Courses
(This list of courses may not be up to date. Please see the latest General Catalog for a complete list of current courses.)
SOCI 021. Culture and Society (4) An examination of cultural artifacts and their various linkages with contemporary social structure. Topics examined include: the cultural creator and social restraints; the development and forms of cultural industries; cultural diffusion and the differential consumption of cultural artifacts as viewed from the perspective of both social stratification and social differentiation; cross-cultural diffusion of culture.
SOCI 031. Deviant Behavior (4) An examination of the various theoretical approaches to the study of deviant behavior. Special attention is given to the problem of defining deviance in the context of its culturally relative nature.
SOCI 051. Introduction to Sociology (4) An introduction to the field of sociology with an emphasis upon study of the basic concepts of sociological analysis, their use in the understanding of major institutions and the trends and problems associated with the urban, industrial and political developments in contemporary society.
SOCI 061. Urban Society (4) A sociological introduction to the study of American cities and urban lifestyles, which explores patterns of racial, ethnic, immigration and social class diversity, sources of inequality, and economic and social problems that influence the quality of modern urban life. Application of sociological knowledge to improve social institutions and multicultural relations, develop communities and achieve positive social change.
SOCI 081. Introduction to Social Services (4) An introduction to the field of social services. Students will learn and utilize sociological methods to understand the ways in which societies attempt to deal with problems of individuals and groups in need of services, identification of client population, agency organization, competition, funding, program design and evaluation. This course combines classroom work with field-work in both public and private agencies. Upper Division Courses
SOCI 104. Sociology of Sport (4) An examination of the institution of sport from a sociological perspective. Theories of sport and related empirical data are analyzed. Special attention will be devoted to the impact of sport on education, racial discrimination in sport and theories of play. Prerequisite: a course in sociology or permission of the instructor.
SOCI 108. Food, Culture and Society (4) A focus on the role of food in society, with an emphasis on understanding food in its social and cultural contexts. Topics covered include food and nutrition; problems of over- and under-eating; food fads; food sacrifices and taboos; food and social and ethnic identity; and the global politics of food. Although beginning with a look at American food ways, the course is highly cross-cultural and comparative in nature.
SOCI 114. Social and Cultural Change (4) An advanced examination of how societies have responded to a variety of pressures and undergone substantial changes. The effects of the agricultural, industrial and technological revolutions upon selected cultures from around the world will be detailed and related to such topics as population, rise of political bureaucracy, peasantry as a social class, colonialism, nationalism and the consequences of technical modernization on religion and the family. Prerequisite: a course in sociology or permission of the instructor.
SOCI 123. Sex and Gender (4) A comparative analysis of the social construction of gender in a wide range of contemporary societies, both Western and Non-Western. The following topics will be addressed: gender as symbolic ordering, gender as culturally constructed identity, domains of power and authority, production and reproduction, colonialism and the underdevelopment of women and the Third World response to Western feminism. Prerequisite: a course in sociology or permission of the instructor.
SOCI 125. Health and Illness (4) Using basic sociological concepts, the course explores the complexities of the contemporary health care system. Cross-cultural materials are employed to give international perspective. Areas studied include: definition of health and illness, patient-practitioner relationship, health professions, medical institutions and social epidemiology. Prerequisite: a course in sociology or permission of the instructor.
SOCI 127. Family and Marriage (4) Deals with the social dynamics of human intimacy and places the family in its broader societal context. The evolution of the family is studied both historically and comparatively. Special attention is given to the social meaning of sexuality; changing roles of men and women; intimacy, marriage and divorce; domestic violence; parenthood, childhood and aging; and the future of the nuclear family and alternative ways of living together. Prerequisite: a course in sociology or permission of the instructor
SOCI 133. Criminology (4) Analysis of the nature and distribution of crime; theories of crime causation and prevention; examination of the operation of police and judicial agencies.
SOCI 139. Corrections (4) History and theories of and current practices in institutional and non-institutional programs addressed to the correctional treatment of juvenile and adult offenders. Prerequisite: a course in sociology or permission of the instructor.
SOCI 165. Social Organizations (4) Exploration of the organizational structure of human societies and the influence of organizations on individuals and groups. Analysis of the form and structure of formal organizations and the relations between organizations, social class and social institutions in contemporary society. Case studies of private, public, and non-profit organizations. Prerequisite: a course in sociology or permission of the instructor.
