Undergraduate
SOCY 1101. Introduction to Sociology. (VC) (3) The sociological perspective and process; fundamental concepts, principles and procedures. (Fall, Spring, Summer) (Evenings)
SOCY 2090. Topics in Sociology. (1-3) Prerequisite: SOCY 1101. Examination of specialized topics. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. (On demand)
SOCY 2112. Popular Culture. (VC) (3) Analysis of popular forms of everyday life in America: fashions, fads, entertainment trends, advertising, television programming, music, myths, stereotypes and icons of mass-mediated culture. (Fall, Spring)
SOCY 2132. Marriage and the Family. (VC) (3) Prerequisite: SOCY 1101. Cross-cultural examination of family; socialization and sex roles; love, dating, and mate selection; communication; sexuality; power and decision making; parenthood; childlessness; conflict and violence; divorce, remarriage and stepfamilies; alternate lifestyles; and future family. (Fall, Spring, Summer) (Evenings)
SOCY 2163. Sociology of Gender. (3) Prerequisite: SOCY 1101 or consent of the instructor. Changing patterns of gender inequality; socialization and social structure as basis of gendered behavior, ideologies, and relationships. Alternative gender models and social movements as vehicles to diminishing gender inequality. (Yearly)
SOCY 2171. Social Problems. (3) Contemporary social problems and consequences for American society. (Fall, Spring, Summer) (Evenings)
SOCY 3110. American Minority Groups. (3) Prerequisite: SOCY 1101. Relations between dominant and minority groups; the establishment, maintenance and decline of dominance involving racial, ethnic and religious minorities. (Fall, Spring)
SOCY 3132. Sociology of Sport. (3) Prerequisite: SOCY 1101 or consent of instructor. Dynamics and emergence of sport; reciprocal influence between sport and society; values, norms, and roles in sports. (Yearly)
SOCY 3143. Social Movements. (3) Prerequisite: SOCY 1101. Analysis of collective behavior, ideology, development and organizations of movements seeking or resisting change. (Yearly)
SOCY 3153. Evolution of Sociological Theory. (3) Prerequisite: SOCY 1101. Origins and evolution of fundamental sociological concepts and theories. (Fall, Spring)
SOCY 3161. Socialization and Society. (3) Prerequisite: SOCY 1101. Analysis and process of socialization, social interaction, sociocultural dimension of personality. (Yearly)
SOCY 3173. Criminology. (3) Prerequisite: SOCY 1101. Nature and historical development of crime and political-economic organization of crime, criminal law, theories of crime causation. (Yearly)
SOCY 3175. Crowds, Riots, and Disasters. (3) Prerequisite: SOCY 1101. Collective behavior in everyday life; crowds, rumors, fads, fashion; and collective behavior that disrupts social order; riots and responses to disaster; response of individuals, organizations and communities to natural disasters, e.g., floods, hurricanes, tornados, and earthquakes. (Yearly)
SOCY 3261. Human Sexuality. (3) Prerequisite: SOCY 1101 or consent of instructor. Human sexuality research; teenage pregnancy; birth control; sex education; sexual fantasy; pornography; homosexuality and bisexuality; sexual communication; heterosexual alternatives. (Fall, Spring, Summer)
SOCY 3656. Seminar in Sociological Research. (W) (3) (3G) Prerequisite: completion of all other required core courses. Development, analysis, and presentation of independent research project. Review of other research projects. (Spring)
SOCY 3895. Directed Individual Study. (1-4) Prerequisite: consent of the instructor. Supervised investigation of a special problem. May be repeated for credit. (Fall, Spring, Summer)
Undergraduate/Available for Graduate Credit
Additional work required for graduate credit.
