Course information contained within the Bulletin is accurate at the time of publication in July 2024 but is subject to change. For the most up-to-date course information, please refer to the Course Catalog.
SOC 0817. Youth Cultures. 3 Credit Hours.
Do you listen to hip hop, spend all your time in Second Life, dress up like a cartoon character and go to anime fairs, or go skateboarding every day with your friends? Then you're part of the phenomenon called youth culture. Often related to gender, race, class and socio-economic circumstances, youth cultures enable young people to try on identities as they work their way to a clearer sense of self. Empowered by new technology tools and with the luxury of infinite virtual space, young people today can explore identities in ways not available to previous generations. Students in this class will investigate several youth cultures, looking closely at what it means to belong. They will also come to appreciate how the media and marketing construct youth identities and define youth cultures around the world. NOTE: This course fulfills the Human Behavior (GB) requirement for students under GenEd and Individual & Society (IN) for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed ANTH 0817, ASST 0817 or EDUC 0817/0917.
Course Attributes: GB
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 0818. Human Sexuality. 3 Credit Hours.
We often think about sexuality in terms of the physical and reproductive aspects of sex. But our sexuality is complex and dynamic. We will address this dynamic complexity as we explore the biological, psychological, relational, and cultural aspects of sexuality. The goal of this course is to broaden your perspective of human sexuality, and deepen your understanding and awareness of your own sexuality. NOTE: This course fulfills the Human Behavior (GB) requirement for students under GenEd and Individual & Society (IN) for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed any of the following: PSY 0818/0918, SOC 0918.
Course Attributes: GB
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 0825. Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences. 4 Credit Hours.
Our understanding of much of reality relies on statistics. Many claims about our world, our society and other societies, specific organizations (such as Temple University), and even our minds and bodies rest on statistical data. Using examples from anthropology, psychology, sociology, political science, and economics, students will examine how social science methods and statistics help us understand the social world. The goal is to become critical consumers of quantitative material that appears in scholarship, the media, and everyday life. NOTE: This course fulfills the Quantitative Literacy (GQ) requirement for students under GenEd. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed SOC 0925, POLS 0825, POLS 0925, PSY 0825, or ANTH 0825.
Course Attributes: GQ
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in (MATH 0701, MATH 0702, 'Y' in MC3, 'Y' in MC4, 'Y' in MC5, 'Y' in MC6, 'Y' in MC3A, 'Y' in MC6A, 'Y' in MC3S, 'Y' in MC3D, 'Y' in MC3O, 'Y' in MC3T, or 'Y' in MC6T)
SOC 0829. The History & Significance of Race in America. 3 Credit Hours.
Why were relations between Native Americans and whites violent almost from the beginning of European settlement? How could slavery thrive in a society founded on the principle that "all men are created equal"? How comparable were the experiences of Irish, Jewish, and Italian immigrants, and why did people in the early 20th century think of them as separate "races"? What were the causes and consequences of Japanese Americans' internment in military camps during World War II? Are today's Mexican immigrants unique, or do they have something in common with earlier immigrants? Using a variety of written sources and outstanding documentaries, this course examines the racial diversity of America and its enduring consequences. NOTE: This course fulfills the Race & Diversity (GD) requirement for students under GenEd and Studies in Race (RS) for students under Core. Duplicate Credit Warning: Students may take only one of the following courses for credit; all other instances will be deducted from their credit totals: African American Studies 0829, Africology and African American Studies 0829, Anthropology 0829, Geography and Urban Studies 0829, History 0829, Political Science 0829/0929, Sociology 0829, 0929, 1376, 1396, R059, or X059.
Course Attributes: GD, SI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 0831. Immigration and the American Dream. 3 Credit Hours.
