University Catalog

SOCI 1310. INTRODUCTION TO POPULAR CULTURE. 3 Hours.

This course will introduce students to the role of popular culture in American society. It examines culture as a process through which people make symbolic meaning out of the world. Since everyone has access to popular culture, it constructs the way that people think about the world around them. The course will explore the creation, production, dissemination, reception and consumption of popular culture.

SOCI 1311. INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY. 3 Hours. (TCCN = SOCI 1301)

(SOCI 1301). A scientific approach to the analysis and explanation of culture, personality, and social organization. The social processes and mechanisms of interaction involved in the natural process of cultural development, dissemination, assimilation, and the institutions of the group.

SOCI 2312. SOCIAL PROBLEMS. 3 Hours. (TCCN = SOCI 1306)

A survey of contemporary social problems in the United States. Emphasis is on applying different theoretical perspectives and systematic procedures to understand social problems as public issues rather than personal problems.

SOCI 3312. JUVENILE DELINQUENCY. 3 Hours.

The delinquent as a person and delinquency as a social problem, theories of delinquency, and methods of correctional treatment and preventive programs.

SOCI 3313. CRIMINOLOGY. 3 Hours.

Crime-related social issues. Defining and measuring crime, surveying major theoretical explanations of criminal behavior, and society's formal responses to crime and criminals.

SOCI 3314. THE LATINA EXPERIENCE. 3 Hours.

Examines the social, cultural and economic experiences of Latin American women in the United States, with particular emphasis on Mexican-origin women. The course surveys the historical and contemporary experiences of Latinas in the United States with respect to family dynamics, religion, education, politics, health and illness, the labor market, mass media, and the arts. This course is also offered as MAS 3314, SOCI 3314, and WOMS 3314; credit will be granted only once.

SOCI 3315. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY OF CRIME. 3 Hours.

Selected concepts in social psychology applied to issues in crime and justice, such as the actions of victims, criminals, and criminal justice professionals. Topics include aggression, social perception, cognitions, conformity, obedience, and deviance.

SOCI 3317. INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIETY. 3 Hours.

How society influences individual thought, feeling, and behavior. Includes interpersonal perception, attitudes, norms, roles, conformity, and such social issues as aggression, helping behavior, prejudice, and interpersonal attraction.

SOCI 3318. SELF AND SOCIAL IDENTITY. 3 Hours.

The social self. Topics include factors in the development, organization, evaluation and presentation of self in everyday life and processes by which social categories and roles influence self concept.

SOCI 3319. SMALL GROUPS. 3 Hours.

The process and structures of small-scale interaction systems, including an analysis of the process of leadership, the exercise of influence, the effect of groups on individuals and of individuals on groups, the relation and function of the small group as a part of a larger whole, and the process of group formation, development, and disintegration.

SOCI 3320. DEVIANCE: SOCIAL AND PERSONAL. 3 Hours.

Theoretical perspectives on societal definitions of behavior as deviant or disorganized. Selected studies, representative of current problems, examined critically in terms of the structural-cultural conditions of contemporary society.

SOCI 3321. SOCIALIZATION AND SOCIAL CONTROL. 3 Hours.

The relationship between social structure and the individual. The influence of social factors on cognitive development, personality formation, and the behavior of individuals throughout the lifecycle. The effect of socialization on conformity and deviance. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 3323. COLLECTIVE BEHAVIOR. 3 Hours.

Provides an overview of the elementary forms of collective behavior including riots, panics, fads, fashion, cults and crazes. Explanatory theories and specific instances of the different forms of collective behavior are examined. Prerequisite: SOCI 1311.

SOCI 3324. SOCIAL MOVEMENTS. 3 Hours.

Focuses on twentieth and twenty-first century social movements, including the U.S. civil rights movement, the student and anti-war movements of the 1960s, the women's movement, the environmental movement, and anti-globalization movements. Status politics movements, such as pro-choice/pro-life and gay rights movements, are also explored. Compares these movements with their counterparts in other countries and identifies the reasons for their successes and failures.

