Sociology - SOC

The information below lists courses approved in this subject area effective Fall 2015. Not all courses will necessarily be offered these terms. Please consult the Schedule of Classes for a listing of courses offered for a specific term.

500-level courses require graduate standing.

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100 Introduction to Sociology
3 hours. Analysis of human societies, organizations and groups, and the interrelations among individuals, groups, and societies. Individual and Society, and US Society course.

105 Social Problems
3 hours. Contemporary social problems examined from the perspectives of social institutions, culture, inequality, organizations and groups, political and economic structure, social change, and social policy. May be substituted for SOC 100 as a prerequisite for other sociology courses. Individual and Society, and US Society course.

125 Introduction to Asian American Studies
3 hours. Overview of Asian American experiences and perspectives in socio-historical context. Introduction to major concepts, issues, and debates in the field of Asian American Studies. Same as ASAM 125. Individual and Society, and US Society course.

201 Introductory Sociological Statistics
4 hours. An introduction to the basic statistical methods used in the analysis of sociological data. 3 hours of lecture and 2 hours of laboratory per week. Prerequisite(s): SOC 100 or SOC 105; and either MATH 090 or MATH 092 or MATH 118 or the equivalent or consent of the instructor.

203 The African American Family in the United States
3 hours. Examination of the structure and functioning of the African American family. Historical and contemporary analyses. Same as AAST 203. Prerequisite(s): AAST 100 or SOC 100 or consent of the instructor. Individual and Society, and US Society course.

212 Human Sexuality: Social Perspectives
3 hours. Historical and cultural perspectives on contemporary American sexuality; knowledge, attitudes, and practices; sexuality over the life cycle, socialization; affection, interpersonal attraction; marriage, law, other institutions. Prerequisite(s): SOC 100.

215 Sociology of Childhood and Youth
3 hours. Explores the meanings and social position of children and youth in society and examines how contemporary ideas about these categories emerged. Prerequisite(s): SOC 100 or SOC 105; or consent of the instructor. Individual and Society, and US Society course.

224 Gender and Society
3 hours. Sociological perspectives on gender as a factor in social stratification; gender role acquisition; individual and social consequences of changing social definitions of gender roles. Same as GWS 224. Prerequisite(s): SOC 100 or GWS 101 or GWS 102. Individual and Society, and US Society course.

225 Racial and Ethnic Groups
3 hours. Sociological and social-psychological analysis of racial, religious, and other ethnic groups; consideration of historical and current social problems arising from their relationships in society. Same as AAST 225 and LALS 225. Prerequisite(s): SOC 100; or consent of the instructor. Individual and Society, and US Society course.

226 Latinas in the United States
3 hours. Socioeconomic conditions and cultural experiences of Latinas in the U.S. Historical and contemporary views of labor, health, education, family, identity formation and leadership. Same as GWS 276, and LALS 276.

228 Sociology of Asia and Asian Americans
3 hours. Asian and Asian-American culture, institutions, and organization; immigration, population, settlement patterns; occupations and poverty; family and ethnic identification; inequality and politics; values, prejudice, discrimination. Same as ASAM 228 and ASST 228. Prerequisite(s): SOC 100. Individual and Society, and US Society course.

229 Sociology of Latinos
3 hours. Examines social, political and economic issues affecting Latino groups. While focusing on the process of racialization, the course also examines immigration, language rights, gender and sexuality, labor market, media, and youth. Same as LALS 229. Prerequisite(s): SOC 100 or LALS 102 or SOC 105 or LALS 103; or consent of the instructor. Individual and Society, and US Society course.

231 Criminology
3 hours. Introductory survey of the literature developed by criminologists in their study of crime in American society. Same as CLJ 220. Prerequisite(s): CLJ 101.

241 Social Inequalities
3 hours. Dimensions of inequality: economy, education, housing, health care; power, status and self-esteem; inequality, and social policy. Prerequisite(s): SOC 100. Individual and Society, and US Society course.

244 Sociology of Work
3 hours. Impact of bureaucracy, technology, and automation; changing composition of labor force: women, youth, elderly, racial and ethnic minorities; international comparisons; policy implications. Prerequisite(s): SOC 100 or SOC 105; or consent of the instructor. Individual and Society, and US Society course.

245 Marriage and Family
3 hours. The family as an interactional system, an organization, and a social institution; extended family ties, mate selection, marital roles, socialization, marital dissolution, family life course and change. Prerequisite(s): SOC 100. Individual and Society, and US Society course.

246 Sociology of Religion
3 hours. Analysis of the structures and functions of religious institutions in modern society.Special attention to the interplay between religion and other social phenomena, such as economics, politics, and secular culture. Same as RELS 246. Occasional field trips. Prerequisite(s): One social sciences Course Distribution Credit (CDC) course and sophomore standing. Individual and Society, and US Society course.