As a Temple student, you go to school and live in a city full of immigrants. Perhaps your own relatives were immigrants to the United States. But have you ever listened to their stories? With an historical and sociological framework as a basis, we will take an in-depth and more personal look at the immigrant experience as expressed through the immigrants' own voices in literature and film. Topics explored include: assimilation, cultural identity and Americanization, exploitation and the American Dream, ethnic communities, gender, discrimination and stereotyping. NOTE: This course fulfills the Race & Diversity (GD) requirement for students under GenEd and Studies in Race (RS) for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed any of the following: ANTH 0831, CRIT 0831, History 0831, Italian 0831/0931, Russian 0831, or SPAN 0831/0931.
Course Attributes: GD, SI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 0832. Politics of Identity in America. 3 Credit Hours.
Gay or straight. Black or white. Male or female. What do these different group identities mean to Americans? How do they influence our politics? Should we celebrate or downplay our diversity? This course explores how we think about others and ourselves as members of different groups and what consequences it has for how we treat one another. Our fundamental social identities can be a source of power or of powerlessness, a justification for inequality or for bold social reform. Students learn about the importance of race, class, gender and sexual orientation across a variety of important contexts, such as the family, workplace, schools, and popular culture and the implications these identities have on our daily lives. NOTE: This course fulfills the Race & Diversity (GD) requirement for students under GenEd and Studies in Race (RS) for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed Gender, Sexuality & Women's Studies 0832/0932, History 0832, Political Science 0832/0932, or Women's Studies 0832/0932.
Course Attributes: GD, SI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 0833. Race & Poverty in the Americas. 3 Credit Hours.
The transatlantic slave trade was one of the most brutal and momentous experiences in human history. Attitudes toward Latino, Caribbean, African, and Asian immigrants in the United States today can only be fully understood in the contexts of slavery and the "structural racism," "symbolic violence" (not to mention outright physical violence), and social inequalities that slavery has spawned throughout the region. Although focusing primarily on the United States, we will also study the present entanglements of poverty and race in Brazil, Haiti, and other selected nations of "The New World," placing the U.S. (and Philadelphia in particular) experience in this historical context. NOTE: This course fulfills the Race & Diversity (GD) requirement for students under GenEd and Studies in Race (RS) for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed REL 0833/0933, ANTH 0833, or LAS 0833/0933.
Course Attributes: GD, SI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 0835. Ethnicity and the Immigrant Experience in the U.S.. 3 Credit Hours.
How do immigrants learn to become American? How does living an ethnic identity vary for different groups? When does ethnicity become a chosen identity or an unwanted label? How do we learn to value some aspects of ethnicity but not others? What are markers of ethnicity? How do language, food, music, family and community work to provide authenticity to the American immigrant experience? What happens to ethnicity with assimilation to the American way of life? Can ethnicity combat the tidal social expectations to conform to the dominant culture? Using a variety of written materials including novels that explore the ethnic identity of different groups, this course raises questions about how ethnicity and American identity are connected. NOTE: This course fulfills the Race & Diversity (GD) requirement for students under GenEd and Studies in Race (RS) for students under Core. Duplicate Credit Warning: Students may take only one of the following courses for credit; all other instances will be deducted from their credit totals: Sociology 0835, 0935, 1476, 1496, R064, X064.
Course Attributes: GD
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 0845. Deadly Contagions: Past, Present, and Future Pandemics. 3 Credit Hours.
Over the course of recorded history, infectious diseases have been responsible for the deaths of hundreds of millions of humans. Hundreds of millions - perhaps billions - more suffered terrible and sometimes lasting illness due to their encounters with pathogens. What drives deadly contagions? Can they be stopped, and if so, how? What if anything can be learned from past pandemics to guide us in the present and the future? This course combines sociological, historical, and epidemiological perspectives on infectious diseases. We will consider contagions as biological and medical events, but also as products - and producers - of social, political, and economic systems and inequalities. We will explore the concept of social contagions (for example, the spread of fears, misinformation, behaviors, and attitudes) as well. Special emphasis is placed on understanding how the centuries-long processes of globalization and urbanization have shaped epidemics and pandemics in the past and the present, and how these and other forces, like climate change and mass migrations, are likely to affect the nature of infectious diseases in the future. A basic goal of our scholarly explorations is understanding how to prevent needless deaths during the epidemics and pandemics to come. Note: Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed SOC 0945.
