50:920:207 Introduction to Sociology (R) (3) Introduction to the study of social groups and societies. Basic sociological methods and theoretical perspectives. Survey of basic subfields of sociology, such as socialization, family, religion, inequality, race and ethnicity, politics, deviance, and social change. The department recommends that students wishing to take advanced courses begin with Introduction to Sociology.

50:920:208 Contemporary Social Problems (R) (3) Survey of contemporary social problems with particular attention to how social issues become defined as "problems" and to how sociological knowledge can inform social policy choices. Topics include poverty, discrimination, family breakup, crime, mental illness, alcoholism, and others. Nonmajors may choose to take this course as a beginning course in sociology.

50:920:217 Drugs and Society (3) Use and abuse of controlled substances in American society; public health and medical considerations; addiction and treatment; illegal markets; and drug control policy.

50:920:280 Social Movements in Society (3) Emergence and growth of social movements in response to social trends, and their consequences in changing society; dynamics of organizational structure within movements as related to their goals, tactics, and ideologies. Topics include political movements, racial and ethnic movements, women's movements, religious movements, and movements within social institutions, such as health care and criminal justice.

50:920:301 Methods and Techniques of Social Research (3) Introduces basic methods and techniques of social research: formulating research design; data-gathering techniques including survey research, data analysis, and presentation of findings.

50:920:306 Sociology of the Family (3) A comparative study of the institutions of marriage and the family in various societies with special emphasis on the contemporary American family.

50:920:313 Theories of Crime and Delinquency (3) Explanation of crime and delinquency in American society. Topics include deterrence theory, biological explanations for crime, sociological theories, and conflict-based theories. Emphasis on social causes of crime. Prerequisites: 50:920:207 or 50:202:201, and 50:920:301.

50:920:315 Sociology of Complex Organizations (3) Structure and functioning of organizations and bureaucracies. Organizational design, planning, and change. Practical techniques for working effectively in organizations.

50:920:316 Race and Ethnicity (D) (3) The social construction of race and ethnicity in the United States and around the globe. The formation of racial and ethnic identities and the varieties of group interaction, including prejudice, discrimination, assimilation, institutional domination, and change. Changing concepts, boundaries, and interrelationships within a global context.

50:920:321 Urban Sociology (3) Urban and suburban life in industrial and postindustrial environments. Social class, ethnic, and racial differences in communities. Examines technological change and strategies for community and regional development. Special attention to the South Jersey area.

50:920:323 Sociology of Childhood and Adolescence (3) A study of social interaction during childhood and adolescence; emphasis on social interaction in various types of families and peer groups.

50:920:325 Sociological Theory (3) An intensive study of the classical sociological thinkers--Marx, Durkheim, Weber--and a survey of contemporary theoretical traditions in the field. Prerequisite: 50:920:207. Pre- or corequisite: 50:920:301.

50:920:326 American Communities--Structure and Change (3) A look at the social structure of rural, suburban, urban, and metropolitan communities and an examination of the elusive concept of community in light of present-day movements in housing�and schools, and other efforts at local self-determination.

50:920:329 Law and Society (3) Current social trends and legal developments. Topics include legal analysis, white-collar crime, and power and conflict.

50:920:332 Social Stratification (3) Analyzes class inequality and the class structure in U.S. society, with particular attention to the processes by which social and economic inequalities are generated, reproduced, and changed. Prerequisite: 50:920:207. Pre- or corequisite: 50:920:301.

50:920:337 Women and Men in Society (D) (3) A comparative and historical examination of gender and inequality. A look at gender roles within the family, the workforce, and the legal system; socialization and gender; and sexuality and gender.

50:920:341 Communication (W) (3) The application of sociological skills to interpersonal, small-group, and mass communication, and internet and presentation skills. Topics include group process, critical thinking, creating web pages, use of presentation software. Prerequisite: 50:920:301.

50:920:342 Introduction to Media Studies (3) An introduction to the technological and cultural developments of mass media. Books, radio, television, film, and the internet will be analyzed critically and historically. Focuses on the relationship between technology and media development, and the impact and influence mass media has on society and the economy.

50:920:344 Sociology of Deviance (3) Explanations for deviance and conformity.�Emphasis on varieties of deviance; social reactions to deviance, including moral panics; and sociological theories. Prerequisite: 50:202:201 or 50:920:207.

50:920:345 Sociology of Education (3) Examines the interaction between schools and society. Explores socialization; the development of mass education; cultural differences and classroom interactions; the relationship between schooling and stratification; school funding and segregation; schools as social organizations in terms of bureaucratic procedures, authority, and identity; and student peer networks. Also analyzes current developments in education such as vouchers, charter schools, and standardized testing.

50:920:346,347,348 Special Topics in Sociology (1-3,1-3,1-3) Courses may be offered under this general title dealing with special topics intended to involve students in topics not currently represented in the curriculum.

50:920:357 Individual and Society (3) The individual's relationship to society and society's impact on the individual. Topics include�Western notions of the self and the relationship to capitalism, class, and the family; conceptions of the person in other parts of the world (such as Bali, Japan, and Samoa); symbolic interaction and how the self is constituted in social interaction; the performance of the self in everyday life; framing of social experience through play and ritual; and being another through spirit possession.� Prerequisite: 50:920:207 or 50:070:213.