SOCI 181. Delivery of Social Services (4) Various facets of the role of the social service worker. The sociological perspective will be used to examine the relationship of the social service worker to the client, co-workers, the agency and the community. The emphasis will be on recognizing, analyzing and resolving problems which impede effective delivery. Weekly class sessions will be supplemented with a regular supervised field experience in a local social service agency. Prerequisite: a course in sociology or permission of the instructor. Core Courses These courses must be taken to fulfill major requirements in sociology.
SOCI 071. Foundations of Sociology (4) An exploration of fundamental concepts, theoretical approaches, empirical methods and fields of inquiry of concern to the professional sociologist. Examination of selected topics of concern to the discipline and strategies for applying sociological knowledge at individual, group and societal levels. Introduction to the fundamentals of data analysis. Exploration of the roles and contributions of the professional sociologist. Required as the first course in the core sequence for students intending to major or minor in sociology.
SOCI 079. Social Psychology (4) The study of the relationships between the individual and his/her social environment, including the nature of social roles, socialization and human development, group formation, intergroup relations including the causes and consequences of prejudice, and the influence of groups and social institutions on human identity and behavior. Prerequisite: SOCI 071 (or concurrent enrollment) or permission of the instructor.
SOCI 171. Social Research Methods (4) The review and application of the various methods most used in social science research to design research projects and gather and analyze data. Examination of the ethical issues involved in the use of such methods. Consideration of the interrelationships between the development of social theory and methodologies of data collection including experiments, observation, interviews, surveys and content analysis. Use of statistical software in sampling and data analysis. Prerequisite: SOCI 071 or permission of the instructor.
SOCI 172. Social Inequality (4) This course will examine the historical causes, current structure, and consequences of social inequality. The emphasis will be on contemporary social, economic and political issues in the United States, but there will be some comparisons with other societies. We will focus on both individual group experiences of inequality due to age, class, gender and race, the effects of social inequality on society in general, and possible ways to reduce the level of social inequality in the United States. Prerequisite: SOCI 071 or permission of the instructor.
SOCI 177. Theories of Society and Culture (4) Examination of sociological theory at both the macro- and micro-sociological levels. Students completing this course will learn how sociologists define and use theory in the development of sociological knowledge. They will learn and be able to compare and contrast several basic theoretical orientations. Through practical exercises they will develop the ability to select and to appropriately apply multiple theoretical concepts and perspectives to a variety of social issues facing individuals, groups, our society and the world. Prerequisite: SOCI 071; SOCI 172 strongly recommended
SOCI 179. Capstone Seminar (4) A seminar that allows senior students to put into practice skills and ideas they have developed throughout their major course of study. Students will examine the history of the field, including the promise, successes, and failures of sociology. Students will present ideas and data to their peers, participate in the assessment of the major program, and consider the major as it relates to their personal and professional goals. Prerequisite: Open to majors with senior standing only, or by permission of the instructor. Special Areas
SOCI 187a, b. Fieldwork (2 or 4, 2 or 4) Provides the opportunity for supervised observation and experience in community settings, including public agencies, non-profit or voluntary organizations, or businesses. Fieldwork sites may be local or away from campus. Eligibility to enroll presupposes familiarity with issues and problems in the field in which one is to work, usually demonstrated by acceptable work in one or more related campus courses. SOCI 187b can be either an experience in a second community or agency setting or a second experience in the same setting focused at a more advanced level than SOCI 187a. Specific responsibilities for each course will be set in conference with the instructor. SOCI 187 is an advance learning opportunity designed for students with sociological preparation who want to learn more about sociological topics through direct experience, observation, reflection and analysis. The course may be repeated for credit, but will apply toward major requirements only once. SOCI 187 is a letter-graded course. Prerequisites: SOCI 071 and SOCI 171, 2.0 GPA in major or permission of the instructor.
SOCI 191. Independent Study (2 4) Available by permission of individual instructor.
SOCI 193. Special Topics (upper level) (4)
SOCI 197a,b. Independent Research (2 or 4) Provides the opportunity for qualified students to complete a supervised original social research project using one or more research methodologies common to the discipline of sociology. Students are encouraged to focus on a sociologically relevant community based topic and to prepare results for professional presentation. Projects under-taken for 4 units of credit may meet the departmental experiential learning requirement. Prerequisites: SOCI 171.