SOCI 3327. INTERCULTURAL INTERACTION. 3 Hours.

Patterns and variations in interactions involving people from different cultures and subcultures. Intercultural interaction, both within multicultural societies and between persons from different societies.

SOCI 3328. MARITAL AND SEXUAL LIFESTYLES. 3 Hours.

Contemporary American lifestyles selected from: singles, traditional marriage, homosexuals, single-parent families, open marriage, non-marital sexuality, cohabitation, dual-career marriage, childless couples, egalitarian marriage, families in later life. Offered as DIVR 3328, SOCI 3328 and WOMS 3328; credit will be granted only once.

SOCI 3331. SOCIOLOGY OF THE FAMILY. 3 Hours.

The family's role in American society and in other cultures past, present, and future. Family research methods, comparative family systems, child development/parenting, culture and personality, minority families, social class variation in families, work and family. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or permission of the instructor. Offered as SOCI 3331 and WOMS 3331; credit will be granted only once.

SOCI 3332. SOCIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION. 3 Hours.

Investigates historical and contemporary cultural customs, social institutions, and personal experiences related to reproduction. Topics may include assisted reproduction, pregnancy loss, living "child-free," sperm/egg donation, and surrogacy. Examines how changing economic conditions, technologies, and social norms shape the meaning of children, childbirth education, infertility, and the experience of birth for both men and women.

SOCI 3334. SOCIOLOGY OF GENDER. 3 Hours.

Examination of theoretical and empirical approaches to understanding the formation of gender. Assesses individual and structural dimensions of gender in various social institutions including work, education, and families. Offered as SOCI 3334 and WOMS 3334; credit will be granted only once.

SOCI 3336. SOCIAL INEQUALITY. 3 Hours.

Examines the processes, characteristics, and consequences of social inequality in society. Topics include the social class structure, status groups, and elite power structure as they influence people's life chances. Offered as AAST 3336 and SOCI 3336; credit will be granted in only one department.

SOCI 3337. RACIAL & ETHNIC GROUPS IN US. 3 Hours.

Compares the immigration, acculturation, and adjustment processes of various racial/ethnic groups in the U.S. Examines historical and contemporary discrimination in relation to the social conditions of racial/ethnic minority groups in the U. S. Topics include classical and contemporary theory; individualistic, cultural, and structural arguments about social arrangements; and conflict among majority and minority groups. Offered as AAST 3337, MAS 3337, and SOCI 3337; credit will be granted in only one department. Credit will not be granted for both SOCI 3337 and SOCI 4310 or for MAS 3337 and MAS 4310. Prerequisite: SOCI 1311 or permission of instructor.

SOCI 3338. CONTEMPORARY BLACK EXPERIENCE. 3 Hours.

An overview of recent research concerning the African American experience in the post-civil rights era. Topics include explanations for racial differences across spheres of society such as income, education, and occupation; the debate over race versus social class; the persistence of racial discrimination; and emerging disputes within the black community regarding "what it means to be black." Offered as AAST 3338 and SOCI 3338; credit will be granted in only one department.

SOCI 3339. RACE, SPORT AND MEDIA. 3 Hours.

The media, including television, film, print, audio, and online outlets, influence how we view the world. This course analyzes overt, subtle and subliminal messages about culture, race, ethnicity, and sport as presented to us through various forms of the media. Through examinations of media portrayals of race, both past and present, students will analyze media artifacts, identify recurring themes, and examine research focused on the societal effects of stereotypical media portrayals. Offered as AAST 3339 and SOCI 3339; credit will be granted in only one department.

SOCI 3340. SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION. 3 Hours.

Social relations between the school and society, teachers and parents, teachers and school management, and other relevant relationships. Studying cooperation and conflict, values, complex organizational structure, and social change. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 3341. SOCIOLOGY OF SPORT. 3 Hours.

