Executing searches with no text in the Search Terms entry field will render no results.
print page

Sociology Courses

Soc 101 Introduction to Sociology (3 cr)

Soc 200 (s) Seminar (cr arr)

Soc 203 (s) Workshop (cr arr)

Soc 204 (s) Special Topics (cr arr)

Soc 209 Alternatives to Violence (ATV) Training (2 cr)

Soc 230 Social Problems (3 cr)

Soc 250 Social Conflict (3 cr)

Soc 260 Intro to Deviance and Crime (3 cr)

Soc 299 (s) Directed Study (cr arr)

Soc 301 Introduction to Diversity and Stratification (3 cr)

Soc 310 Methods of Social Research (3 cr)

Soc J311/J514 Development of Social Theory (3 cr)

Soc 313 Collective Behavior (3 cr)

Soc 315 Community Service Learning (1-4 cr, max 4)

Soc 316 Explore Mentoring & Leadership (3 cr)

Soc 320 Sociology of Substance Abuse (3 cr)

Soc 323 Political Economy (3 cr)

Soc 325 Family, Violence, and Society (3 cr)

Soc 330 Juvenile Delinquency (3 cr)

Soc 331 Criminology Theory (3 cr)

Soc 332 Corrections (3 cr)

Soc 333 Elite and White Collar Crime (3 cr)

Soc 334 Police and Social Control (3 cr)

Soc 335 Terrorism, Society and Justice (3 cr)

Soc 336 Comparative Criminal Justice Systems (3 cr)

Soc 339 Crime and the Media (3 cr)

Soc 340 Social Change & Globalization (3 cr)

Soc 343 Political Sociology (3 cr)

Soc 350 Food, Culture, and Society (3 cr)

Soc 367 (s) Global Justice (3 cr, max arr)

Soc 400 (s) Seminar (cr arr)

Soc 401 Justice Policy Issues (3 cr)

Soc 403 (s) Workshop (cr arr)

Soc 404 (s) Special Topics (cr arr)

Soc 420 Criminal Law (3 cr)

Soc 422 Religion, Culture & Society (3 cr)

Soc 423 Social Class & Stratification (3 cr)

Soc 424 Sociology of Gender (3 cr)

Soc 425 Society and Popular Culture (3 cr)

Soc 427 Racial and Ethnic Relations (3 cr)

Soc 431 Personal and Social Issues in Aging (3 cr)

Soc 439 Inequalities in the Justice System (3 cr)

Soc 440 Post-Colonialism (3 cr)

Soc 450 Dynamics of Social Protest (3 cr)

Soc 491 Seminar in Professional Ethics and Diversity (3 cr)

Soc 495 (s) Practicum in Tutoring (1 cr, max 2)

Soc 498 (s) Internship (1-6 cr, max arr)

Soc 499 (s) Directed Study (cr arr)

Soc 501 (s) Seminar (cr arr)

Soc 502 (s) Directed Study (cr arr)

Soc 504 (s) Special Topics (cr arr)

Soc 514 Social Theory (3 cr)

John A. Mihelich, Acting Dept. Chair, Dept. of Sociology and Anthropology (101 Phinney Hall 83844-1110; phone 208/885-6751).

Prerequisite: The successful completion of Soc 101 is required for enrollment in upper-division sociology courses; exceptions by permission.

Soc 101 Introduction to Sociology (3 cr)

May be used as core credit in J-3-d. Basic theories, concepts, and processes involved in scientific study of society; includes socialization process, social inequality, the family, religion, deviance, population, the environment, and social change.

Soc 200 (s) Seminar (cr arr)

Soc 203 (s) Workshop (cr arr)

Soc 204 (s) Special Topics (cr arr)

Soc 209 Alternatives to Violence (ATV) Training (2 cr)

Participation in the training for ATV advocates that includes background information on domestic violence and sexual assault (36 hours) and entry-level techniques of working with victims; requires service in the agency for the duration of the year. Graded P/F. Limited enrollment.

Prereq: Permission

Soc 230 Social Problems (3 cr)

May be used as core credit in J-3-d. Contemporary social issues and personal deviations; crime and delinquency, poverty and wealth, drugs, sexual variations, racism, sexism, and the environment.

Soc 250 Social Conflict (3 cr)

May be used as core credit in J-3-d. Explores the origin, escalation, and resolution of social conflict. Focuses on major conflict theories, human values and social action, and the dynamics and regulation of social conflict within and between various kinds of social groupings.

Prereq: Soc 101

Soc 260 Intro to Deviance and Crime (3 cr)

Introduction and overview as to the way in which sociologists understand crime, justice, deviance and conformity. Topics include explanations of deviance, prostitution, drugs, organized crime, street crime, white collar crime etc.

