SOCY 110. Introduction to Sociology.
(3) Three hours lecture. This course introduces basic concepts and methods
of sociology. It presents significant research and theory in areas such as
culture, social structure, socialization, deviance, social stratification
and social institutions.
SOCY 120. Sociological Analysis. (3) Three hours lecture.
Prerequisite: SOCY 110. Intended as a prerequisite for the theory and
methods course for the sociology major. Emphasis is placed on developing
students' ability to understand and research social phenomena using the
three primary theoretical paradigms in sociology, with the goal of
developing and enhancing students' analytical and critical thinking skills.
SOCY 210. Social Problems. (3) Three hours lecture. Prerequisite:
SOCY 110. An analysis of problems such as crime and delinquency,
overpopulation, social inequality and poverty and minority oppression is the
focus of this course.
SOCY 250. Social Inequality. (3) Three hours lecture. Prerequisite:
SOCY 110. This course examines the dimensions, theories and distribution of
inequality in the United States and worldwide. Particular attention is paid
to the effects of inequality on the life chances of rich and poor, men and
women, dominant and subordinate groups alike.
SOCY 265. Society and the Individual. (3) Three hours lecture.
Prerequisite: SOCY 110. Designed to introduce students to sociological
social psychology using a symbolic interactionist viewpoint. Approached
this way, students will explore the symbolic nature of communication, the
emergence of the self and our role in the creation and maintenance of our
social skills.
SOCY 289. Sociology of the Family. (3) Three hours lecture.
Prerequisite: SOCY 110. Examines family as a social institution. Includes
sociological overview of modern family in its diverse forms and its
relationship to economy, government, and stratification systems of gender,
race, and class.
SOCY 320. Sociology of Aging. (3) Three hours lecture. Prerequisites:
SOCY 110 and junior or senior standing, or 6 hours of sociology. This course
provides an introduction to the sociological study of aging with emphasis on
the normal aspects of aging, theories of aging and historical and
demographic trends in aging. The focus is aging within the American social
structure.
SOCY 326. Men and Women in Society. (3) Three hours lecture.
Prerequisite: SOCY 110. Examines differential access to positions of public
power and authory for women and men, structural determinants of major social
institutions in shaping gender roles and effects of gender roles on
institutions. Student can not receive credit for SOCY 226 and SOCY 326.
SOCY 331. Race and Ethnic Relations. (3) Three hours lecture.
Prerequisites: SOCY 110 and SOCY 250, or SOCY 110 and permission of
instructor. The effects of discrimination on groups such as Blacks,
Hispanics, Native Americans, and gays and lesbians are examined as well as
the social policy questions relevant to dominant group and minority
relations.
SOCY 334. Population Trends and Analysis. (3) Three hours lecture.
Prerequisites: SOCY 110 and junior or senior standing, or 6 hours of
sociology. The central emphasis of this course is the causes and
consequences of population trends in the United States and the world. The
use of demographic data and analysis for decision-making in business and
government will also be examined.
SOCY 337. Political Sociology. (3) Three hours lecture.
Prerequisites: SOCY 110 and junior or senior standing, or 6 hours of
sociology. This course provides an overview of American political processes:
individual political participation, political movements, influence groups,
community power studies, and theories of political power at the national
level.
SOCY 339. Urban Sociology. (3) Three hours lecture. Prerequisites:
SOCY 110 and junior or senior standing, or 6 hours of sociology. The first
third of this course examines the development and social organization of
contemporary urban areas, including both central cities and suburbs. The
remainder of the semester will be devoted to the problems and policy choices
facing American urban areas in regard to housing, public services,
education, transportation, finances, and government organization.
SOCY 340. Classical Sociological Theory. (3) Three hours lecture.
Prerequisites: SOCY 110; SOCY 120; SOCY 210 or SOCY 250; minimum sophomore
standing. This course surveys the classical theories which form the basis of
sociology. It provides, also, an overview of the development of sociology as
a science.
SOCY 341. Sociology of Health and Medicine. (3) Three hours lecture.