Course Attributes: GB, SI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 0851. Gender in America. 3 Credit Hours.
Being a man or a woman means feeling like a man or a woman. People display gender by learning the routines and expectations associated with being male or female. How do people learn gender? How does living in a gendered society lead to differences in power and opportunities between men and women? How do race, ethnicity and sexuality affect the way gender is experienced for these different groups? How does gender acquire such important meaning in terms of identity and behavior? Using a variety of written materials including novels that explore gender identity construction, this course looks at how gender has become such a prominent feature of life in America. NOTE: This course fulfills the U.S. Society (GU) requirement for students under GenEd and American Culture (AC) for students under Core. Duplicate Credit Warning: Students may take only one of the following courses for credit; all other instances will be deducted from their credit totals: Gender, Sexuality & Women's Studies 0851; Sociology 0851, 1676, 1696, C081, X081; Women's Studies 0851, 1676, 1696, C081, X081.
Course Attributes: GU, SI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 0861. Urban Dynamics: Global, Regional, and Local Connections. 3 Credit Hours.
Cities are a study in contrast - both a source of opportunity and a place where great wealth and poverty coincide. U.S. cities face enormous challenges as globalization has sparked a new era of urban innovation, yet has also intensified inequality and spurred new technologies of social control. This course asks: How have U.S. cities changed over the last century? How is globalization impacting the lives and opportunities of city dwellers? How do gender, age, race/ethnicity, class, and citizenship affect urban residents' experiences? How do urban policies and social movements advance or impede social justice across groups and places? Course topics include the social, economic, and political forces restructuring cities, inequality and diversity in the city, cities in the global economy, and the future of cities. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed CTRP 0861, CRP 0861 or SOC 0861.
Course Attributes: GU, SI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 0862. Development & Globalization. 3 Credit Hours.
Use historical and case study methods to study the differences between rich and poor nations and the varied strategies available for development in a globalizing world. Examine the challenges facing developing countries in historical and contemporary context and analyze the main social, cultural, and political factors that interact with the dynamic forces of the world economy. These include imperialism/colonialism, state formation, labor migration, demographic trends, gender issues in development, religious movements and nationalism, the challenges to national sovereignty, waves of democratization, culture and mass media, struggles for human rights, environmental sustainability, the advantages and disadvantages of globalization, and movements of resistance. NOTE: This course fulfills the World Society (GG) requirement for students under GenEd and International Studies (IS) for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed any of the following: SOC 0962, History 0862, POLS 0862/0962, or GUS 0862.
Course Attributes: GG, SI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 0918. Honors Human Sexuality. 3 Credit Hours.
Our sexuality is a core part of being human. We often think about sexuality in terms of the physical and reproductive aspects of sex. But our sexuality is complex and dynamic. We will address this dynamic complexity as we explore the physical, psychological, relational, and cultural aspects of sexuality. The goal of this course is to broaden your perspective of human sexuality, and deepen your understanding and awareness of your own sexuality and the many influences on this essential part of yourself. (This is an Honors course.) NOTE: This course fulfills the Human Behavior (GB) requirement for students under GenEd and Individual & Society (IN) for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed any of the following: PSY 0818/0918, SOC 0818.
Cohort Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Cohorts: SCHONORS, UHONORS, UHONORSTR.
Course Attributes: GB, HO
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 0925. Honors Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences. 4 Credit Hours.
Our understanding of much of reality relies on statistics. Many claims about our world, our society and other societies, specific organizations (such as Temple University), and even our minds and bodies rest on statistical data. Using examples from anthropology, psychology, sociology, political science, and economics, students will examine how social science methods and statistics help us understand the social world. The goal is to become critical consumers of quantitative material that appears in scholarship, the media, and everyday life. NOTE: This course fulfills the Quantitative Literacy (GQ) requirement for students under GenEd. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed SOC 0825, POLS 0825, POLS 0925, PSY 0825, or ANTH 0825.