50:920:370 Globalization and Social Change (G) (3) Explores the global nature of contemporary social change. Examines the meanings of globalization, its central processes, and its institutional and governance structures. Particular attention is paid to the continuing struggle for development in poor countries; the relationship between globalization and inequality; the fate of cultural diversity in a globalizing world; and issues of the environment, health, and human rights. Prerequisite: 50:920:207 or permission of instructor.

50:920:380 Conflict and Change in Society (3) The ways in which broad processes of social conflict and change are reshaping societies, the world system, and the lives of people everywhere. Topics include the changing international division of labor, revolutions, and the postindustrial transition.

50:920:394 Japanese Society and Management (G) (3) An introduction to Japanese society and its economic achievements. An evaluation of which aspects of its management-labor relations, organizational structures, and macroeconomic policies can be imported or adapted elsewhere.

50:920:396 Southeast Asian Societies (G) (3) Introduction to the societies of Southeast Asia, ranging from Myanmar (Burma) on the west to the Philippines on the east. Examination of the cultural similarities that unite the region and the diversity that divides it. Historical development of Southeast Asian cultures. How Southeast Asians are reshaping their cultural heritage in response to development, westernization, and global capitalism.

50:920:402 Political Sociology (W) (3) The role of social class, gender, age, race, ethnicity, and other social factors in political life. Social organization of political parties and pressure groups. Social origins of political beliefs. Prerequisites: 50:920:301 and 50:920:325.

50:920:405 Applied Sociology (BA) Application of sociological methods and theories in applied settings. Topics include organizational consulting, focus groups, needs analysis, qualitative interviewing, counseling, creative thinking, program planning, marketing, policy analysis, proposal writing, and job search skills. Prerequisite: 50:920:301.

50:920:406 Sociology of Religion (3) Introduction to the study of religious behavior both as it is affected by its social context and as it affects society. Emphasis on a major theme or themes from sociology of religion, using comparative study of religious institutions in various societies with special emphasis on American society.

50:920:418 Medical Sociology (3) Examines the distribution of health and disease and looks at the social organization of the health care system in contemporary society. Takes up the sociology of healing and therapy techniques and the interaction of patients and practitioners.

50:920:425 Cyberspace and Society (3) Exploration of how computers and the internet are changing society, and how individuals, groups, and societies are responding to the challenges and opportunities that cyberspace is creating. Focuses on fostering internet and computer skills important for doing sociological and other forms of work in an increasingly computerized and networked society.

50:920:430 African-American Culture (D) (3) Evaluation of significant areas of African-American culture past and present, e.g., the slave community and its legacy, the psychocultural impact of racism, and varieties of contemporary popular culture.

50:920:431 Sociology of Work and Careers (3) Combines two interrelated aspects of learning about work: (1) the academic field of sociology of work and (2) the applied field of career planning. Introduces students to larger social and economic trends that affect the world of work, including how the labor market--and ultimately career choices--are affected by social, demographic, and macroeconomic forces. Helps students understand how to explore fields through internships; plan for a career; and choose a major that is compatible with their aptitudes, skills, and aspirations. Prerequisite: Junior or senior status, or permission of instructor.

50:920:438 Sociology of Aging (3) Study of the demographic, economic, and social trends associated with population aging.� Examines how these processes are reshaping and challenging contemporary societies, as well as how underlying cultural and ideological values influence how these issues are dealt with. Develops tools to help think through vital controversies surrounding aging, health care, and the role of government. Prerequisite: Junior or senior status, or permission of instructor.

50:920:440 Sexuality and Society (3) The relation between sexuality and society discussed, in particular the social organization and power relations that affect human sexual identity and behavior. Discussions and readings focus on sex and social institutions such as the family and the law, sexual variations, issues in reproductive sexuality, and the political economy of sex.

50:920:442 Mass Media and Popular Culture (3) Stresses the creation, transmission, and content of popular culture, with particular emphasis on the role of the mass media. Assesses methods employed in the analysis of mass culture and in the evaluation of its impact (i.e., debates about television and violence, gender stereotypes in print and film media). Places popular culture and the mass media in the context of the larger structures of inequality and power.

50:920:445,446, 447,448, 463 Special Topics in Sociology (1-3,1-3,1-3,1-3,1-3) Each year several courses may be offered under this general title, dealing with special topics intended to involve students in advanced study and research. The number of credits varies with the duration of the course. Course topics usually change each year. Specific prerequisites may be set for each course.

50:920:455 Sociolinguistics (3) Topics include speech acts, interaction analysis and the social functions of language, the ethnography of communication, language and ethnic groups, language and social class, the social and political�problems of bilingual countries, and language and nationalism.

50:920:487,488 Individual Study in Sociology (1-3,1-3) Admission requires permission of department and agreement by a department member to supervise the work. Approval of written proposal is required prior to registration. No more than 6 credits can be counted toward the sociology major.

50:920:495,496,497 Honors Program in Sociology (3,3,3) Open only to sociology majors who must have a 3.5 grade-point average in sociology courses and a 3.5 cumulative grade-point average in all work.