Prereq: Soc 101

Soc 299 (s) Directed Study (cr arr)

Soc 301 Introduction to Diversity and Stratification (3 cr)

Same as Anth 301. An interdisciplinary and historical study of diversity and stratification in a cross-cultural global context. The course examines multiple forms of diversity and stratification including, but not limited to, culture, class, race/ethnic, gender/sexuality, religious diversity, and political ideology in an effort to raise students' ability to interact with and understand others in our increasingly multicultural world.

Soc 310 Methods of Social Research (3 cr)

Principal methods of data collection, analysis, and interpretation.

Prereq: Stat 251; departmental major or minor

Soc J311/J514 Development of Social Theory (3 cr)

Soc 311 same as RelS 311. Development of social theory from classical roots through contemporary schools; biographical accounts and original works in sociological theory. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.

Soc 313 Collective Behavior (3 cr)

Analysis of such episodes of behavior as riots, demonstrations, panics, hysteria, as well as interaction of sociological, political, and communication processes involved in public acceptance of fashion, fads, and ideology in a mass society.

Soc 315 Community Service Learning (1-4 cr, max 4)

Directed community service, requiring 67 to 140 hours, with concurrent seminar that integrates service experience with theories of human behavior.

Prereq: Soc 101, Soc 230, and sociology major, or Permission

Soc 316 Explore Mentoring & Leadership (3 cr)

See Intr 316.

Soc 320 Sociology of Substance Abuse (3 cr)

Sociological-psychological analysis of etiology, epidemiology, prevention, and treatment of substance abuse in U.S.; major focus on family issues (including marital relationships, co-dependency) and lifestyle changes; dynamics of social change, subcultures, and symbolic functions attached to drug abuse; issues related to gender, occupational functioning, AIDS, and other topics.

Soc 323 Political Economy (3 cr)

This course discusses the history of political economic theories and links contemporary issues to classical and current sociological debates in the field. Recommended Preparation: Soc 230 or Soc 250.

Prereq: Soc 101

Soc 325 Family, Violence, and Society (3 cr)

Sociological analysis of the family, its relationship to other social institutions, and the ways that the family is intersected by conflict, violence and systems of justice. Special attention is given to exploring the causes and impacts of family violence, strategies for its prevention, treatment of those abused, and intervention strategies for abusers.

Prereq: Soc 101

Soc 330 Juvenile Delinquency (3 cr)

Extent, causes, and control of juvenile delinquent behavior.

Soc 331 Criminology Theory (3 cr)

Review and assessment of common explanations of crime, deviant behavior and control. One 1-day field trip.

Soc 332 Corrections (3 cr)

Same as JS 332. History, facilities, processes, and strategies for correction and punishment of offenders; analysis of concepts of prevention and control of crime. A one-day field trip.

Soc 333 Elite and White Collar Crime (3 cr)

The costs, causes, and control of crime by and against businesses and other organizations; the relationship between trust and white collar crime; the impact of the media in shaping perceptions of white collar crime.

Soc 334 Police and Social Control (3 cr)

History, development, and role of the police as a component of the justice system, with particular attention to the relationship of the police to community, society, and related institutions of social control; societal control of the police as well as the influences of social change and urban decay and disorder on methods of policing. A one-day field trip.

Soc 335 Terrorism, Society and Justice (3 cr)

See JS 335.

Soc 336 Comparative Criminal Justice Systems (3 cr)

Comparative study of justice systems in selected foreign countries. (Alt/yrs)

Soc 339 Crime and the Media (3 cr)

Critical evaluation of the media portrayals of crime and the criminal justice system; analysis of how the media help to shape public understanding and public policy.

Soc 340 Social Change & Globalization (3 cr)

Social change is a central area of study in sociology. Original studies tried to explain the reason for, and impact of, the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century. Globalization is among the key social phenomena instructing contemporary discussions in social change. This course introduces students to various discussions of social change, from the Industrial Revolution to Globalization. Through case study analysis, Globalization will be explored in examining the increased role of international organizations (such as, the IMF, World Bank, WTO, and OECD) in globalizing capital markets and trade; the social and psychological conditions of conflict (such as the state of war in the contemporary landscape, genocide, and impoverishment); and the role of diversity (social and environmental) in proposing alternatives to globalization. Recommended Preparation: Soc 250 and/or Soc 301.

Prereq: Soc 101

Soc 343 Political Sociology (3 cr)

Examines the relationship between political and social institutions, the distribution of power and authority in society, the origins and expansion of the modern state, social and cultural basis of political behavior, and characteristics of transnational and global governance. Recommended Preparation: Soc 230 or Soc 250.

Prereq: Soc 101

Soc 350 Food, Culture, and Society (3 cr)

Same as Anth 350. Examines the structural and cultural implications of eating and producing food in a global world. Utilizing a social scientific framework, it explores the history of particular foods and examines how food systems are racialized, classed and gendered. Primary foci include the social history of food holidays and taboos, the relationships between food and identity, the impact of agricultural production practices on food systems and food security, and forms of resistance to these impacts. Recommended Preparation: Anth 220 or a 200-level sociology course.

