| Sociology |
SOC 815 - Criminological Theory
Credits:
4.00
Introduces graduate students and advanced undergraduates€ÿÿÿÿ Introduces graduate students and advanced undergraduates to
to the major theoretical literature in crime and
delinquency. Covers both classical and contemporary theory,
with empirical assessments of theories, including marco-
and micro-level control, strain, and learning theories as
well as recent developments in biosocial, deterrence,
labeling, and critical/feminist theories.
SOC 820 - Sociology of Drug Use
Credits:
4.00
Examines licit and illicit drug use from a sociological
perspective. Draws primarily from the sociology of mental
health and criminology to explore a variety of drug-related
topics including: historical and current U.S. drug trends,
dominant theoretical approaches about the initiation into,
and continued use of drugs, drug-related crime, therapeutic
use of drugs, prevention and treatment of drug problems,
and drug-related policies.
SOC 840 - Sociology of Mental Health
Credits:
4.00
Introduces students to different sociological approaches
for studying and understanding mental health and illness.
Students examine the social distribution of mental illness
in the United State and the social-structural factors that
help to explain mental health variations. Also addresses
issues surrounding mental health treatment, systems, and
policies for the mentally ill.
SOC 841 - Social Change and Development
Credits:
4.00
This course examines theoretical and empirical work on¿
social change and development, and explores on-the-ground
efforts to alleviate poverty and stimulate equitable
development. Reliance on key concepts of class, culture and
politics; attention to the role of technology and the
importance of the environment. Focus on social change in
America from 19th century to the modern post-WWII era and
on change and development in developing countries
throughout the world.
SOC 842 - Sociology and Social Policy
Credits:
4.00
Social policy and public policy defined: description of
the policy making process. The political sociology of the
policy-making process; who makes policy and who influences
policy, under what conditions, and with what effect.
Definition of social policy research and the various roles
social scientist can adopt for policy-relevant work.
Students are responsible for critiquing the readings and
for preparing a substantial research paper.
SOC 845 - Race, Ethnicity, and Inequality
Credits:
4.00
Sociological perspectives on race and ethnic relations for
graduate and advanced undergraduate students. Topics
include the creation of racial and ethnic identities; the
nature and extent of segregation; education, employment,
and wealth inequalities; and the effects of state policy.
Course emphasizes both theoretical and empirical assessments
SOC 854 - Sociology of Religion
Credits:
4.00
Topics covered included religion's role in constructing¿
social identities, feminism, sexuality, and the
negotiation of traditional religious doctrine, religion and
social capital, religious violence, and political and
cultural conflict. The course will give particular
attention to questions pertaining to religious authority
and meaning, how religious traditions are contested and
reinvigorated and how new religious/spiritual practices
emerge.
SOC 860 - Aging and Late Life Family
Credits:
4.00
Using a life-course perspective, this course focuses on
family relationships and social role transitions in later
life. Addresses impact of the empty nest stage,
grandparenthood, retirement, care giving, and widowhood on
the well-being and relationships of older people.
SOC 870 - Social Stress and Health
Credits:
4.00
The purpose of this course is to increase students'ð›ÿ¿
understanding of how the social environment affects the
health and well-being of individuals. In particular, we
will examine how stress processes rooted in social
structures and institutions help to explain variations in
mental health. The conceptualization and measurement of
social stress moderators and mediators in the stress
process, and mental health outcomes will also be addressed.
SOC 873 - Sociology of Childhood
Credits:
4.00
This course will expose students to a variety of
sociological perspectives on childhood in American
society. Focus will be on the analysis of how social
institutions, like the modern American family, school,
economic system, justice system and communications media
affect children. Assumes a prior understanding of important
sociological concepts, critical thinking skills and social
science writing ability.
SOC 876 - Family Violence Research Seminar
Credits:
4.00
Analysis of abusive relationships within the family,ð›ÿ¿
especially physical and sexual abuse of children and
spouses. Each student designs and conducts and empirical
study to test a theory purporting to explain intra-family
violence, the consequences of violence for families and
society, or a study of what might prevent family violence.
Permission required.
SOC 880 - Social Conflict
Credits:
4.00
Analysis of the social conditions associated with theÿ¿
major forms of conflict management in human societies:
discipline, rebellion, vengeance, negotiation, mediation,
law, therapy, supernaturalism, and avoidance.
SOC 892 - Research Internship
Credits:
4.00
For students who want practical experience applying social
research methods in a program or policy setting.
Placements, arranged jointly by student and faculty and
faculty member, include community development agencies,
social service agencies, non-profits, research centers, and
companies. Students meet bi-weekly to discuss their
internship experiences. A major report on the research
undertaken is required. Prereq: Sociological Methods I:
Intermediate Social Statistics, Sociological Methods II:
Research Design and permission.