Cohort Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Cohorts: SCHONORS, UHONORS, UHONORSTR.
Course Attributes: GQ, HO
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in (MATH 0701, MATH 0702, 'Y' in MC3, 'Y' in MC4, 'Y' in MC5, 'Y' in MC6, 'Y' in MC3A, 'Y' in MC6A, 'Y' in MC3S, 'Y' in MC3D, 'Y' in MC3O, 'Y' in MC3T, or 'Y' in MC6T)
SOC 0929. Honors: The History & Significance of Race in America. 3 Credit Hours.
Why were relations between Native Americans and whites violent almost from the beginning of European settlement? How could slavery thrive in a society founded on the principle that "all men are created equal"? How comparable were the experiences of Irish, Jewish, and Italian immigrants, and why did people in the early 20th century think of them as separate "races"? What were the causes and consequences of Japanese Americans' internment in military camps during World War II? Are today's Mexican immigrants unique, or do they have something in common with earlier immigrants? Using a variety of written sources and outstanding documentaries, this course examines the racial diversity of America and its enduring consequences. NOTE: This course fulfills the Race & Diversity (GD) requirement for students under GenEd and Studies in Race (RS) for students under Core. Duplicate Credit Warning: Students may take only one of the following courses for credit; all other instances will be deducted from their credit totals: African American Studies 0829, Africology and African American Studies 0829, Anthropology 0829, Geography and Urban Studies 0829, History 0829, Political Science 0829/0929, Sociology 0829, 0929, 1376, 1396, R059, or X059.
Cohort Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Cohorts: SCHONORS, UHONORS, UHONORSTR.
Course Attributes: GD, HO, SI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 0935. Honors Ethnicity and the Immigrant Experience in the U.S.. 3 Credit Hours.
How do immigrants learn to become American? How does living an ethnic identity vary for different groups? When does ethnicity become a chosen identity or an unwanted label? How do we learn to value some aspects of ethnicity but not others? What are markers of ethnicity? How do language, food, music, family and community work to provide authenticity to the American immigrant experience? What happens to ethnicity with assimilation to the American way of life? Can ethnicity combat the tidal social expectations to conform to the dominant culture? Using a variety of written materials including novels that explore the ethnic identity of different groups, this course raises questions about how ethnicity and American identity are connected. NOTE: This course fulfills the Race & Diversity (GD) requirement for students under GenEd and Studies in Race (RS) for students under Core. Duplicate Credit Warning: Students may take only one of the following courses for credit; all other instances will be deducted from their credit totals: Sociology 0835, 0935, 1476, 1496, R064, X064.
Cohort Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Cohorts: SCHONORS, UHONORS, UHONORSTR.
Course Attributes: GD, HO
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 0945. Honors Deadly Contagions: Past, Present, and Future Pandemics. 3 Credit Hours.
Over the course of recorded history, infectious diseases have been responsible for the deaths of hundreds of millions of humans. Hundreds of millions - perhaps billions - more suffered terrible and sometimes lasting illness due to their encounters with pathogens. What drives deadly contagions? Can they be stopped, and if so, how? What if anything can be learned from past pandemics to guide us in the present and the future? This course combines sociological, historical, and epidemiological perspectives on infectious diseases. We will consider contagions as biological and medical events, but also as products - and producers - of social, political, and economic systems and inequalities. We will explore the concept of social contagions (for example, the spread of fears, misinformation, behaviors, and attitudes) as well. Special emphasis is placed on understanding how the centuries-long processes of globalization and urbanization have shaped epidemics and pandemics in the past and the present, and how these and other forces, like climate change and mass migrations, are likely to affect the nature of infectious diseases in the future. A basic goal of our scholarly explorations is understanding how to prevent needless deaths during the epidemics and pandemics to come. Note: Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed SOC 0845.