Sociological examination of the institution of sport in U.S. society. By examining selected topics such as sport and socialization, sport and politics, sport and education, the Olympics, race and sport, violence in sport, women in sport, and the business of sport, this course will address the social significance of sport and its function as a major social institution.

SOCI 3342. SOCIOLOGY OF THE HUMAN BODY. 3 Hours.

Drawing from the social sciences, cultural and gender studies, and exercise physiology, this course in body sociology addresses several contemporary issues relating to diet, nutrition and exercise. Specific topics include eating disorders, factory farming, and "body industries" involving weight-loss diets, gyms, fashion, and cosmetic and bariatric surgery. The medical model of bodies is also examined. Also listed as KINE 3342; credit will not be granted for both.

SOCI 3343. SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION. 3 Hours.

This course provides an overview of the scientific study of religion from a sociological perspective. The focus is on theories, research and trends relevant to religion in the contemporary United States. Topics include, but are not limited to, religious traditions, practices, and beliefs; declining religious participation; and religion and social change. The relationship between religion, politics, race relations, sex and gender will also be examined.

SOCI 3345. SOCIOLOGY OF THE 1960S. 3 Hours.

This course presents a sociological analysis of the sixties, stressing the connection between grassroots mobilization and large structures of power, war, race and gender. The legacy of the sixties is examined through stories told by and about activists of the period. Parallels between the sixties and the present are identified. Movements covered may include civil rights, black power, anti-war and women's rights. Offered as AAST 3344 and SOCI 3345; credit will be granted in only one department.

SOCI 3346. U.S. INTO THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY. 3 Hours.

Selected problems, prospects, and dilemmas examined in the context of contemporary perspectives in sociology as the United States enters the new millennium as a global actor.

SOCI 3347. ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIOLOGY. 3 Hours.

Explores the causes, consequences, and potential resolutions of environmental issues as they relate to human society. Topics include the social roots of environmental problems, inequalities in the distribution of environmental risks and harms, and new directions in sustainable development.

SOCI 3348. SOCIAL ASPECTS OF RISK. 3 Hours.

An examination of the social aspects of risk in everyday life. The course covers the relationship between risk and thrill-seeking behavior, risk assessment and the management of risk by technical experts, risk perceptions among the general public, and how technology and culture change the nature and meaning of risk over time.

SOCI 3351. WORK IN MODERN SOCIETY. 3 Hours.

The changing patterns of work in modern society. The impact of technology, changing characteristics of the work force, and developments in organizational and occupational structure are examined. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 3352. SOCIAL STATISTICS. 3 Hours.

Descriptive statistics including measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion, and measures of association. Emphasis is on probability theory and testing hypotheses. Specific models include T-Test, chi-square, gamma, lambda, theta, analysis of variance and covariance, regression and correlation analysis. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 3353. SOCIAL CLIMATE OF CITIES. 3 Hours.

A comparative study of urban communities and metropolitan areas in terms of their distinctive social life and culture. Topics touching on power and urban politics, race and ethnic relations, poverty, and leisure and lifestyles will be examined in terms of their contribution to the unique social climate of cities. Offered as AAST 3353 and SOCI 3353; credit will be granted in only one department.

SOCI 3355. COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES. 3 Hours.

Students will learn how to develop a research proposal, collect and analyze data based on the proposal, and present the results. The course will emphasize computer analysis, graphics and presentation skills through the use of popular software packages such as Word, Excel, Access, Power Point, and SPSS. Internet data collection and web publishing will also be covered. Individual and group oral presentation is a cornerstone of the course mission. Satisfies the university requirements for computer literacy and oral communication. Prerequisite: SOCI 3352 or equivalent.

SOCI 3356. WOMEN, WORK AND SOCIAL CHANGE. 3 Hours.

Women's work experiences, how these experiences are changing, and relationship between paid employment and non-wage household labor. Paid and unpaid work experiences are empirically examined in terms of a variety of theoretical perspectives. Offered as DIVR 3356, SOCI 3356 and WOMS 3356; credit will be granted only once.

