be granted if credit has been received for Soc 3111; Soc majors may not be able to receive credit for both Soc 3101 and Soc 3102 to fulfill major requirements, please see the Sociology Advisor before completing both courses). Issues in science of crime as a social phenomenon. Creation/use of laws, patterns/causes of crime.
Soc 3201: Inequality: Introduction to Stratification. (3 cr; AF only; prereq. 1001 or equivalent). Causes, dimensions, and consequences of inequality in American society; class, gender, race. Power and status differentials. Cross-national patters of inequality. Social mobility. Education and occupational influences. Status attainment. Social stratification and change. Social welfare. Public policies affecting inequality.
Soc 3211W: American Race Relations. (3 cr; A-F only; meets CLE req of Cultural Diversity Theme, Social Science Core and is Writing Intensive). Surveys conceptual and theoretical tools sociologists use to study race relations in the United State. Empirical focus on the historical experiences among different racial/ethnic groups in the United States, including American Indians, African-Americans, Latinos, Asian-Americans, and white ethnics.
Soc 3221: Sociology of Gender. (3 cr; same as: WOST 3201; A-F only; prereq. 1001 or instr consent). Organization, culture, and dynamics of gender relations as major features of social life. Gender and racial inequalities in the workplace, relationships between gender and race, gender and culture, sexuality, gendered politics, and the women's movement.
Soc 3251W: Sociological Perspectives on Race, Class, and Gender. (3 cr; A-F only; meets CLE req of Cultural Diversity Theme, Social Science Core and is Writing Intensive). Race, class, and gender as aspects of social identity and as features of social organization. Experiences of women of color in the United States; exploration of family life, work, violence, sexuality and reproduction, and the possibilities for social change.
Soc 3301W: Politics and Society. (3 cr; A-F only; prereq. 1001 or instr consent; meets CLE req of Citizenship/Publ Ethics Theme, Social Science Core and is Writing Intensive). The ideas of citizenship and the relationship between politics and society; public sphere and civil society. Research practicum volunteering at a policy-relevant site using participant observation methods.
Soc 3322W: Social Movements, Protests and Change. (3 cr; A-F only; prereq. 1001 or instr consent; meets CLE req of Citizenship/Publ Ethics Theme and is Writing Intensive). Origins, dynamics, and consequences of social movements. Challenges facing movement organizations. Relationship between movements and political institutions. Role of movements in bringing about social change. Organized around theoretical issues, draws on wide variety of case studies.
Soc 3411W: Organizations and Society. (3 cr; A-F only; prereq. 1001 or instr consent; meets CLE req of International Perspectives Theme and is Writing Intensive). Formal organizations as major social influences in our work lives, personality development, social change, and conflict. Life-course analysis of enterprises, bureaucracies, and voluntary organizations. Organizational control, conflict, coordination, and interrorganizational sets and relationships.
Soc 3415: Consume This! The Sociology and Politics of Consumption . (3 cr; A-F only; prereq. 1001 or instr consent). Behaviors related to symbolic value of material goods: how symbols are created, acquired, diffused, and used for organizing personal identity and for maintaining group boundaries. Fashion. Socialization. Structure of retail trade. Role of mass media, advertising, marketing/production strategies. Implications of worldwide markets for manufacturing goods and selling them in retail stores. Readings, classroom discussions, lectures.
Soc 3421W: Sociology of Work. (3 cr; prereq. 1001 or instr consent; meets CLE req of Writing Intensive; A-F only). Overview of sociological theories and empirical research in study of work. Focuses on work in contemporary American society. History, nature, and organization of work and the U.S. economy. Social aspects/consequences of work for individuals of various races, ethnicities, genders, and ages. Current topics.
Soc 3451W: Cities and Social Change. (3 cr; prereq. 1001 or instr consent; meets CLE req of Social Science Core and is Writing Intensive). Social, economic, and political organization of the urban community focusing on racial inequality/segregation, urban enclaves, social reproduction, and civic participation of elites and residents. Cross-national comparisons, including United States, Europe, and East Asia.