SOCY 4090. Topics in Sociology. (1-3) (1-3G) Prerequisite: SOCY 1101. Examination of specialized sociological topics. May be repeated for credit. (A listing and brief description of specific courses offered each term is available from the departmental office.) Examples: corporate crime, divorce, mental health, Japan, Eastern Europe; sociology of religion. (On demand)
SOCY 4110. Sociology of Aging. (3) (3G) Prerequisite: SOCY 1101 or consent of the instructor. Study of the changing characteristics, aspirations and needs of older adults and their impact upon such institutions as the family, work, the economy, politics, education, and health care; emphasis on sociological theories of aging, contemporary research, and the analysis of specific aging policies and programs. (Same as GRNT 4110) (Fall)
SOCY 4111. Social Inequality. (3) (3G) Prerequisite: SOCY 1101. Distribution of power, privilege and prestige; correlates and consequences of inequality; national and international comparisons. (Yearly)
SOCY 4112. Sociology of Work. (3) (3G) Prerequisite: SOCY 1101 or consent of instructor. The emergence of industrialization; its technology and impact on work, community and family; problems and contemporary trends in selected industrial societies. Additional work will be required of all graduate students. (On demand)
SOCY 4115. Sociology of Corporations. (3) (3G) Prerequisite: SOCY 1101. Structure and dynamics of complex organizations; bureaucracy; mechanisms of change. (Yearly)
SOCY 4124. Sociology of the Community. (3) (3G) Prerequisite: SOCY 1101. Concepts and methods of community analysis of planned and unplanned community change. (On demand)
SOCY 4125. Urban Sociology. (3) (3G) Prerequisite: SOCY 1101 or consent of the instructor. Cross Cultural analysis of urban development, social structure, ecology, demographic composition, and social problems. (Yearly)
SOCY 4130. Sociology of Health and Illness. (3) (3G) Prerequisite: SOCY 1101 or consent of instructor. Impact of social factors on health and illness; health care occupations; organization and financing of health care; international comparisons; prospects for the future. Graduate students required to do additional readings and/or research. (Yearly)
SOCY 4131. Family Policy. (3) (3G) Critical analysis of four aspects of family policy: the historical and cultural factors that have resulted in specific policies affecting the family; the specification of contemporary family policy at both the national and state level; the intended and actual application of existing family policy; and the implications and impact of policies as they are interpreted and implemented. Graduate students required to complete a more extensive final paper. (On demand)
SOCY 4134. Families and Aging. (3) (3G) Theories explaining the formation and functioning of American families with emphasis on the impact of the aging of society. Examination of the current demographic trends and expectations of multigenerational families as well as the future demands and modifications. Graduate students required to complete a more extensive final paper. (On demand)
SOCY 4135. Sociology of Education. (3) (3G) Prerequisite: SOCY 1101 or consent of the instructor. Educational institution; the school class as a social system; the school as a social environment and a complex organization. (Yearly)
SOCY 4150. Older Individual and Society. (3) (3G) Review of the theories explaining the formation and functioning of American families with emphasis on the impact of the aging of society. Examination of the current demographic trends and expectations of multigenerational families as well as the future demands and modifications. Graduate students required to complete a more extensive final paper. (Yearly)
SOCY 4154. Contemporary Social Theory. (3) (3G) Prerequisite: SOCY 3153 or consent of instructor. Elements and process of theory construction; contemporary social theories such as theories of social order and causation, power, class structure and inequality; group process theories; post-modern theories. (On demand)
SOCY 4155. Sociological Research Methods. (4) (4G) Prerequisite: SOCY 3153 or consent of instructor. Formulation of research problems; research designs; social measurement; sampling; collection, analysis and interpretation of data. Three hours of lecture/discussion and completion of weekly laboratory units. (Fall, Spring)
SOCY 4156. Quantitative Analysis. (4) (4G) Prerequisites: SOCY 4155 or consent of department. Concepts and procedures of sociological analysis; data processing; measurement theory; quantitative models of analysis. Three hours of lecture/discussion and completion of weekly laboratory units. (Fall, Spring)
SOCY 4172. Sociology of Deviant Behavior. (3) (3G) Prerequisite: SOCY 1101. An examination of the social processes producing unusual, bizarre and condemned behavior. (Fall, Spring) (Evenings)
SOCY 4263. Sociology of Small Groups. (3) (3G) Prerequisite: SOCY 1101 or consent of instructor. Systematic analysis and application of theoretical and empirical research pertaining to small groups. (On demand)
SOCY 4480. Internship in Society. (3-6) (3-6G) Prerequisite: consent of the department. Research and/or in-service training for selected students in cooperating community organizationns. Specified content based upon a contract between student, department, and community organization. May be repeated for credit up to six semester hours. Offered only on a Pass/No Credit basis. (Fall, Spring, Summer)