SOCI 3357. LAW AND SOCIETY. 3 Hours.

Law as a social institution. The processes of defining criminal conduct and the social functions of law and of legal processes and systems. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 3360. TOPICS IN SOCIOLOGY. 3 Hours.

Selected topics in social issues, policy, processes and/or structure. May be repeated for credit with departmental permission.

SOCI 3365. PROGRAM EVALUATION & NEEDS ASSESSMENT. 3 Hours.

Introduces basic concepts in evaluation research addressing the need for and implementation, effectiveness, and efficiency of social intervention efforts. Students will advance their skills in quantitative and qualitative research in partnership with community organizations. The course provides an opportunity to learn about and apply techniques for needs assessment, formative and summative program evaluation, developing and testing social impact models, examining costs and benefits, and communicating findings. Prerequisite: SOCI 3462.

SOCI 3366. POPULATION TRENDS AND PROCESSES. 3 Hours.

Examines the fact that all people are born, usually move from one place to another, and inevitably die. Societal patterns in human fertility, migration and mortality contribute to widely varied life-chances for people over time and across the planet. This course explores theories and research on demographic dimensions of human behavior as they affect social and economic issues. The course provides an understanding of how vital population trends and processes are for assessing social problems and offering solutions. Credit will not be granted for both SOCI 4325 and SOCI 3366.

SOCI 3372. SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY. 3 Hours.

This course introduces students to major theories and figures who have provided sociology with interpretations of the social world. Students will consider how sociologists use theoretical concepts to understand social interactions, social problems, and social change. Students will apply sociological theories to social phenomena. Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 3380. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN SOCIETY. 3 Hours.

Explores the complex relationship between society, science, and technology. Themes include historical perspectives on the production and deployment of scientific knowledge, critical approaches to the social, cultural, and ethical impacts of scientific and technological developments, and the role of democracy in the advancement of science and technology.

SOCI 3390. HONORS COLLOQUIUM. 3 Hours.

An interdisciplinary course designed to meet the needs of advanced undergraduates in the Honors College. Prerequisite: participation in the Honors College and/or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 3462. SOCIAL RESEARCH. 4 Hours.

Required of all sociology majors. The major quantitative and qualitative techniques for sociological research. Setting up and implementing a research project, interpreting findings, and preparing a required final paper. Lab includes design, sampling, instrumentation, data analysis, and writing results. Formerly SOCI 3305; credit will be granted only once. Prerequisite: SOCI 3352 or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 4191. CONFERENCE COURSE. 1 Hour.

Topics assigned on an individual basis covering personal research or study in the designated areas. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

SOCI 4193. INTERNSHIP IN SOCIOLOGY. 1 Hour.

Supervised internship program in which a student interns at a company, non-profit organization, or governmental agency. Involves the application of sociology in a non-academic setting. Students may complete a maximum of 6 hours in any combination of SOCI 4193, SOCI 4293, and SOCI 4393. Prerequisite: SOCI 1311 or SOCI 2313; permission of the instructor; and junior standing.

SOCI 4195. SERVICE LEARNING INDEPENDENT STUDY. 1 Hour.

This course involves the investigation and application of sociological knowledge through community based service. Involves structured academic analysis of service experiences. The student and supervising faculty will identify the partner agency and social issue to be addressed. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

SOCI 4291. CONFERENCE COURSE. 2 Hours.

Topics assigned on an individual basis covering personal research or study in the designated areas. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

SOCI 4293. INTERNSHIP IN SOCIOLOGY. 2 Hours.

Supervised internship program in which a student interns at a company, non-profit organization, or governmental agency. Involves the application of sociology in a non-academic setting. Students may complete a maximum of 6 hours in any combination of SOCI 4193, SOCI 4293 and SOCI 4393. Prerequisite: SOCI 1311 or SOCI 2312; permission of the instructor; and junior standing.