Soc 3452: Education and Society. (3 cr; A-F only; meets CLE req of Social Science Core). Introduction to sociological theories/research about education in modern societies. Effects of education on beliefs/ values. Effects of school characteristics on student achievement and education attainment. Education and inequality. Cross-national differences in education systems. Link between education and national economic performance. Organizational characteristics of schooling. Prospects for school reform.
Soc 3501: Sociology of Families. (3 cr; prereq. 1001 or instr consent; meets CLE req of Cultural Diversity Theme and Social Science Core). Families in contemporary American society; historical and cross-cultural comparisons; interrelationships of families with other social institutions; race, class, and gender in shaping family experiences. Topics may include marriage, divorce, childbearing, parenthood, family violence, gay and lesbian families.
Soc 3511: World Population Problems.(3 cr; prereq. 1001 or instr consent, meets CLE req of International Perspectives Theme). Population growth and natural resources, fertility and mortality in less developed nations, population dynamics and forecasts, policies to reduce fertility.
Soc 3613W: Food, Culture and Society.(3 cr; prereq. 1001 or instr consent; meets CLE req of Writing Intensive). Food issues from a sociological perspective. Cross-cultural differences in how groups/societies think about and relate to food.
Soc 3661: Japan and the U.S.: Tides of Change in Race, Class, and Gender. (3 cr; A-F only; same as EAS 3661; prereq. 1001 or courses on or exper in East Asia or instr consent; meets CLE req of Social Science Core and International Perspectives Theme). Forms of social relations and values, religion, childhood, family, community, education, work, business organization, politics, social classes, crime and deviance, police, popular culture, status of women and minorities, social protest movements, and international relations.
Soc 3701: Social Theory. (4 cr; A-F only; prereq. 1001 or instr consent). Traditions of social theory that have been basic to sociological knowledge, how they have expanded in contemporary theory, and their applications in selected areas of empirical research.
Soc 3711: Principles of Social Organization. (3 cr; A-F only; prereq. 1001 or instr consent). How and why social organization is possible. Concepts and theories of social structure, primary forms of social organization (groups, communities, networks, formal organizations), basic social processes (integration, differentiation, regulation, change), and how social organization evolves from individual decision making.
Soc 3721: Principles of Social Psychology. (3 cr; prereq. 1001 or instr consent). Impact of social location on individual attitudes and behaviors, dynamics of interpersonal relationships and small groups, and processes of social interaction.
Soc 3801W: Research Methods. (4 cr; prereq. 1001 and soc major or instr consent; meets CLE req of Writing Intensive). [In Fall 2008, 3801 will no longer be writing intensive] Principles/practice of research design, sampling, data collection including field observation/surveys. Data management, analysis, and reporting of quantitative/nonquantitative data. Ethics/administration in sociological research. Lab.
Soc 3811: Basic Social Statistics. (4 cr; prereq. GC 0731 or intermediate algebra; Soc 3801 recommended, eff. Sp 2006 - meets CLE req of Mathematical Thinking Core). Descriptive statistics. Measures of central tendency, deviation, association. Inferential statistics focusing on probability and hypothesis testing. T-tests, Chi-square tests, variance analysis, bivariate regression. Statistical software used to analyze sociological data.
Soc 4090: Topics in Sociology. (3 cr; prereq. instr consent). Topics specified in Class Schedule.
Soc 4094W: Directed Research: Senior Project. (1-4 cr; prereq. instr consent and department permission; meets CLE req of Writing Intensive). Guided research experience at the junior/senior level. Four credits at senior level is equivalent to major project.
Soc 4101W: Sociology of Law. (3 cr; A-F only; prereq. 1001, 3101, 3102 or 3111 or instr consent; 3701 recommended; meets CLE req of Writing Intensive). Sociological analysis of law/society. Why people obey the law, social forces involved in creating law (both civil and criminal), procedures of enforcement, impact of law on social change.