SOCY 4632. Changing American Family. (3) (3G) Prerequisites: SOCY 1101 and 2132, or consent of instructor. Family theories; family system in relation to other social systems; integration of marital, parental and occupational roles in context of changing socioeconomic influences; traditional versus contemporary family roles; breakdown in stable family functioning. (Fall) (Evenings)
Graduate and Advanced Undergraduate
SOCY 5151. Pro-seminar: Social Problems and Social Policy. (3) (3G). Prerequisite: graduate student in sociology or senior sociology major. Introduction to applied sociology, proposal writing and grantsmanship, professional ethics and professional socialization. Overview of major research areas in applied sociology. (Fall)
SOCY 5631. Seminar in Family Violence. (3) (3G) Prerequisite: senior, graduate student or consent of the instructor. Family violence in the context of a changing society and family system. Principal foci: child abuse, sexual abuse, spouse abuse; other forms of family violence. Investigation of these topics in terms of sociocultural influences and the internal dynamics of families. (Spring) (Evenings)
Graduate Only
SOCY 6090. Topics in Sociology. (3G) Prerequisite: consent of department. Intensive treatment of a topic or survey of related topics, depending on student needs and interests. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. (On demand)
SOCY 6130. Sociology of Aging: Theories and Research. (3G) Application of stratification theories and demography are applied to the older population. Issues of race, gender, socio-economic status, age, and geographic distribution are examined to investigate the diversity of the older age group and their access to resources. (Yearly)
SOCY 6135. Social Context of Schooling. (3G) The political economy of schooling; race, class, and gender effects on educational processes and outcomes; the school as a complex organization; the sociology of school reform movements. (Fall)
SOCY 6136. Qualitative Research Methods. (3G) Collection and analysis of qualitative date including use of grounded theory and a variety of qualitative techniques, consideration of ethical issues and the use of data. (Alternative years)
SOCY 6614. Self and Society. (3G) Examination of theoretical constructs and substantive concerns relevant to the socialization process; comparison of symbolic interactionism, ethnomethodology, phenomenology; emphasis on social construction of reality in various "social worlds" (deviant, work, family). (Alternate years)
SOCY 6615. Dilemmas in Organizations. (3G) Examines organizational theory and research focused on organizational behavior, inter-organizational relations, relations with external stakeholders and organizational culture. Case study analysis, group-problem solving and the study of concrete organizational dilemmas. (Fall)
SOCY 6616. Stratification and Inequality. (3G) Examination of theories of stratification and the causes, processes and social consequences of economic and political inequality; assumptions behind, mechanisms for, and consequences of government and private sector strategies to address problems associated with inequality. (Alternate years)
SOCY 6617. Data Utilization. (3G) Methodological and statistical strategies for applied sociological research within organizational settings; selecting the best strategies consistent with budgetary, manpower and organizational constraints; interpreting and communicating research results in ways understandable to and useful for organizational decision-makers. (Alternate years)
SOCY 6651. Social Theory. (3G) Analysis of contemporary social theories, with emphasis on their implications for planned change. (Yearly)
SOCY 6652. Issues in Social Research. (3G) Examination of epistemology of social research; assumptions and methods of specific research strategies; ethical and policy issues of applied and academic research. (Alternate years)
SOCY 6653. Advanced Quantitative Analysis. (3G) Prerequisites: six hours in Introductory Statistics and/or Research Methods. Contemporary techniques of data analysis, management and processing applied to specific topics; measurement models, data reduction strategies and multivariate procedures. (Alternate years)
SOCY 6895. Tutorial in Sociology. (1-4G) Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Directed reading and/or research; development of expertise in substantive area. May be repeated for credit. (Fall, Spring, Summer)
SOCY 6897. Research Practicum. (I-6G). Prerequisite: SOCY 6651 and 6652. Preparation of research paper based upon research completed within a community organization or agency. The student will develop a consultant-client relationship with the agency or organization and conduct a research/evaluation project on behalf of the agency or organization (such as a needs assessment, program evaluation, social impact assessment or policy analysis. (Fall, Spring)
SOCY 6996. Thesis. (1-6G) Prerequisites: completion of all other coursework and admission to candidacy by Graduate Committee. Applied, academic, or theoretical research project, defended before graduate faculty. May be repeated for credit up to six hours. (Fall, Spring, Summer)
SOCY 7999 Graduate Residence. (0G) Continuation of individual thesis project. (Fall, Spring)