Prerequisites: SOCY 110 and junior or senior standing, or 6 hours of
sociology. This course covers the health professional-patient relationship,
relationships between health professionals, the nature of care in different
health facilities, social and environmental causes of illness, death and
dying, and the general quality of health car and delivery in American
society.
SOCY 350. Criminology. (3) Three hours lecture. Prerequisites: SOCY
110 and junior or senior standing, or 6 hours of sociology. This course is
an introduction to the study of crime and society's attempts to control
criminal conduct. It analyzes the major types of criminal conduct,
explanations of criminal behavior and the role of the police, courts, and
correctional agencies in controlling crime.
SOCY 361. Work, Organizations, and Society. (3) Three hours lecture.
Prerequisites: SOCY 110 and junior or senior standing, or 6 hours of
sociology. This course examines a wide variety of white- and blue-collar
occupations and the impact of organizational structure on work and workers.
SOCY 370. Environmental Sociology (3) Three hours lecture.
Prerequisites: SOCY 110 and junior or senior standing. This course examines
sociological issues relating to individuals, society and the natural
environment. It focuses on a range of environmental problems utilizing an
historical and comparative approach in assessing societal changes and their
impact on nature as well as attitudinal differences toward the environment
from multi-cultural perspectives.
SOCY 380. Introduction to Social Research Methods. (4) Three hours
lecture, one hour laboratory. Prerequisites: SOCY 120; STAT 200 or equivalent. This course provides an
introduction to basic procedures and techniques used in social research.
Emphasis is placed on measuring instruments, as well as major methods and
designs employed in social research.
SOCY 390. Sociology of Sport. (3) Three hours lecture. Prerequisites:
SOCY 110 and junior or senior standing, or 6 hours of sociology.
Sociological theories are utilized to understand the significance of sport
as a social institution. Issues such as sport and socialization, the social
organization of sport, sport and social stratification, and the relationship
of sport to other institutions are discussed.
SOCY 422. Sociology of Death and Dying. (3) Three hours lecture.
Prerequisite: SOCY 110. A study of the social construction of the meaning of
death and of the dying process. Includes a review of the demographics and
social institutions involved and a critical examination of current social
issues of death and dying.
SOCY 430. Twentieth-Century Social Movements. (3) Three hours
lecture. Prerequisites: SOCY 110 and junior or senior standing, or 6 hours
of sociology. Social movements are examined from a sociological perspective,
with an emphasis on the social structural origins of collective events,
their emergence, decline and effects on social policy.
SOCY 433. Rural Sociology. (3) Three hours lecture. Prerequisites:
Junior or senior standing and 6 hours of sociology. This course is the study
of rural society including its organization, rural people and their
activities. The focus is on historical background, recent developments and
significant current and future trends.
SOCY 441. Global Inequalities. (3) Three hours lecture. Prerequisite:
SOCY 110, SOCY 250 or junior/senior standing with permission of instructor.
Focuses on the social, economic, and political factors that shape unequal
life chances between and within nations. Theories of development, the role
of developed nations, evidence of various types of inequalities, and
possible ways to address the global inequalities -- including specific
projects that have been successful -- will be examined. The role of
international treaties, of various international and multinational
commissions, and of non-governmental agencies will be given particular
attention.
SOCY 443. Deviance. (3) Three hours lecture. Prerequisites: SOCY 110
and junior or senior standing, or 6 hours of sociology. This course explores
major sociological theories of deviance and examines the socio-political
dynamics surrounding definitions of "morality," "normalcy" and goodness in
societies. Particular attention is given to sociological approaches to
"mental illness," drug/alcohol use and sexuality.
SOCY 444. Juvenile Delinquency. (3) Three hours lecture.
Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing and 6 hours of sociology. This
course examines felony and status offenses among juveniles and focuses on
theories dealing with the impact of school, family and various subcultures
on socializing youth. The differential handling of youthful offenders is
also covered. Credit for SOCY 444 will not be granted after a student has
received credit for CRJU 410, Juvenile Justice, or the equivalent course.