Soc 4102: Criminology. (3 cr; A-F only; prereq. 3101, 3102 or 3111 or instr consent). Nature/types of crime. Problems in measuring incidence/trends. Review of sociological theories of crime causation. Implications for crime prevention/control.
Soc 4103: Service Learning in Criminology. (4 cr; =4102; prereq. 3102 or instr consent; soc majors must register A-F ). Community-based work in areas of child/adolescent development. Interventions for "at-risk" children and for juvenile offenders with contemporary theory. Research on criminal careers and on offending over the life-course. Direct engagement with criminology and with public responses to crime.
Soc 4105: Sociology of Punishment and Corrections. (3 cr; A-F only; prereq. 3101, 3102 or 3111 or instr consent). Advanced study of correctional strategies such as prison, probation, and parole. Theories/structures of diversion, probation, parole, and other community corrections programs. U.S. penal policies/practices compared with those in other countries.
Soc 4108: Current Issues in Crime Control. (3 cr; prereq. 3101, 3102, 3111, or instr consent). Selected current criminal justice policies examined from perspective of courts, legislature, community, and interest groups. Impact of criminal justice policy changes on society and social control agencies.
Soc 4109: Domestic Criminal Violence. (3 cr; prereq. 3101, 3102, 3111, or instr consent). Survey of research on family violence within criminological framework. Definition of domestic violence. Empirical/theoretical approaches. Response of social control agencies.
Soc 4111: Deviant Behavior. (3 cr; A-F only; prereq. 3101, 3102, 3111, or instr consent). Definition/nature of deviant behavior. Social processes associated with deviant careers and social reintegration. Relationship of deviant behavior to social control.
Soc 4114: The Social Control of Women Offenders. (3 cr; prereq. 3101, 3102, 3111, or instr consent). Historical/current explanations for female criminality. Current trends in women's participation in crime and their treatment in the legal system.
Soc 4125: Policing in American Society. (3 cr; A-F only; prereq. 3101, 3102, 3111, or instr consent; 4161, 4162 recommended). Police organizations/operations from social science perspective. Formal/informal policing; role/functions, legal bases, accountability/restraints, community relations, use of force, illegal practices.
Soc 4135: Sociology of White-Collar Crime. (3 cr; prereq. 3101, 3102, 3111, or instr consent). Causes/consequences of white-collar crime. Control issues including public perception, legislation, criminal law responses (enforcement, sentencing, punishment), and alternative control mechanisms.
Soc 4141: Juvenile Delinquency. (3 cr; A-F only; prereq. 3101, 3102, 3111, or instr consent). Childhood and delinquency. Measuring extent/distribution of delinquent behavior. Applying theories to relationships within family, school, and peer group. Institutional responses to delinquency. Evaluating programs for treatment, prevention, and control.
Soc 4142: Juvenile Justice and Law. (3 cr; prereq. 3101, 3102, or 3111; senior, grad student or instr consent. Grad students may register S-N). Evolution of juvenile court. Organizational relationships among court, police, and other agencies. Policies regarding serious/status offenders. Intake, diversion, pretrial detention, waiver to adult court, sentencing. Conflicts over due process and treatment objectives. Current movements to abolish juvenile justice system.
Soc 4148: Mental Disorder and the Legal System (formerly titled Criminal Psychopathology). (3 cr; prereq. senior or grad only; Grad students may register S-N). Psychiatric and psychological aspects of antisocial and criminal behavior as related to issues faced in the courts and criminal justice system.
Soc 4149: Killing. (3 cr; prereq. senior or grad only; Grad students may register S-N). Sociological, legal, and psychological aspects of diverse types of killing. The topic of "normal" killings is contrasted with various pathological types. Subtopics include: mentally disturbed killings, sexual killings, killings within families, gang killings, and terrorist killings.
