Sociology

This course presents the fundamentals of anthropology. Both physical and cultural anthropological perspectives will be utilized. A holistic focus will be on the intersection of these two perspectives as they attempt to explain human social behavior. Main topics related to the role and results of natural selection include: territoriality, food acquisition, aggression, gender roles, marriage, reproduction, religion, socialization strategies, and child rearing.

This course is designed to acquaint the student with working knowledge of the concepts used by sociologists and with the well-established generalizations in the field. Topics include socialization, primary groups, stratification, population, and bureaucracy. This course is a prerequisite for all other sociology courses.

This course examines what makes a social problem and an analysis of present areas of tension and social maladjustment, especially those associated with recent rapid social changes.

This course explores the operation and structure of complex organizations and bureaucracies. Particular emphasis is placed on corporations, government agencies, and educational institutions.

The extent and types of crime and delinquency in contemporary society, and the criminologist’s contribution to the analysis of causal factors are examined and discussed.

This course introduces the sociological perspectives of deviant behavior, including social control theory, social disorganization theory, anomie theory, labeling theory, and conflict theory. Scientific research on such deviant behaviors as prostitution, pornography, and drug use will be examined. Governmental deviance, corporate deviance, and police deviance and the cost of these forms of deviance to society are explored.

This course focuses on the creation and maintenance of social institutions and the ways in which these congeries of organizations and structures shape human relations and experience. Particular emphasis will be placed on the educational system, government, the family, religion, the economy, and the media.

An examination is made of the family as a major social institution, and how family forms and roles vary across cultures. Topics include: ethnic and social variations in structure, single-parent families, parent-child interactions, non-traditional marriages, and domestic violence.

This course is an in-depth exploration of the causes and consequences of social class inequality in the United States. Emphasis will be placed on an analysis of the multiple ways in which social and economic inequality operates to provide power and privilege to certain segments of society. The effect of social class inequality on racial and gender inequality is also considered.

Social aspects of aging over the life span will be discussed. Age-related changes, role transitions, and outcomes of increased longevity will be presented. Special topics include: race, ethnicity, retirement, access to healthcare, long-term care, as well as death and dying.

A study is made of methods used in sociological research with special emphasis on measurement and data collection. Time will also be devoted to the interview, questionnaire, and recent sociological studies.

This course examines the development and functioning of bureaucratic organizations, including both formal and informal aspects. The sociology of work will also be discussed with emphasis on occupations and professions and their performance expectations within the organization.

The course will cover the social systems of former colonial nations in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. Emphasis will be placed on their changing institutions: political, economic, educational and social, as influenced by colonialism.

The student will study the outstanding theorists in the development of sociological thought. Special attention will be given to the works of Durkheim, Marx, and Weber. Upper division students.

This course is an intensive study of selected ethnic and racial groups and subcultures in their structural and cultural aspects. Students will study how these affect their lifestyles in relation to dominant groups within the social system. Both classical and contemporary models of minority-dominant relations will be considered for their relevance toward an adequate understanding of contemporary social systems.

This course examines the impact of religion in American life; the changing religious landscape; profiles of America’s religious groups; trends in individual religious commitment; and the relationship between religion and politics in the U. S.

Societal expectations and reactions to health and illness in the United States will be examined. Institutions and current provider systems will be described. Discussion will center around the concept of the sick role and the reciprocal statuses (medical and allied health professions) involved. Alternative health options will also be discussed.

This course presents a sociological analysis of the status of women after the Women’s Liberation movement. Special emphasis on roles, work, family, education, and goals women have set for themselves, not only in the United States but in other societies as well.

Selected topics, chosen in accordance with the student’s interests and background, are analyzed in depth.

The object of the internship program is to give the student practical experience in a social agency, business, organization, or institution. Intern assignments will be made in keeping with the student’s future vocational plans. Course work includes related readings, maintaining a journal, and a final paper summarizing the internship experience. Credits awarded will be determined by instructor and department chair.

This course studies the development of modern theory and social work methods in the various fields of social work, including case work, group work, and community organizing.

A primarily experiential and social work course for those seriously considering social work careers. Major topics covered include methods and techniques used in social casework, the interviewing process, role-playing, and casework within the agency setting.

This course will focus on the knowledge, methods and skills of social work practice in the field of child welfare. It will provide an overview of the current children’s welfare system services and practices. Students will explore and analyze the impact of services and practices on the child and family. In addition, students will examine the historical trends in services to children and their families within the framework of supportive, supplemental, and substitute services that have evolved over time as part of the service structure in child welfare. While recognizing the impact of impoverishment, changing family structures, and other aspects of pressures on contemporary family life, attention will be given to social work approaches that encourage parenting strengths and home-based intervention options as preventive strategies in child welfare services.

The object of the internship program is to give the student practical experience in a social agency, business, organization, or institution. Intern assignments will be made in keeping with the student’s future vocational plans. Course work includes related readings, maintaining a journal, and a final paper summarizing the internship experience. Credits awarded will be determined by instructor and department chair.