Cohort Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Cohorts: UHONORS, UHONORSTR.
Course Attributes: GB, HO, SF
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 0962. Honors Fate, Hope, and Action: Globalization Today. 3 Credit Hours.
Use historical and case study methods to study the differences between rich and poor nations and the varied strategies available for development in a globalizing world. Examine the challenges facing developing countries in historical and contemporary context and analyze the main social, cultural, and political factors that interact with the dynamic forces of the world economy. These include imperialism/colonialism, state formation, labor migration, demographic trends, gender issues in development, religious movements and nationalism, the challenges to national sovereignty, waves of democratization, culture and mass media, struggles for human rights, environmental sustainability, the advantages and disadvantages of globalization, and movements of resistance. (This is an Honors course.) NOTE: This course fulfills the World Society (GG) requirement for students under GenEd and International Studies (IS) for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed any of the following: SOC 0862, History 0862, POLS 0862/0962, or GUS 0862.
Cohort Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Cohorts: SCHONORS, UHONORS, UHONORSTR.
Course Attributes: GG, HO, SI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 1002. Professional Development for Sociology Majors. 1 Credit Hour.
Did you know that the American Sociological Association recognizes over 50 different specialized areas of sociological study? Did you know that Temple sociology graduates pursue careers in a range of fields including law, medicine and health, business, non-profit organizations, community planning, housing, market research, and education? In this professional development seminar, faculty and alumni from the department will help you navigate your options to help you maximize your sociological studies for impact in the real world. During the semester, you will discover sociology internship opportunities and courses, you will meet and network with recent graduates who are putting their sociology degree to work, and you will begin to assemble a sociology portfolio that can be used to present your sociological knowledge and skillset to current and future employers. Because there is significant overlap in course content, students will receive credit for only one of these courses: CLA 1002, CJ 1002, ENG 1801, HIST 1012, NSCI 1002, POLS 1002, PSY 1002, SOC 1002.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 1167. Social Statistics. 3 Credit Hours.
The objective of this course is to enhance data comprehension and explain statistical information. The emphasis is on applications, with examples taken from a variety of sources including the mass media. The course covers the uses and interpretation of descriptive statistics, the requirements of valid statistical sampling, the bases of statistical inference, and the analysis of cross-tabular data. NOTE: (1) This course is not open to students who have taken Mathematics 1013 (C067) or Psychology 1167 (C067). (2) This course can be used to satisfy the university Core Quantitative Reasoning B (QB) requirement. Although it may be usable towards graduation as a major requirement or university elective, it cannot be used to satisfy any of the university GenEd requirements. See your advisor for further information.
Course Attributes: QB
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in (MATH 0701, MATH 0702, 'Y' in MC3, 'Y' in MC4, 'Y' in MC5, 'Y' in MC6, 'Y' in MC3A, 'Y' in MC6A, 'Y' in MC3S, 'Y' in MC3D, 'Y' in MC3O, 'Y' in MC3T, or 'Y' in MC6T)
SOC 1176. Introduction to Sociology. 3 Credit Hours.
This course introduces students to the discipline of sociology, which offers distinctive concepts and methods to understand human behavior and the societies we all inhabit. How do societies evolve and change? What can be learned from comparing them? How do they make us into the kinds of people we are, and which facts either sustain or shatter everyday life? What do culture, power, bureaucracy, racial discrimination, inequality, sexual and social conflict have in common? In this course, students will learn about themselves by exploring the hidden patterns in the world around them. By the end of the semester, students will have a firm grasp of the sociological imagination and how to use it to understand our increasingly diverse and complex world. Note: Students may only earn credit for one of the following: SOC 1176, 1576, or 1976.
Course Attributes: IN, SI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 1576. Introduction to Sociology for Health Professions. 3 Credit Hours.