Soc 4161: Criminal Law in American Society. (3 cr; prereq. 3101, 3102, 3111, or instr consent). Purposes of criminal law and of principles of criminal liability, justification, and excuse. Applications to law of criminal homicide, sexual assault, drugs, and crimes against proper, public order, and morals.
Soc 4162: Criminal Procedure in American Society. (3 cr; prereq. 3101, 3102, 3111, or instr consent). How a constitutional democracy balances need to enforce criminal law and rights of individuals to be free of unnecessary government intrusion.
Soc 4170: Sociology of International Law. (3 cr; A-F only; prereq. 1001, 3101, 3102, 3111, or instr consent; meets CLE req of International Perspectives Theme). In a globalized world, which cultural values/practices take precedence? Which are criticized, altered, eliminated? What role does international law play in these processes? Immigration, terrorism, Americanization, structure of international legal system.
Soc 4175: Law, Politics, and Inequality. (3 cr; A-F only; prereq. 1001, 3101, 3102, 3111, or instr consent). Critically evaluates law as a resource that defines, reinforces, and alters social relationships. Connection between law and justice. Law seen from perspective of class, race, or gender.
Soc 4190: Topics in Sociology with Law/Criminology/Deviance Emphasis . (3 cr; prereq. instr consent). nonLCD topics specified in Class Schedule.
Soc 4246: Sociology of Health and Illness. (3 cr; prereq. one sociology course or instr consent; A-F only; meets CLE req of Cultural Diversity Theme). Health/illness in context of social, political, economic, and cultural forces and of medical knowledge. Social meanings of illness. How people seek help for and manage their illnesses. How doctors, nurses, and patients interact. Social movements surrounding health.
Soc 4305: Society and the Environment: A Growing Conflict. (3 cr; A-F only; prereq. 1001 or environmental course or instr consent; meets CLE req of Citizenship/Publ Ethics Theme and Environment Theme). Societal causes and cures of ecological problems such as global warming, species extinction, and resource exhaustion.
Soc 4309: Religion and Public Life in the United States. (3 cr; prereq. one sociology course or instr consent; A-F only; meets CLE req of Citizenship/Publ Ethics Theme). How diversity/vitality of American religion shape public life. How religious groups engage in political action, foster understandings of democracy and styles of civic participation, influence volunteering/service activities, and form individuals’ views on issues such as race, poverty, the family, and sexuality.
Soc 4311: Race, Class and the Politics of Nature. (3 cr; A-F only; prereq. 1001 or instr consent; meets CLE req of Environment Theme and International Perspectives Theme). Global debates over how nature is produced, consumed, degraded, sustained, and defended. Analytics of race/class. Politics of North-South relations.
Soc 4321: Sociology of Globalization: Culture, Norms, and Organization. (3 cr; A-F only; prereq. 1001 or instr consent; meets CLE req of International Perspectives Theme). Globalization of organizations, political relations, and culture. Growth of international nongovernmental organizations and their impact on state policies and civil society. Expansion of international norms governing nation-state behavior. Globalization of popular culture (e.g., movies, computer games). Effects of societies/individuals.
Soc 4441: Work-Family Links. (3 cr; prereq. 1001 or instr consent). Effects of spouses' work experiences on the family, organization of household work, adolescent employment, occupational attainment and changes in work organizations related to the increasing prevalence of female employment and dual-earner families.
Soc 4451: Sociology of Sport . (3 cr; prereq. 1001 or instr consent). This course is intended to stimulate critical, sociological thinking about sport—how it is socially organized, what role (or roles) it plays in society, and what sporting practices tell us about contemporary social life more generally.
Soc 4461: Sociology of Ethnic and Racial Conflict. (3 cr; A-F only; prereq. 1001 or instr consent; meets CLE req of Cultural Diversity Theme and International Perspectives Theme). Effects of ethnic migration and of social movements. Construction of ethnic/national identities. Questions of citizenship. Rise of transnational movements, how they help shape racial/ethnic conflicts.