Prereq: Soc 101

Soc 367 (s) Global Justice (3 cr, max arr)

See Phil 367.

Soc 400 (s) Seminar (cr arr)

Soc 401 Justice Policy Issues (3 cr)

Focus on social, political, and economic factors that influence operation of the justice system and justice policy formation; critical issues such as the media and fear of crime to drugs and sentencing policy.

Prereq: Senior standing and departmental major or minor or Permission

Soc 403 (s) Workshop (cr arr)

Soc 404 (s) Special Topics (cr arr)

Soc 420 Criminal Law (3 cr)

Sources and purpose of criminal law, meaning of criminal responsibility, and elements of crime.

Prereq: Soc 101

Soc 422 Religion, Culture & Society (3 cr)

Same as RelS 423. This course provides students with an opportunity to explore religious experience, meanings and organizations as part of a larger socio-cultural context. The primary focus of this course is on a sociological approach to the theory of religion, the historical development and effects of religion in the United States, and contemporary religious conditions and experience. The course will integrate theoretical readings, historical analyses, empirical studies, ethnographic description, and student projects. Throughout the course, a sociological imagination will be cultivated and exercised toward understanding the nature of religious practice and the social significance of its organization and change.

Soc 423 Social Class & Stratification (3 cr)

Study of social inequality with a focus on the class structure of U.S. society; theories of stratification; consequences of social inequality.

Prereq: Soc 101 and 230

Soc 424 Sociology of Gender (3 cr)

Historical and comparative analysis of the various roles, statuses, and life opportunities of men and women; emphasis on how gender roles develop in society and their effect on social structure, social institutions, and interpersonal interaction.

Prereq: Soc 101 and a 3 cr lower-division Soc course, or Soc/Anth 301

Soc 425 Society and Popular Culture (3 cr)

See Anth J425/J525.

Soc 427 Racial and Ethnic Relations (3 cr)

Same as Anth 427. Examination of the social construction of racial categories and meanings; theories of race relations; historical and contemporary experiences of racial/ethnic groups in the U.S.; contemporary issues and debates.

Prereq: Soc 101 and a 3 cr lower-division Soc course, or Soc/Anth 301

Soc 431 Personal and Social Issues in Aging (3 cr)

Social, psychological, and physical impacts of aging on the individual and on society.

Soc 439 Inequalities in the Justice System (3 cr)

Critical focus on the issues of race, class, and gender and their consequences for the operation of the justice system; the role of the justice system in the history and experience of various minorities, theories of minority crime, and issues of selective enforcement, sentencing disparity, and disproportionate incarceration; the role of gender considered through the examination of offenders, victims, and criminal justice professionals.

Soc 440 Post-Colonialism (3 cr)

This sociology course examines the history of development thought and its influence in post-colonial perspectives. Although generally conceived as a theory course in international development, this course will apply sociological tools for understanding the criticisms of modernization, neo-liberalism, and early dependency theories. Taking the position of the "other", post-colonial theory broadens the scope of these aforementioned theories by drawing upon everyday social experience and the myriad social relations that complicate mainstream and mono-causal explanations of such things as uneven development, diversity, poverty, conflict, and environmental degradation. In learning what stirred the rise of post-colonial theories, students will learn how international development is understood from a variety of perspectives outside of the U.S. Recommended Preparation: Soc 250 or Soc 301.

Prereq: Soc 101

Soc 450 Dynamics of Social Protest (3 cr)

Examines the conditions under which social protest occurs, social movement dynamics and processes, and the state's response to political dissent. Addresses how political, organizational, and cultural dimensions shape social movement development, strategies and tactics, and individual participation. Applies sociological theories and concepts to several U.S. and international movements including civil rights, women's, environmental, antiwar, and global justice movements. Recommended Preparation: Soc 230 or Soc 250.

Prereq: Soc 101

Soc 491 Seminar in Professional Ethics and Diversity (3 cr)

See Phil 491.

Soc 495 (s) Practicum in Tutoring (1 cr, max 2)

Tutorial services performed by advanced students under faculty supervision. Graded P/F.

Prereq: Permission

Soc 498 (s) Internship (1-6 cr, max arr)

Supervised professional field experience in human service organizations. Graded P/F.

Prereq: departmental major and Permission

Soc 499 (s) Directed Study (cr arr)

Intended to accommodate a wide variety of sociological topics.

Prereq: Permission

Soc 501 (s) Seminar (cr arr)

Subjects normally offered: sociological research, social problems, and social theory.

Prereq: Permission

Soc 502 (s) Directed Study (cr arr)

Subjects normally offered: sociological theory, human ecology, and race relations.

Prereq: Permission

Soc 504 (s) Special Topics (cr arr)

Soc 514 Social Theory (3 cr)

See Soc J311/J514.