Sociology (SOC)

SOC 815 - Criminological Theory

Credits: 4

Introduces graduate students and advanced undergraduates to the major theoretical literature in crime and delinquency. Covers both classical and contemporary theory, with empirical assessments of theories, including macro- and micro-level control, strain, and learning theories as well as recent developments in biosocial, deterrence, labeling, and critical/feminist theories.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

SOC 820 - Sociology of Drug Use

Credits: 4

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.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

SOC 825 - Social Demography

Credits: 4

Social demography examines the linkages between changes in the size, composition and distribution of the population and changes in social, environmental, economic and political factors. The course examines demographic methods and the materials and the analytical techniques used by demographers to analyze population redistribution, fertility, work, marriage, migration and mortality. The policy implications of demographic change will be examined with attention to the United States as well as the developed and developing world.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

SOC 830 - Communities and the Environment

Credits: 4

People and the natural environments in which they live fundamentally structure communities around the globe. Economic change, expanding development, and human migration are transforming social and environmental conditions in both rural and urban settings, altering the identities of many communities as well as their relationships with the natural world. The importance of these emerging social and environmental issues has made them a focus for social science inquiry. This course exposes students to a range of sociological concepts, theories, and research approaches related to the study of communities and environmental issues. Some of the substantive themes that are covered include: population dynamics and environmental change; social capital and social networks; political economy and community development; collective action and social movements; science, technology, and environmental risks; and environmental racism and justice. The principal assignment for the course will be a research project where students investigate a community or environmental issue of their own interest.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

SOC 840 - Sociology of Mental Health

Credits: 4

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.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

SOC 845 - Race, Ethnicity, and Inequality

Credits: 4

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.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

SOC 873 - Childhood and Social Policy

Credits: 4

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.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

SOC 888 - Advanced Medical Sociology

Credits: 4

This course is intended to provide an in-depth introduction to the major theoretical frameworks of medical sociology and empirical research examining social factors that influence individual's health and illness. We will take a critical approach in our examination of: the distribution of health and illness (by socioeconomic status, sex/gender, and race/ethnicity); medicalization and social control; and the social construction of health and illness. Most of the learning in this course will take place through shared facilitation of class discussions based on the reading.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

SOC 897 - Special Topics

Credits: 4

Occasional or experimental offerings. May be repeated barring duplication of subject.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated up to unlimited times.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

SOC 899 - Master's Thesis

Credits: 1-10

Master's Thesis. Students typically complete 6 credits, however, it can be taken up to 10 credits when permitted by the department by petition.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 10 credits.

Grade Mode: Graduate Credit/Fail grading

SOC 900 - Pro-seminar

Credits: 2

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.

Grade Mode: Graduate Credit/Fail grading

SOC 901 - Sociological Methods I: Intermediate Social Statistics

Credits: 4

Application of statistical methods to the analysis of social data, with particular emphasis on multiple regression and related topics.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

SOC 902 - Sociological Methods II: Research Design

Credits: 4

Systematic investigation of each step in the design and implementation of sociological research. Selected techniques of data collection and analyses are pursued. Strongly recommend prior course in research methods and social statistics.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

SOC 903 - Sociological Methods III: Advanced Social Statistics

Credits: 4

Multivariate statistical methods for the analysis of social data. Topics include problem-solving with multiple regression, categorical-variable models, dynamic models, and others.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

SOC 904 - Sociological Methods IV: Qualitative and Historical Research Methods

Credits: 4

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.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

SOC 905 - Research Practicum

Credits: 4

This course is designed to help students improve and finalize a research paper for publication. Students will also critique and edit one another's work to develop peer-review skills. Through successive revisions, students are expected to finalize and submit their manuscripts to a scholarly journal at the end of the course. Since students' projects will be at different stages of needed revision, the course schedule and content will remain flexible to accommodate different students' needs.

Prerequisite(s): SOC 901 with a minimum grade of D- and SOC 902 with a minimum grade of D-.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

SOC 911 - Sociological Theory I

Credits: 4

The content, presuppositions, and implications of the body of classical sociological theory, exemplifying the full range of sociological inquiry.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

SOC 921 - Crime and Conflict

Credits: 4

Serves as the core course for the Crime and Conflict 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.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

SOC 975 - Sociology of the Family

Credits: 4

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.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

SOC 980 - Social Stratification

Credits: 4

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.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

SOC #990 - Teaching Sociology Seminar

Credits: 4

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.

Equivalent(s): GRAD 974

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

SOC 995 - Reading and Research

Credits: 2-8

A student prepared by training and experience to do the independent work under the guidance of an instructor may register. Students are required to complete 16 graduate hours of sociology prior to taking this course. Hours and credit to be arranged. May be repeated for different topics.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

SOC 999 - Doctoral Research

Credits: 0

Doctoral Research.

Grade Mode: Graduate Credit/Fail grading

Special Fee: Yes