Soc 4521: Love, Sex and Marriage. (3 cr; 1001 or instr consent; soc majors must register A-F). Sociological approaches to intimate human relationships. Love, romance, dating, and mate selection. Sexuality, cohabitation, marriage, and related public policy debates. Current U.S. practices in historical/cross-cultural context.
Soc 4551: Sociology of Sexualities. (3 cr; 1001 or instr consent; soc majors must register A-F; meets CLE req of Cultural Diversity Theme and Social Science Core). Social scientific approaches to sexual attitudes, behaviors and identities. Taken-for-granted beliefs about naturalness of various sexual phenomena. How social forces shape people's sexual lives. Focuses on diversity of thought, behavior, and lived experience of individuals with regard to sexuality.
Soc 4601: Comparative Social Structure. (3 cr; A-F only; prereq. 1001 or instr consent). Comparative analysis of selected societies. Application of comparative methods to explain differences, similarities in social structure, development, trends. Topics include social class, status, political economy, policies, social movements, ethnic identities, multicultures, demography. Methods include network models, Boolean analysis.
Soc 4681: Sociology of German Society. (3 cr; A- F only; prereq. 1001 or instr consent- note: this course has not been offered in several years). The making of German society; institutions in cross-national comparison (including family, education, welfare state, social movements, law); and current issues of German society.
Soc 4703: Contemporary American Society. (3 cr; A-F only; prereq. 1001 or instr consent; meets CLE req of Citizenship/Publ Ethics Theme). Key changes in cultural life in the United States and internationally, and theories that have been developed to understand them. Topics may include work, family, social movements, media and popular culture, and politics.
Soc 4966W: Major Project Seminar. (4 cr; A-F only; prereq. 3701, 3801, 3811, 12 additional upper div sociology cr, and department permission; meets CLE req of Writing Intensive). Defining research problem. Collecting/selecting data. Analyzing data. Writing report.
Soc 4967W: Advanced Project Seminar Independent Study. (1 cr; A-F only; prereq. 3701, 3801, 3811, 12 additional upper div sociology cr, and department permission; meets CLE req of Writing Intensive). Guided individual research for the sociology major's senior project requirement, conducted in conjunction with enrollment in an upper division sociology course.
Soc 4977V: Senior Honors Proseminar I. (3 cr; A-F only; prereq. Sr Soc Honors major, 3701, 3801, 3811, at least 9 additional upper div sociology cr, and department permission; meets CLE req of Writing Intensive; meets HON req of Honors). Read and discuss sociological research literature; explore research funding opportunities; design individual research projects. Exploring contemporary research for senior thesis. Guidance in defining a problem and reviewing prior theory and research. Presentation and discussion with faculty researchers.
Soc 4978V: Senior Honors Proseminar II. (3 cr; A-F only; prereq. 4977V or instr consent;SR soc honors major, 3701, 3801, 3811, 12 additional upper div sociology cr, and department permission; meets CLE req of Writing Intensive; meets HON req of Honors). Developing the methodology of the senior project, researching it, and writing the thesis. Students work individually or in small groups in consultation with seminar director and other faculty. Group discussion of individual projects.
Soc 5090: Topics in Sociology. (1-3 cr; instr consent). Topics specified in Class Schedule.
Soc 5455: Sociology of Education. (3 cr; same as: EDPA 5041; prereq. 1001 and instr consent for undergrads). Structures and processes within educational institutions. Links between educational organizations and their social contexts, particularly as they relate to educational change.
Soc 5811: Intermediate Social Statistics. (4 cr; prereq. 3811 or equiv; instr consent for undergrads). Measurement, theory of probability, and bivariate statistics. Focus on multiple regression analyses of sociological data. Primarily for first-year sociology graduate students who need preparation for advanced social statistics. Undergraduates preparing for graduate programs may register upon availability.