This course offers an introduction to the discipline of sociology. Focused on a systematic study of social life, the discipline of sociology offers distinctive concepts and methods to understand human beings and the societies they inhabit. The primary operating principle of sociology is to shift analytic emphasis--common to the health professions--from individual characteristics to the characteristics of broader social contexts, groups, and institutions. This Introduction to Sociology is specifically intended for those with interests in the health professions. We apply each topic we study to issues in health and medicine, pairing general sociology readings with readings specifically on health and medicine. Students preparing for the revised MCAT (2015) are especially encouraged to take this course.
Duplicate credit warning: Students who have received credit for SOC 1176 or SOC 1976 Introduction to Sociology (or its equivalent in transfer) may not receive additional credits for this course.
Course Attributes: SI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 1967. Honors Social Statistics. 3 Credit Hours.
The objective of the course is on understanding data and explaining statistical information. The emphasis is on applications, with examples taken from a variety of sources including the mass media. The course covers the uses and interpretation of descriptive statistics, the requirements of valid statistical sampling, the bases of statistical inference, and the analysis of cross-tabular data. NOTE: (1) This course is not open to students who have taken Mathematics 1013 (C067) or Psychology 1167 (C067). (2) This course can be used to satisfy the university Core Quantitative Reasoning B (QB) requirement. Although it may be usable towards graduation as a major requirement or university elective, it cannot be used to satisfy any of the university GenEd requirements. See your advisor for further information.
Cohort Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Cohorts: SCHONORS, UHONORS, UHONORSTR.
Course Attributes: HO, QB
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 1976. Honors Introduction to Sociology. 3 Credit Hours.
This course introduces students to the discipline of sociology, which offers distinctive concepts and methods to understand human behavior and the societies we all inhabit. How do societies evolve and change? What can be learned from comparing them? How do they make us into the kinds of people we are, and which facts either sustain or shatter everyday life? What do culture, power, bureaucracy, racial discrimination, inequality, sexual and social conflict have in common? In this course, students will learn about themselves by exploring the hidden patterns in the world around them. By the end of the semester, students will have a firm grasp of the sociological imagination and how to use it to understand our increasingly diverse and complex world. Note: Students may only earn credit for one of the following: SOC 1176, 1576, or 1976.
Cohort Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Cohorts: SCHONORS, UHONORS, UHONORSTR.
Course Attributes: HO, IN, SI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 2002. Leadership for Social Change. 3 Credit Hours.
Leadership for social change, sometimes called social entrepreneurship, is the process of community-based collaborative change-making. It is the application of both critical thinking and critical action strategies to targeted social problems. For individuals, it is found in the movement from criticism to leadership. For communities, it is found in the claiming of self-efficacy. This course is rooted in sociology, but the readings and assignments extend from sociological analysis to social activism, community engagement, business, and art.
Course Attributes: SI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 2111. Sociology of Sports. 3 Credit Hours.
This course analyzes sports as a socializing agent and as a set of cultural, social, economic and political institutions. The course will begin with a distinction between play, sports, and organized sports. We will then look at the role of sports in childhood and adolescence, with a particular emphasis on gender and sports. Next, we examine the role of sports in collegiate life and finally at the professional level. As a course in sociology, this class will examine the connections between sports and race, gender, social class, politics, and the economy.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 2122. Global Sports. 3 Credit Hours.
This course centers on the globalization of sports. It views sports as a set of cultural, social, economic and political institutions and practices and asks the following orienting questions: 1) "How have forces of globalization changed the world of sport?" and 2) "What do the changes in sport teach us about globalization processes more generally?" The course will cover the structure, organization, and culture of globalized sport. Topics include: the business of global sports, the flow of labor and capital in global sports, the impact of culture on sport and sport on culture, the role of communication, transportation, and technology in the globalization of sport.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 2128. Men and Masculinities. 3 Credit Hours.
This course examines and interrogates masculinity by drawing upon the diverse voices and experiences of men and boys across age, race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, ability and religion. This course will explore the social and personal meanings of "manhood" and its impact on relationships, institutions and in our public and private lives.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 2130. Selected Topics in Sociology. 3 Credit Hours.