SOCY 446. Social Change. (3) Three hours lecture. Prerequisites: SOCY
110 and junior or senior standing, or 6 hours of sociology. Large-scale
historical social change of societies is examined in regard to: the problem
of definition and measurement of social change, major theoretical approaches
to change and selected factors which cause change. Particular emphasis is
placed on contemporary trends in industrial societies and the social
problems associated with third world modernization.
SOCY 450. Contemporary Sociological Theory. (3) Three hours lecture.
Prerequisites: SOCY 110, SOCY 340 and junior or senior standing. Surveys a
variety of contemporary sociological theories and provides an overview of
the critical differences in their assumptions and focus.
SOCY 457. Law and Social Injustice. Three hours lecture. (3)
Prerequisites: SOCY 110 and junior or senior standing, or 6 hours of
sociology. Familiarizes students with the current theories relating to the
creation and enforcement of laws. It analyzes the political, economic, and
social forces that influence the creation and administration of laws.
SOCY 471. Society and Film. (3) Three hours lecture. Prerequisite:
SOCY 110 and consent of instructor. An examination of the social and
cultural importance of film. The central focus will be on analyzing
cinematic treatment of such things as gender, race, class, marriage and the
family, and the impact of social change.
SOCY 480. Survey Research Methods. (3) Three hours lecture.
Prerequisites: SOCY 110; SOCY 340 or equivalent ANTH or SOWK course; SOCY
380; junior or senior standing. This course covers the construction of an
instrument, sampling design and methods of analysis and interpretation of
data. It acquaints students with the use of computers for social science
research. Students gain a hands-on experience with design and completion of
survey research that is valuable for any student entering a career requiring
familiarity with the basis of social survey research.
SOCY 484. Sociology of Education. (3) Three hours lecture.
Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing; 6 hours of sociology, or SOCY 110
and EDUC 309. This course examines the social forces related to schooling
and learning. Emphasis is placed on socialization and cultural transmission,
teacher and student roles, informal networks in the school system and
schools as bureaucratic institutions. The course also examines the
application of sociological principles to the study of schooling and the
examination of alternative educational movements.
SOCY
485. Organizational Research. (3) Covers how social organizations
collect, analyze, and disseminate data to support planning, evaluation, and
management. Students gain hands-on experience with the use of
computers for social science research, analysis of data from at least two
types of organizational databases, and the creation and presentation of
reports for at least two target audiences.
SOCY 488H. Honors Thesis. (3) Prerequisites: Enrollment in the Honors
Program, completion of all other Honors Program requirements, a minimum 3.5
GPA in all courses and in sociology and anthropology. The student conducts
research and writes a thesis for a bachelor's degree with honors in
sociology. In order to receive honors credit, the student must receive an
grade of "A" or "B" for the thesis. This course may not be repeated.
SOCY 495. Topical Seminar in Sociology. (3,3) Three hours seminar.
Prerequisites: 20 hours in sociology and a minimum 2.5 GPA for all sociology
courses, or permission of instructor. The seminar offers reading and/or
research orientation in a specialized area selected by departmental staff.
It may be taken for a total of six hours credit when topics differ.
SOCY 497. Senior Seminar in Sociology. (3) Three hours seminar.
Prerequisites: Senior standing. Serves as the capstone experience for
sociology majors. Students will learn to market their skills, explore
opportunities, and prepare for entry into the workplace.
SOCY 498. Independent Study. (1-6)
SOCY 499. Internship. (3-12) Prerequisites: Students must complete 12
hours of sociology and have permission of the department chair. Students
must get approval of the department on the proposed program and agency in
the semester preceding that in which the internship is anticipated. The
course may carry three to twelve hours credit a semester and may be repeated
to a maximum of twelve hours credit. Only three credit hours may be counted
toward the sociology major. Offered as required. If you have questions about
internships, please contact
Dr. Mekolichick.

Page Updated:
14 April 2008