SOC204Z Introduction to Sociology  (Course offered online)

Credits 4Summer/Fall/Winter/Spring

Registration Requirement: RD090 and WR090, or IECC201R and IECC201W, each with a grade of "C" or higher; or placement above stated course levels.

Introduces the central concepts, theories, and methods that define the sociological approach to investigating social forces that shape our lives. Topics may include social structure, culture, socialization, race, class, gender, sexuality, and inequality.

View Course Outcomes:

1. Describe the central concepts, theories, and methods that define sociological approaches to social scientific inquiry.
2. Analyze social life using sociological concepts and theories.
3. Explain how the sociological imagination interrelates different levels of analysis such as social structures and individuals.
4. Identify how social factors contribute to inequalities in society.
5. Explain the role of theory and evidence in building sociological knowledge.

SOC205Z Social Change and Institutions  (Course offered online)

Credits 4Summer/Winter

Registration Requirement: RD090 and WR090, or IECC201R and IECC201W, each with a grade of "C" or higher; or placement above stated course levels.

Sociological analysis of social institutions, such as family, education, health care, the economy, and the state. Includes an examination of connections among institutions and their impact on patterns of inequality and individual outcomes. Examines the forces and dynamics behind social change such as social movements, culture, economic forces, technologies, and the environment.

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1. Discuss the history of key social institutions.
2. Analyze major social institutions and change using sociological concepts, theory, and research.
3. Describe how the structure of institutions shapes patterns of social inequality.
4. Discuss diversity of experiences that individuals have with institutions based on group membership, such as race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and social class.
5. Describe how and why societies change over time.
6. Describe common pitfalls in presentations of information.

SOC206Z Social Problems  (Course offered online)

Credits 4Fall/Spring

Registration Requirement: RD090 and WR090, or IECC201R and IECC201W, each with a grade of "C" or higher; or placement above stated course levels.

Applies the sociological perspective to the study of social problems, including their construction, causes, and consequences. Explores the complexities surrounding their solutions such as how solutions are socially constructed and policy proposals from sociologists and social movements. Topics may include: poverty, discrimination, interpersonal violence, crime, addiction, ecological crisis, war/global conflict, and health inequality.

View Course Outcomes:

1. Describe the ways in which social problems are defined and constructed.
2. Apply the sociological perspective to identify and analyze social problems.
3. Distinguish between individual and structural explanations of social problems.
4. Assess the effects of social problems using empirical evidence.
5. Examine the structural, institutional, and cultural roots of social problems.
6. Assess solutions to address social problems.

SOC213 Race Relations in the United States  (Course offered online)  (Cultural Literacy course)

Credits 3Fall/Winter/Spring

Registration Requirement: RD090 and WR090, or IECC201R and IECC201W, each with a grade of "C" or better; or placement above stated course levels.

This course examines race relations in the United States sociologically. Emphasis is placed upon basic sociological concepts used to examine historical and contemporary dimensions of race. Included among these concepts are: power, social class, self concept, social interaction, institutional discrimination and social structure. This course will answer the following questions: What is race? How and why is race constructed in particular ways in the U.S.? How does the cultural meaning of race change?.

This course fulfills: Cultural Literacy; Human Relations; Social Science

View Course Outcomes:

1. Analyze contemporary social constructions of race in the United States
2. Discuss and appraise basic sociological concepts and theories of race relations in the American context
3. Explain the ways in which power relations are relevant to race in the United States
4. Identify intersectionality of race with other systems of inequality such as gender and class

SOC215 Gender and Society  (Course offered online)  (Cultural Literacy course)

Credits 3Winter

Registration Requirement: RD090 and WR090, each with a grade of "C" or better; or placement above stated course levels.

Sociological perspectives on gender are examined in this course. In particular, the social construction of gender is explored in relation to identity, interaction and social institutions. The course content is organized around the following questions: What is gender? How does gender influence the organization of families, economies and states? In what ways is gender related to power and violence? How does gender impact identity, intimacy and friendship?.

This course fulfills: Cultural Literacy; Human Relations; Social Science

View Course Outcomes:

1. Analyze the connection between macro and micro levels of social life as they relate to gender inequality. In particular, identify the connection between identity, interaction and social structure as they relate to gender
2. Explain the gender dynamics of particular social institutions including: the family, the economy, the state, and education.
3. Describe sociological perspectives of gender and sexuality.
4. Describe the intersection of gender with other structural systems such as: race, class, ethnicity, sexuality.

SOC216 Sociology of the Family  (Course offered online)

Credits 3Spring

Registration Requirement: RD090 and WR090, or IECC201R and IECC201W, each with a grade of "C" or better; or placement above stated course levels.

This course is designed to examine the family as a social institution. The course explores the relationship between family forms and shifts in the economy. In addition, the course considers power relations embedded in families as well as diversity in families in the U.S. Finally, the course explores the family as it relates to the life course from childhood to partnership to parenthood of the elderly and their families.

This course fulfills: Human Relations; Social Science

View Course Outcomes:

1. Analyze the relationship between social change and family structure
2. Describe diversity in U.S. family structures
3. Describe kinship patterns as they relate to U.S. families historically
4. Describe life-course issues as they relate to the family
5. Identify power relations in families

SOC223 Sociology of Aging  (Course offered online)

Credits 3

Registration Requirement: RD090 and WR090, or IECC201R and IECC201W, each with a grade of "C" or better, or placement above stated course levels; SOC204 is recommended.

The sociological and cultural aspects of aging in contemporary American society are studied in this introductory course. The lifelong process of aging is examined from psychological, biological and sociological perspectives. Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to describe key sociological theories and concepts of aging. In addition, students will be able to identify and apply strategies for working with older adults.

This course fulfills: Human Relations; Social Science

View Course Outcomes:

1. Describe the procedures involved in death, dying and bereavement
2. Discuss the importance of social supports, the family friends and neighbors
3. Explain the social consequences of biological and psychological aging
4. Identify and explain differing theories of aging
5. Identify and explain the factors which are responsible for the growth of an aging population
6. Identify the characteristics of populations at risk, i.e., older minorities, older women

SOC298 Sociology Research

Credit 1

Registration Requirement: Instructor permission required. Student will be advised to have either completed SOC204 or have concurrent registration in SOC206.

This course develops skills in community-based research and social policy analysis. The student will engage in academic research as well as community work in order to analyze a particular social justice issue. The student will investigate social policy research on his or her particular issue and develop policy recommendations.

View Course Outcomes:

1. Apply knowledge of human behavior and social phenomenon to social and community issues
2. Apply sociological concepts to contemporary social problems
3. Apply sociological methodologies at an introductory level to developing an understanding of particular sociological phenomenon