The topics will vary and cover areas not covered by the current roster of classes. Students should consult with the instructor for details.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
SOC 2163. Area Studies: Latin American Development. 3 Credit Hours.
This course examines patterns of socioeconomic and political development in different parts of Latin America. Topics to be studied include: agrarian reforms, patterns of industrialization and urbanization, financial dependency, military regimes, revolutionary movements, and transitions to democracy. NOTE: This course is taught in Spanish for the LASS program.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 2166. Money: Who Has It, Who Doesn't, Why It Matters. 3 Credit Hours.
This course looks at the sociological issues surrounding money as a mechanism and medium of exchange. The course covers history of money and the development of finance. The course also explores the role of money in shaping lives: friendship patterns, life chances, educational opportunities, and health and well-being. Students will learn about structural changes in the economy that stem from the globalization of money. Students who have earned credit for Sociology 1166 will not earn additional credit for this course.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 2168. Sociology of Popular Culture. 3 Credit Hours.
Popular culture is ubiquitous in contemporary life, in the forms of television, books, radio, internet, music, video games, and film. It has been accused of making us more violent and less healthy, more biased and less participatory in society. Popular culture has also been celebrated for making art democratic and giving voice to a wider range of people. This course surveys what we know about the social effects of popular culture including issues like representations and stereotypes, media consolidation, and the impact of new technologies.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 2171. Sociology of Law. 3 Credit Hours.
This class looks at what is both special and ordinary about legal systems. The law's features and the scope of its functions in society are examined and compared with other institutions, and with legal systems in societies and periods other than our own. It considers legal institutions as a product of actions and interactions of both specialists and ordinary citizens. Additionally, it examines the role of the law as a potential vehicle and agent of change. It gives a practical sociological introduction to the professional study of law.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 2176. Is College Worth It? Student Debt and Student Gain. 3 Credit Hours.
This course offers a sociological take on the costs and benefits of colleges. The first three quarters are about the college experience and how it affects students and alumni. We will look at what students get out of college in terms of learning, careers, extra-curricular activities, and socializing. We will look at the current state of research on whether or not the financial benefits of college are worth the costs. In the remaining time we will look at the political and organizational aspects of colleges, including why college costs have risen so much, why student indebtedness has increased, the rise of the for-profit sector in higher education, and the future of higher education.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 2179. Racial and Ethnic Stratification. 3 Credit Hours.
This course focuses on the elements of racial and ethnic stratification as they appear in the United States and other nations. It outlines the concepts that shape the sub-field of race and ethnic relations, in addition to examining how sociologists have theorized about racial and ethnic hierarchies and their role in the organization and distribution of social resources. Through an analysis of the historical and contemporary circumstances of selected communities in the United States, it seeks to reveal which theory best explains the experience of particular communities and which best explains societal patterns of inequality. Additionally, the course examines racial and ethnic relations in other nations and as a global phenomenon in an effort to reveal the common elements of racial inequality regardless of national identity. NOTE: This course can be used to satisfy the university Core Studies in Race (RS) requirement. Although it may be usable towards graduation as a major requirement or university elective, it cannot be used to satisfy any of the university GenEd requirements. See your advisor for further information.
Course Attributes: RS
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 2333. Creative in the City: Bohemians, Hipsters, Punks, and Creatives. 3 Credit Hours.
This course will provide required readings, short lectures and class discussions that will enable students to address the following questions: What are the cultural practices and ideologies of urban dwellers that have viewed themselves or have been viewed by others to be relatively "creative," "hip," or "bohemian"? What types of contemporary urban enclaves have they created? To what extent have those living within these enclaves maintained continuity with their historic counterparts (e.g., nineteenth century French bohemians, twentieth century American hipsters, 1980's Punks, the pseudo bohemian "posers" of numerous eras)? How do these enclaves affect, and get affected by their contemporary global, neo-liberal urban context?