SOCI 4295. SERVICE LEARNING INDEPENDENT STUDY. 2 Hours.

This course involves the investigation of sociological knowledge through community based service. Involves structured academic analysis of service experiences. The student and supervising faculty will identify the partner agency and social issue to be addressed. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

SOCI 4303. WOMEN IN SOCIETY. 3 Hours.

Women's status in contemporary American society, including the family, workplace, and politics. Women's status will also be examined in historical and crosscultural perspectives. Offered as SOCI 4303 and WOMS 4303; credit will be granted only once.

SOCI 4306. QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS. 3 Hours.

Conceptual frameworks and techniques for planning, conducting, analyzing, reporting and evaluating qualitative research. Topics include interviewing, participant observation, coding, case studies and focus groups. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 4309. WRITING FOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCES. 3 Hours.

This course blends the theory and practice of social science writing in order to teach students how to move from the first draft to the final draft of term papers, theses, dissertations, and articles. The primary skill taught is self-editing --appraising one's work from the outside. The goal is to learn how to write for publication, drawing from postmodern perspectives on writing. Prerequisite: SOCI 1311 or permission of instructor.

SOCI 4315. VIOLENCE IN SOCIETY. 3 Hours.

Violence as a group process directed toward social change. Historical perspectives, current events, preventive and control techniques, public reaction, and individual behavior. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 4320. MEDICAL SOCIOLOGY. 3 Hours.

The relationships between different societies and social groups and their incidence of disease and mortality. Also examines culture-related causes of disease and treatment approaches, medicine as an occupation, healer-patient relationships, and the modern hospital as a bureaucratic organization.

SOCI 4331. RACE, ETHNICITY & FAMILY FORMATION. 3 Hours.

Investigates the ways in which cultural understandings of race and ethnicity have shaped historical and contemporary variations in family structure, familial experiences, and the legal possibilities for family formation. Junior standing (60 hours) or permission of the instructor required to enroll in this course. Offered as AAST 4331 and SOCI 4331; credit will be granted in only one department.

SOCI 4341. INEQUALITIES IN PUBLIC EDUCATION. 3 Hours.

This course examines the manner in which race, ethnicity, and class affect the quality of education in the public schools. Topics include the resegregation of schools, class and race based achievement and funding gaps, and the role the schools play in reproducing inequality. This course has a service learning component and requires volunteering in programs designed to reduce inequality in the schools. Offered as AAST 4341 and SOCI 4341; credit will be granted in only one department.

SOCI 4365. TOPICS IN SOCIOLOGY. 3 Hours.

Selected topics in social issues, policy, processes and/or structure. Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of the instructor. May be repeated for credit with departmental permission.

SOCI 4370. SENIOR RESEARCH SEMINAR. 3 Hours.

Provides sociology majors with an opportunity to gain practical experience in social research through in-depth participation in a cooperative research project. Integrates substantive knowledge with methodological and statistical skills. Oral, written, and computer application components are included. Prerequisite: SOCI 3352 and SOCI 3462 or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 4391. CONFERENCE COURSE. 3 Hours.

Topics assigned on an individual basis covering personal research or study in the designated areas. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

SOCI 4393. INTERNSHIP IN SOCIOLOGY. 3 Hours.

Supervised internship program in which a student interns at a company, non-profit organization, or governmental agency. Involves the application of sociology in a non-academic setting. Students may complete a maximum of 6 hours in any combination of SOCI 4193, SOCI 4293, and SOCI 4393. Prerequisite: SOCI 1311 or SOCI 2312; permission of instructor; and junior standing.

SOCI 4394. HONORS THESIS/SENIOR PROJECT. 3 Hours.

Required of all students in the University Honors College. During the senior year, the student must complete a thesis or project of equivalent difficulty under the direction of a faculty member in the major department.

SOCI 4395. SERVICE LEARNING INDEPENDENT STUDY. 3 Hours.