251 Health and Medicine
3 hours. Health care systems; special emphasis on United States; dimensions of wellness and sickness including mental health; health providers, organizations, and institutions and their relations. Prerequisite(s): SOC 100 or SOC 105; or consent of the instructor. Individual and Society, and US Society course.

258 Race and Urban Life
3 hours. Examines the experiences of Blacks in urban areas since the 1900's. Same as AAST 258.

265 Sociology of Politics
3 hours. The exercise of power and power structures; alternative political systems; relationship between state and society; political attitudes, participation, and organizations; political change, reform, and revolution. Prerequisite(s): SOC 100. Individual and Society course.

268 Introduction to Comparative Sociology
3 hours. Comparisons of population, culture, economics, politics, and social relations among contemporary societies. Relations among institutional areas and among societies. Prerequisite(s): 3 hours of social science courses. Individual and Society, and World Cultures course.

271 African Americans and the Politics of Incarceration
3 hours. Examination of the status of African Americans as offenders, victims, and personnel within the criminal justice system. Same as AAST 271 and CLJ 271. Previously listed as SOC 371. Prerequisite(s): Grade of C or better or concurrent registration in AAST 100 or Grade of C or better or concurrent registration in SOC 101. Individual and Society, and US Society course.

276 Urban Sociology
3 hours. Examination of the history, patterns, and consequences of urban places and life in those places. Prerequisite(s): SOC 100. Individual and Society, and US Society course.

296 Supervised Study or Research
1 TO 3 hours. Special projects arranged in advance by faculty or student initiative. May be repeated to a maximum of 9 hours with approval. Students may register in more than one section per term. Approval to repeat course granted by the department. Prerequisite(s): 9 hours of sociology, consent of the instructor, and approval of the department prior to registration.

298 Internship in Sociological Applications
3 hours. Placement in a university or external organization where students participate in a project using sociological skills under the direction of a field supervisor. Prerequisite(s): SOC 201 and SOC 202; and approval of the department.

300 Introduction to Sociological Research Methods
4 hours. Survey of the principal methods of social research; problem and concept formation, research design, sampling reliability, internal and external validity, control of alternative explanations, ethical responsibilities of researchers. Previously listed as SOC 202. Prerequisite(s): SOC 201; and sophomore standing or above; or Soc 201 and one additional 200-level course in sociology.

385 Introduction to Sociological Theory
3 hours. A survey of the major approaches to explaining social pheomena drawn from representative nineteenth and twentieth-century social theorists. Emphasis on present-day applicability of these approaches. Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing or above and two 200-level elective courses in sociology or consent of the instructor.

401 Sociological Statistics
4 hours. Descriptive and inferential statistics for graduate and advanced undergraduate sociology majors and related fields. Tests of means, regression, correlation, analysis of variance, and related topics. Prerequisite(s): SOC 201 and two additional 200-level sociology electives; or graduate standing or consent of the instructor.

402 Intermediate Sociological Statistics
4 hours. Covers general linear models emphasizing regression, analysis of variance and covariance, simple structural equation models, simple categorical methods and elementary matrix algebra. Prerequisite(s): SOC 401.

405 Writing in the Social Sciences
3 OR 4 hours. Leads to effective, clear writing for a social science audience. Teaches how to organize ideas, avoid tiresome jargon, and write with precision. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): 6 hours of upper-division social science courses.

406 Urban Ethnography
3 OR 4 hours. The study of processes and meanings in African American communities in urban areas, interviews, participant observation, focus groups. Same as AAST 405. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): AAST 100; and junior standing or above.

407 Seminar in Comparative Racialization
3 OR 4 hours. Provides an interdisciplinary and comparative approach to the making and remaking of "race" and the resultant racialized experiences of different groups in the U.S. and globally. Same as AAST 407. Prerequisite(s): AAST 247 or AAST 248 or AAST 340 or SOC 225; and senior standing or above; or consent of the instructor.

424 Sociology of Gender
3 OR 4 hours. Variety and change in gender roles; patterns and consequences of gender inequality; gender and sexuality; gender and social institutions such as family, economy. Same as GWS 425. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): SOC 224, or any 100 or 200-level GWS course and an additional 200 or 300-level elective in sociology or gender and women studies; Junior standing or above; or graduate standing; or consent of the instructor.

425 Race and Ethnicity
3 OR 4 hours. Critical examination of the conceptual frameworks and empirical findings in the study of race and ethnicity. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): SOC 225 an additional 200- or 300- level elective in Sociology; or consent of the instructor.

426 Topics in Race, Ethnicity, and Gender
3 OR 4 hours. Intensive examination of a specialized topic in race, ethnicity and gender. The specific topic of the course varies depending on the faculty offering it. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated up to 2 times. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): SOC 224; or SOC 225; and junior standing or above and an additional 200 or 300-level elective in sociology; or consent of the instructor.