SOC 894 - Evaluation of Social Programs
Credits:
4.00
Evaluation research defined: purposes of evaluation;›ÿ¿
design of evaluation studies; setting of programs;
utilization of evaluation results. Examination of case
studies of evaluations of social programs. Students are
responsible for designing an evaluation study in their
chosen substantive area. Prereq: methods of social research.
SOC 897 - Special Topics
Credits:
4.00
Occasional or experimental offerings. May be repeated for
different topics.
SOC 899 - Master's Thesis
Credits:
1.00 to 10.00
Usually 6 credits but up to 10 credits when the problem
warrants. Cr/F.
SOC 900 - Proseminar
Credits:
2.00
An introduction to the discipline of sociology and to the
graduate program. Topics include writing for professional
audiences, publishing, applying for support, TA workshop,
writing a thesis or dissertation. Meetings with faculty
members throughout the semester. Cr/F.
SOC 901 - Sociological Methods I: Intermediate Social Statistics
Credits:
4.00
Application of statistical methods to the analysis ofÿ¿
social data, with particular emphasis on multiple
regression and related topics.
SOC 902 - Sociological Methods II: Research Design
Credits:
4.00
Systematic investigation of each step in the design and
implementation of sociological research. Selected
techniques of data collection and analyses are pursued.
Prereq: methods of social research; social statistics;/or
their equivalents or permission.
SOC 903 - Sociological Methods III: Advanced Social Statistics
Credits:
4.00
Multivariate statistical methods for the analysis of›ÿ¿
social data. Topics include problem-solving with multiple
regression, categorical-variable models, dynamic models,
and others.
SOC 904 - Sociological Methods IV: Qualitative and Historical Research Methods
Credits:
4.00
An introduction to qualitative and historical methods of
data gathering and analysis in the social sciences. The
seminar is intended as an intensive workshop training in
such techniques as participant observation, in-depth
interviewing, content analysis, and archival exploration.
Students conduct qualitative and/or historical research and
are responsible for designing an individual project,
collecting and analyzing appropriate data, and writing a
research paper.
SOC 911 - Sociological Theory I
Credits:
4.00
The content, presuppositions, and implications of the body
of classical sociological theory, exemplifying the full
range of sociological inquiry.
SOC 912 - Sociological Theory II
Credits:
4.00
The content, presuppositions, and implications of
contemporary sociological theory. Students engage in
theory construction and analysis and in this endeavor are
encouraged to develop their particular interests in
substantive areas. Prereq: SOC 911.
SOC 921 - Crime and Conflict
Credits:
4.00
Serves as the core course for the Crime and Conflict›ÿ¿
concentration. Theories and patterns of crime; the social
origins of violent and nonviolent conflict; the role of
social factors in the justice system; alternative forms of
crime control and conflict management.
SOC 975 - Sociology of the Family
Credits:
4.00
Major approaches in the sociological study of families.
Individuals in families, family relationships, and
families as groups and the interrelationships among these
levels. Interactional and systemic properties of marriage,
parent-child relations, and extended family relations.
SOC 980 - Social Stratification
Credits:
4.00
Introduces students to the core of theoretical,
methodological, and substantive issues in social
stratification. Readings include classical and contemporary
theories of stratification and work exploring the sources
and consequences of stratification. Inequalities based on
class, race, and gender examined.
SOC 988 - Medical Sociology: Health, Healing, and Society
Credits:
4.00
Social context of wellness, illness, and healing;
stratification and health; mortality and morbidity in
relation to class, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, and
age; social control functions of medicine: medicalization
and de-medicalization; interaction of physicians and
patients; medical occupations; mental health and mental
illness; stress and illness; medical care systems in
various countries.
SOC 990 - Teaching Sociology Seminar
Credits:
4.00
Helps graduate students explore teaching techniques and
improve their teaching skills. Topics include: setting
course goals, designing lectures, evaluating student course
work, leading discussion, and experimenting with innovative
teaching techniques. (Also offered as GRAD 974.)
SOC 995 - Reading and Research
Credits:
2.00 to 8.00
A student prepared by training and experience to do the
independent work under the guidance of an instructor may
register. Prereq: 16 graduate hours of sociology and
permission. Hours and credit to be arranged. May be
repeated for different topics.
SOC 996 - Reading and Research
Credits:
2.00 to 8.00
See description for SOC 995.
SOC 997 - Advanced Special Topics
Credits:
2.00 or 4.00
Occasional or experimental offerings.
SOC 999 - Doctoral Research
Credits:
Cr/F.