Sociology (SOC)

College of Arts and Sciences

 

(GE) = Approved General Education Course

230 Introductory Sociology, 3 credit hours (GE)
Culture patterns of modern society, including social behavior in terms of culture, group relationships, social organizations, and social stratification.

240 Social Problems, 3 credit hours
Contemporary social problems, including mental illness, mental retardation, drug abuse, crime, ethnic conflict, terrorism, and child abuse.

250 Marriage and the Family, 3 credit hours (GE)
Patterns of contemporary courtship, marriage, and family living. Students who have received credit for FCS 402 may not receive credit for SOC 250.

260 Family and Child Issues and Services, 3 credit hours (GE)
Issues affecting children and families in American society. Emphasis on child abuse and neglect, developmentally disabled children, homeless children and families, chronically ill and disabled children, and services available to children and families. Policy issues related to the provision of adequate services and sources also will be considered. (Cross-listed with FCS 260 and SWK 260.)

303 Selected Topics in Sociology, 3 credit hours
Topics vary. Course may be repeated for credit as often as topic changes. (Cross-listed with GEOG 303, HIST 303, and POS 303.)

310 Sociology of Popular Music, 3 credit hours
The relationship of music and cultural values, beliefs, and practices is complex and subject to much debate. Music both reflects and shapes cultures. In this course we will examine popular music as an important social, economic, political, and historical force in American life.

311 Substance Abuse, 3 credit hours
Evolution of alcohol and drug abuse/dependence in the U.S. and selected other countries and models used to treat substance abuse. Content includes the effects of drugs, including alcohol, on the body, as well as how the disease of dependence affects every area of life and the lives of family members. (Cross-listed with PSYC 311 and SWK 311.)

320 Social Interaction, 3 credit hours
Structure of human societies, with emphasis on the micro-structures, interactional patterns, and the relationship of impression management and social contexts. Prerequisite: SOC 230.

321 Social Psychology, 3 credit hours
Reciprocal influences of individuals in social interaction settings, social perception, social cognition, attitudes, social exchange, social influence, and control. Prerequisite: PSYC 201. (Cross-listed with PSYC 321.) Students who have received credit for PSYC 321 may not receive credit for SOC 321.

322 Minorities, 3 credit hours
Principal American social and ethnic groups, with emphasis on immigration and migration of minority groups and the effects of prejudice and discrimination.

324 Social Stratification, 3 credit hours
Theories and systems of caste and class, with specific consideration given to status, occupation, income, education, and other elements in contemporary American stratification. Prerequisite: SOC 230.

341 Juvenile Delinquency, 3 credit hours
Systematic approaches to dealing with the major problems of juvenile delinquency in the United States. Emphasis on development, rehabilitation, and prevention of delinquent behavior. Prerequisites: SOC 230 and junior or senior standing.

342 Criminology, 3 credit hours
This course is a study of the nature of criminal acts, theories of causation, and modern trends of punishment and/or rehabilitation. Prerequisite: SOC 230 and junior or senior standing.

352 Medical Sociology, 3 credit hours
Nature and organization of medical practice and health-care delivery systems. Includes history of medical care, evolution of medicine, structure of health-care system, and the relationship between health care and other major institutions. Attention also given to the role of the practitioner and the patient in the health-care process. Prerequisite: SOC 230.

355 Research in Social Welfare, 3 credit hours
Principles, methods, and utilization of quantitative and qualitative research relating to social work practice. Emphasis is placed on the role of research in evaluating the effectiveness of one’s own practice and of service-delivery systems. (Cross-listed with HIST 355 and SWK 355.)

360 Social Change, 3 credit hours
Theories and processes of social change in advanced societies, with emphasis on demographic development, social movements, and collective behavior. Prerequisite: SOC 230.

370 Research Methods in Social Sciences, 3 credit hours
Introduction to empirical research, concentrating on research design, methods of data collection, and statistical analysis of data. Students will be introduced to the Statistical Package of the Social Sciences (SPSS) and acquire practical experience in computer-assisted research. (Cross-listed with HIST 370 and POS 370.)

373 Social Policy, 3 credit hours
An introduction to the study of social policy with emphases on: 1) how social policy influences the lives of citizens and clients; 2) how social policy influences the practice of social work; and 3) the resulting responsibilities of social work to try to influence social policy. This course is for Sociology majors and minors only. Social Work majors should take the cross-listed course. Prerequisite: SOC 230. (Cross-listed with SWK 373.)

380 Mental Health Issues and Services, 3 credit hours
Development of mental health services in the United States, including changing conceptions of mental illness/mental health and associated programs and practices. Emphasis on the development of philosophy, policies, and implementation of community mental health and on issues including deinstitutionalization and homelessness. Prerequisite: SOC 230. (Cross-listed with SWK 380.)

393 Probation and Parole, 3 credit hours
Analytical and theoretical examination of probation and parole systems in the United States, with emphasis on the technical aspects of the field of corrections. Prerequisite: SOC 230.

401 Social Gerontology, 3 credit hours
Comprehensive examination of aging in contemporary society, with emphases on the theories and social consequences of aging for individuals, groups, and society. Prerequisite: SOC 230. (Cross-listed with SWK 401.)

402 Sociology of Education, 3 credit hours
Comprehensive study of education as an institution of enculturation, with emphasis on the relationship of education and other social institutions, schools as experienced by students, and contemporary crisis in education. Prerequisite: SOC 230.

405 Urban Geography, 3 credit hours
Locational aspect of urbanization; functions of and relations among cities and between urban, suburban, and exurban areas of metropolitan areas. Internal structure of urban areas. (Cross-listed with GEOG 405.)

411 Selected Topics in Sociology, 3 credit hours
Topics vary. Course may be repeated for credit as topic changes. Prerequisite: SOC 230.

445 Sex Roles, Gender, and Culture, 3 credit hours
Study of sex roles within broader cultural patterns in various societies. Topics include: acquisition of gender, interactional styles, and political/economic consequences of gender differences. Prerequisite: SOC 230. (Cross-listed with PSYC 445.)

480 Development of Sociological Theory, 3 credit hours
Origins and development of prominent sociological theories and the contributions of outstanding theorists. Prerequisite: SOC 230.

485 Senior Seminar in Social Science, 3 credit hours
This course includes a synthesizing of previous work in history, political science, and sociology, and will demonstrate how that work has contributed to an overall understanding of the social sciences and the relationship among these disciplines. It will involve the presentation and defense of a senior research paper, and will include a general knowledge test on the social sciences. Required of all senior Social Science majors. (Cross-listed under History, Political Science, and Sociology.) Education students in secondary social science must take this course with a HIST prefix. Prerequisites: Senior standing and 36 hours in the social sciences, or consent of instructor. Spring semester.

490 Independent Study in Sociology, 3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.