428 Asian/Asian American Women in the Global Economy
3 OR 4 hours. Examines the racialization and feminization of a global division of labor and focuses primarily on Asian and Asian American women's participation and incorporation as workers and key actors in the development of the global economy. Same as ASAM 428 and GWS 428. 3 undergraduate hours; 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): At least one ASAM or GWS or SOC course; or consent of the instructor.

433 Latin American Migration to the U.S.
3 OR 4 hours. Latin American migration to the U.S. International migration theories, family remittances, transnational linkages, dual citizenship, and past and current U.S. immigration policy debates. Same as LALS 433. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

440 Topics in Organizations and Institutions
3 OR 4 hours. Intensive examination of a specialized topic announced when the class is scheduled. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated up to 2 times. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): SOC 244 or MGMT 340, and an additional 200-level sociology elective, and junior standing; or consent of the instructor.

441 Social Stratification
3 OR 4 hours. The nature of systems of differentiation and ranking in societies and their consequences; emphasis on class structure in the United States; prestige, status, power, and social mobility in the United States and other societies. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): SOC 241 and an additional 200 or 300-level elective in Sociology; and Junior standing or above; or consent of the instructor.

445 Sociology of the Family
3 OR 4 hours. Variety and change in family patterns; family formation and break-up; parents' and childrens' effects on each other; influences of culture and political economy; consequences for other institutions. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): SOC 224, or SOC 245 and an additional 200 or 300-level Sociology elective; and Junior standing or above; or consent of the instructor.

446 Race, Ethnicity, and Gender in American Religion
3 OR 4 hours. Religious institutions in the U.S. as a crucible for racial, ethnic, and gender identities, group formation, and intergroup relations; major world religions represented in the U.S. Same as RELS 446. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): SOC 246 and an additional 200 or 300- level elective in Sociology; and Junior standing or above; or consent of instructor.

447 Organizations
3 OR 4 hours. Characteristics of business, government, and not-for-profit organizations; approaches used to study organizations; theoretical and empirical analysis of organizational processes. Same as MGMT 447. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): SOC 241 or MGMT 340 or SOC 244 and an additional 200 or 300-level elective in sociology; and junior standing or above; or consent of the instructor.

448 Sociology of Development
3 OR 4 hours. Historical, economic, political, social, and geographic factors shaping national and international development experiences and outcomes. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): 6 hours of upper-division social science courses or consent of the instructor.

451 Medical Sociology
3 OR 4 hours. Survey of major topics in sociology of health and medicine including social definitions of health and illness, patient practitioner interaction, the organization of health institutions and professions. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): 6 hours of upper-division sociology or consent of the instructor.

455 Topics in Medical Sociology
3 OR 4 hours. Intensive examination of a specialized topic announced when the class is scheduled. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): SOC 451 or consent of the instructor.

465 Topics in Sociology of Politics
3 OR 4 hours. Intensive examination of a specialized topic announced when the class is scheduled. Same as POLS 465. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): 6 hours of upper-division sociology or consent of the instructor.

471 Population
3 OR 4 hours. The measurement and study of major trends and differentials in fertility, mortality, migration, growth, and compositional characteristics of the population of the United States and other nations. Same as EPID 471. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): SOC 201 and an additional 200 or 300-level course in sociology; and junior standing or above; or consent of the instructor.

473 Cities and Regions
3 OR 4 hours. Characteristics, conditions, and consequences of structure and change of cities and metropolitan regions. Spatial, political economy, cultural perspectives. Census, ecological, historical, comparative data for cities. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): SOC 201 and an additional 200 or 300-level course in sociology; and junior standing or above; or consent of the instructor.

476 Topics in Urban Sociology
3 OR 4 hours. Intensive examination of a specialized topic announced when the class is scheduled. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): 6 hours of upper-division sociology or consent of the instructor.

485 Classical Social Theory
3 OR 4 hours. Survey and analysis of classical European and American social theory. Examination of how theorists such as Marx, Weber, Durkheim, Veblen and Park defined and described society within their own social contexts and how we derive meaning from these theories. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): SOC 385; and senior standing or above; or consent of the instructor.

487 Current Social Theory
3 OR 4 hours. Review and evaluation of major currents in sociological theory since the 1940s. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): SOC 385; and senior standing or above; or consent of the instructor.

490 Senior Research Experience
4 hours. The course integrates theory, methods and analytical skills to a substantive area of sociology. Students will gain hands-on experience by collecting data, analyzing data, writing up their findings and presenting their projects to the class. May be repeated to a maximum of 8 hours, with approval of the deparment. Students may register for more than one section per term. Previously listed at SOC 400. Prerequisite(s): SOC 300 and SOC 385; and senior standing or above and one 400-level elective in sociology and consent of the instructor.

