21:920:201
Introduction to Sociology (3)
How does society influence us? What about our families, the schools we attend, the economy at large, and the government? How too do religious traditions, the neighborhoods we live in, and our self-identities shape our thoughts and behavior? What does it mean to have a "culture," to witness the impact of social institutions on our lives, to consider oneself as part of a social group, and to identify with organizations? Introduction to Sociology explores these and other issues relating to society and the self.
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21:920:209
Crime and Justice in American Society (3)
Analysis of major criminal justice institutions in American society; the function of courts, police, and judicial systems in helping or impairing the fair administration of criminal law.
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21:920:301-302
Social Research I,II (4,4)
The art and the science of doing research. Teaches students how to develop a researchable question (hypothesis construction and causal modeling); how to collect data (observation, surveys, experiments, and secondary analysis) and analyze data (statistics); and how to write a scientific report. Independent research project required. Combines lecture and lab.
Prerequisites: 21:920:201, 202, or equivalent.
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21:920:304
Social Problems (3)
This course examines leading social problems facing Americans today. It examines the causes and processes underlying these problems and addresses how to evaluate proposed solutions.
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21:920:306
Marriage and the Family (3)
The family is a social institution. This course focuses primarily on the modern American family and the current search for alternatives to the traditional monogamous family.
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21:920:307
Social Protest and Revolution (3)
When people's needs and aspirations are no longer satisfied through existing institutions and modes of representation, social protest results. This course uses specific examples of protest movements in order to examine who protests, why, and under what circumstances. The course also examines popular and elite reactions to protest movements, including the reshaping of political institutions and the emergence of vigilante forces.
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21:920:308
Social Movements (3)
Theoretical approaches to the study of social movements. Comparative examination of historical and contemporary social movements in democratic and nondemocratic contexts; their emergence, strategies, dynamics, and outcomes.
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21:920:310
Occupations and Professions (3)
Variations in cultural definitions of work, attitudes toward careers, and the social environment of work; the development of professions; occupational and professional recruitment.
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21:920:311
Sociology of the Economy and Industry (3)
The ups and downs of the business cycle, as in the Great Recession of 2007-2008, directly affects how well or poorly people live, their plans and aspirations for the future, the types of work they perform, and the compensation they receive. New technologies--such as the automobile, the computer, and fast food--impact people's lives in similar ways. Economic changes are also social changes. This course focuses on the continuous transformation of society that is a feature of the modern world. Each generation faces a situation uniquely its own.
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21:920:313
Criminology (3)
Crime and criminals in modern society, including causes of crime; machinery of justice; penal and correctional institutions; probation and parole; theories of crime and punishment.
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21:920:316
Race and Ethnicity in Multicultural Societies (3)
Comparative view of ethnic relations; origins in migration and mixture of populations; social-psychological consequences of stratification along racial and ethnic lines; prejudice; special emphasis on black Americans.
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21:920:321
Urban Sociology (3)
The city as a mosaic of communities; persistence and change in the structure of urban neighborhoods; city life and the urban personality; the sociology of community planning; the future of neighborhood, suburb, and city.
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21:920:332
Class, Status, and Power (3)
Theories of inequality, social ranking, and the distribution of resources and opportunity as they affect individuals and groups in terms of crime, health, family life, and value systems.
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21:920:337
Sociology of Sex and Gender (3)
Relative statuses and roles of men and women in American society, including socialization; historical overview of sex statuses; differentials between males and females in educational and occupational sectors; personal relationships; sexuality.
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21:920:345
Sociology of Education (3)
The interaction between schools and society; basic social concepts such as stratification, social role, and bureaucratic organization as they relate to the educational system; the system in relation to the larger institutions in the society, with emphasis on both stated objectives and actual social functions.
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21:920:349
Law and Society (3)
Law as a social institution; social processes in the creation and enforcement of law; the professions of law; law as product and producer of social change; ancient and modern legal institutions; modern societies and their legal systems.
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21:920:354
Applying Sociology (3)
Sociological practicum; the sociological meaning of the practical experiences in work, internships, volunteer programs, and other real-world organizational settings.
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21:920:380
Civil Conflict and Violence (3)
Analyzes conflict as a normal process in social life; the emergence and dynamics of conflict; the effects of conflict on individual values and social structures; the processes of conflict resolution; individual, group, and intersocial conflicts.
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21:920:390
Sociology of Peace and Conflict (3)
This course provides an introduction to peace and conflict from sociological as well as interdisciplinary perspectives. We will examine issues of peace and conflict, from interpersonal to international. We will think critically about violence, its causes and consequences, and alternatives, both at home and abroad. Violence is conceptualized as direct violence, such as domestic violence, gang violence, police brutality, human rights abuses, genocide, and war; structural violence, such as the violence of social inequalities that prevent people from meeting their basic needs; and cultural violence, which justifies direct and structural violence. By the end of the course, students should understand: 1) the inherency of cooperation and conflict in society; 2) forms and manifestations of violence; 3) psychological, political, and structural bases of conflict; 4) methods of conflict resolution; and 5) nonviolent strategies for conflict transformation.
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920:393,394
Topical Issues in Sociology (3,3)
Topics vary each semester. Consult department for current information.
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21:920:395
Field Research Methods (3)
Nonquantitative observational, participant-observational, and face-to-face interviewing research techniques; how to collect (tape recording, videotaping) and analyze (transcribing, qualitative software) data; and how to write an academic report. Independent research project required.
Prerequisites: 21:920:201, 202, or equivalent.
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21:920:409
Classical Sociological Theory (3)
Foundations of social theory; Tocqueville, Durkheim, Marx, Weber, and others--contributors to major orientations to historical development of modern society in the Western world.
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21:920:415
Contemporary Sociological Theory (3)
Current modes of theoretical analysis, and contemporary perspectives on the nature and historical development of modern forms of social organization and social relationships.
Prerequisite: 21:920:409 or permission of instructor.
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21:920:454
Topics in Criminal Justice (3)
In-depth exploration of selected issues in criminal justice of general relevance and specific interest to course participants.
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21:920:491,492
Research in Sociology (3,3)
Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing, and permission of instructor.
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21:920:499
Independent Study in Sociology (BA)
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor and department chair.
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