This course involves the investigation and application of sociological knowledge through community based service. Involves structured academic analysis of service experiences. The student and supervising faculty will identify the partner agency and social issue to be addressed. Prerequisite: Permission of the Instructor.

SOCI 5191. CONFERENCE COURSE. 1 Hour.

SOCI 5301. SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY. 3 Hours.

A comprehensive review, analysis, and evaluation of the dominant conceptual perspectives, and their proponents, in sociological theory.

SOCI 5303. RESEARCH DESIGN. 3 Hours.

Seminar on the design, plan, structure, and strategies of contemporary social research. Examines the interrelationships of theory, methods, and statistics along with the problems of measurement, sampling, scaling techniques, and the presentation of statistical data.

SOCI 5304. SOCIAL STATISTICS I. 3 Hours.

This course reviews univariate and bivariate descriptive and inferential statistics, focuses on ordinary least squares multivariate regression (including statistical control, path analysis, dummy variables, interaction effects, nonlinear relationships, and regression assumptions), and introduces the generalized linear model (binary logistic regression). Emphasis is on the application of these methods to social science data.

SOCI 5310. SEMINARS IN SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY. 3 Hours.

Introduction and discussion of theoretical and methodological perspectives in social psychology. Focusing on particular domains of social life, these seminars examine fundamental processes of social interaction and the influence of social situations and social experience on the thought, feeling, and behavior of individuals. (May be repeated for credit when topics vary.).

SOCI 5319. SEMINARS IN SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND CHANGE. 3 Hours.

Seminars in this area are concerned with the structure and change of the basic elements of society that represent ordered and regulated aspects of social life. Also examined are collective behavior and social movements which result from instability in institutional arrangements and represent efforts to enact social change. (May be repeated for credit when topics vary.).

SOCI 5330. SEMINARS IN SOCIAL DIFFERENTIATION. 3 Hours.

In all human societies, perceptions of differences in individuals, social positions and groups arise and form a basis for social evaluation. Seminars in this area examine the processes involved in social differentiation, social evaluation, and resulting forms of social inequality. (May be repeated for credit when topics vary).

SOCI 5341. SEMINARS IN THEORY AND RESEARCH METHODS. 3 Hours.

Research methods seminars address a variety of issues related to quantitative and qualitative approaches to data collection and analysis. Theory courses offer extended treatment of topics in theory and theory construction, reflecting systematic efforts to understand the nature and operation of human society and social behavior. (May be repeated for credit when topics vary.).

SOCI 5385. NON-THESIS PROJECT. 3 Hours.

A written essay synthesizing the students' coursework in response to one of two supplied prompts. The topic and scope of the written project must be approved by the non-thesis committee chair. A final presentation of the project to the non-thesis committee, composed of the non-thesis committee chair and two additional members of the graduate faculty, is required.

SOCI 5388. RESEARCH PRACTICUM / INTERNSHIP. 3 Hours.

SOCI 5389. TEACHING SOCIOLOGY. 3 Hours.

To learn strategies of coping with practical problems of teaching undergraduate sociology, students assist one or more professors in lecture preparation, grading, and examination construction. Not to be counted toward the degree requirement.

SOCI 5392. CONFERENCE COURSE IN SOCIOLOGY. 3 Hours.

There is not currently a description listed for this course since the content varies.

SOCI 5393. THESIS SUBSTITUTE. 3 Hours.

An academic literature review, research design, or an internship report on a selected sociological topic of individual interest. The topic and scope of the written project must be approved by the final thesis committee, which is composed of three graduate faculty members. A proposal defense and a final oral defense of the project is required.

SOCI 5398. THESIS. 3 Hours.

SOCI 5698. THESIS. 6 Hours.

Substantial original empirical or theoretical research project on a sociological topic of individual interest. The topic and scope of the written project must be approved by the final thesis committee, which is composed of three graduate faculty members. A proposal defense and a final oral defense of the project is required.