496 Independent Study or Research
1 TO 9 hours. Extensive readings in specialized areas of sociology or empirical research for advanced undergraduate or graduate students. May be repeated with approval. Students may register in more than one section per term. Approval to repeat course granted by the department. Undergraduate students may repeat course for maximum of 9 hours of credit. Prerequisite(s): 18 hours of sociology, excluding SOC 296 and SOC 299, consent of the instructor, and approval of the department.

499 Senior Thesis
1 TO 4 hours. Individual study for students working on a senior thesis under the supervision of a faculty advisor. This course is required for students graduating with highest departmental distinction. May be repeated to a maximum of 8 hours, with approval of the department. Students may register for more than one section per term. Previously listed as SOC 299. Prerequisite(s): SOC 490; and senior standing or above; and consent of the instructor.

500 Sociological Research Methods I
4 hours. Introduction to research design, data gathering and data reduction; logic of problem formulation, units of analysis, measurement, data analysis.

501 Sociological Research Methods II
4 hours. Evaluating sociological research, data analysis and reporting; proposal writing and evaluation; professional issues including research ethics; student presentation of master's research proposals. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours. Prerequisite(s): SOC 500.

509 Seminar: Sociological Research Methods
4 hours. Research practicum of specialized social science research methods. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): SOC 500 and SOC 501.

520 Seminar: Race, Ethnicity, and Gender
4 hours. Intensive analysis of specialized topics. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

524 Gender
4 hours. Review of a wide range of theories that explain the development and maintenance of gender, focusing on how gender stratification has developed historically and how and why individuals "do gender" in their daily lives. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

525 Sociology of Race and Ethnicity
4 hours. A survey of classical and contemporary research on "race" and "ethnicity" focusing on how their meaning is both ascribed and achieved and the relationship of these categories to individual and collective life chances. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

528 Societal Analysis of Aging, Health and the Life Course
3 hours. Analysis of health, aging and health care issues from life course perspectives, including the application of concepts, theories and methods from both sociology and public health. Same as CHSC 528. Prerequisite(s): Graduate or professional standing; or approval of the department.

540 Seminar: Social Institutions
4 hours. Intensive analysis of specialized topics in social institutions. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

541 Sociology of Social Stratification
4 hours. Provides students with an overview of sociological research on social stratification emphasizing individual and structural elements. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

547 Social Organization
4 hours. Intensive analysis of specialized topics. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

548 Seminar: Comparative Societies
1 TO 7 hours. Intensive analysis of specialized topics. May be repeated. Students may register in more than one section per term.

550 Proseminar on Current Research in Health, Illness, and Medicine
4 hours. Review and critique of current research in the following health areas: health care systems, social epidemiology, and health and illness behavior. Prerequisite(s): SOC 451.

551 Seminar: Sociology of Health and Medicine
1 TO 7 hours. Intensive analysis of specialized topics. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

565 Seminar: Political Sociology
1 TO 7 hours. Intensive analysis of specialized topics. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours. Students may register in more than one section per term.

571 Seminar: Population and Human Ecology
1 TO 7 hours. Intensive analysis of specialized topics. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours. Students may register in more than one section per term.

572 Sociology of Education
4 hours. Education as a social institution in interaction with other institutions, such as the economy. Topics include the emergence of national systems of education, purposes of education, inequality and educational reform. Same as EDPS 572. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

585 Classical Sociological Theory
4 hours. Examination of how theorists have defined and described society within their own social contexts and how we derive meaning from these theories. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

587 Contemporary Sociological Theory
4 hours. Sociological theory since World War II. Course content will be both "substantive", covering widely divergent schools of thought, and "methodological", analyzing and constructing theories as explanatory systems. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

593 Colloquium on College Teaching of Sociology
4 hours. Covers strategies and techniques for contemporary university teaching and for the teaching of sociology at the college level. May be repeated.

595 ProSeminar
1 hours. Presentation and discussion of issues of professional concern to sociologists including current research, consulting, teaching and applied sociology. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated. Students may register in more than one section per term.

596 Independent Study
1 TO 12 hours. Research on special problems not included in the graduate thesis. May be repeated. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor and approval of the department.

597 Masters Project Research
1 TO 4 hours. Supervised writing and research on topic of the master's paper. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours.

599 Thesis Research
0 TO 16 hours. Supervised dissertation research. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated.

Information provided by the Office of Programs and Academic Assessment.

This listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract. Every attempt is made to provide the most current and correct information. Courses listed here are subject to change without advance notice. Courses are not necessarily offered every term or year. Individual departments or units should be consulted for information regarding frequency of course offerings.