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 2501. Introduction to Medical Sociology. 3 Credit Hours.
Why do people get sick in the first place? How are healthcare providers trained to care for them? What is the structure of the healthcare system? In this course, we will tackle the expansive literature of medical sociology, topically oriented around these three large questions about patients, providers, and systems. Each week, we will examine a core area of the medical sociological literature with a set of required readings; however, in the first few weeks of the course we will get an idea of whether there are other areas that might be of particular interest to the participants in the course and plan accordingly. While divided into three parts, we will also critically examine how we know what we know about health, healthcare, and the healthcare system. In addition to honing our capacities for sociological inquiry, we will also think about the role of medical sociology in improving healthcare institutions and policy.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 2522. Sociology of the Self. 3 Credit Hours.
What is the self? Where does the self come from? And why does the self matter? In this course, we seek to answer these questions from the standpoint of symbolic interactionism - a sociological perspective that explains human action in terms of the meanings that things have for the actors. Meanings are not regarded as inherent in objects but rather as emerging from interactions among humans and between humans and their environments. The self, which plays a pivotal role in human interaction, is both a product and a force of social life. This course is divided into three parts. In Part 1, we conceptualize the self as a symbolic object that emerges from social interaction. In Part 2, we examine the origin of the self, the "true self," identity construction, self and autism, as well as other related issues. And in Part 3, we analyze the impact of the self on mental health and interpersonal relations. The ultimate goal of this course is to promote a deeper self-understanding and a better relationship with others.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 2530. Selected Topics in Medical Sociology. 3 Credit Hours.
The topics will vary and cover medical topics not in the current roster of classes. Please consult with the instructor for details. Health Track students can use this course to fulfill the requirement for four health-related courses.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
SOC 2545. Food for Thought: Sociological Thinking About Food. 3 Credit Hours.
Are we what we eat? How have our choices about what (and how much) to eat been shaped by society, and by our social and cultural identities? How and why are our culinary choices associated with social pleasures, social anxieties, negative public health outcomes, and the changing environment? Can we make alternative food choices and support food-oriented social change that help create a more equitable, sustainable, healthy and delicious world? This course raises these and other sociological questions about food and food systems, critically examining some of the answers that sociologists and other social scientists have provided. The focus will be on the U.S., but a range of relevant global issues and case studies will be addressed.
Course Attributes: SI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 2552. Health and Disease in American Society. 3 Credit Hours.
In this course, students research health and disease in the United States, placing special emphasis on the historical changes in the ideas of health and disease and the nature of the responses to illness in society. We examine social/political influences on morbidity and mortality and the experiences of subgroups of the population with illness and with the medical systems they must confront. Finally, we discuss the problems associated with financing health care, with making and implementing health policy, and the issues raised by the growing field of bio-ethics. The course contains instruction in several research methods including the calculation of rates, standardization, and the construction and reading of tables. We also focus throughout the course on how the authors of the readings know what they report: for example, what methods did they use. Finally, students do a small well-defined research project for their semester paper.
Course Attributes: SI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 2555. Sociology on Drugs. 3 Credit Hours.
This course focuses on the use and abuse of drugs as a common social and cultural practice rather than as a moral, medical, legal, or epidemiological problem. While conventional wisdom considers drug use and abuse to be a social problem, we will consider drug use and abuse as a response to economic, political, and cultural problems. Recurring course themes include the relationship between drug use and racial and class conflict; various perspectives on the origins of drug use and abuse; the pros and cons of harm reduction versus legal interventions; the nature and extent of drug using subcultures; the individual and community-level effects of drug policy, legislation, and enforcement; and depictions of drug use in the media.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 2565. Race, Science, Health, and Medicine. 3 Credit Hours.
Race and scientific medicine are powerful forces shaping the modern world. This course charts the origins and emergence of these two forces in the 17th century and explores how they have informed each other and continue to form each other in the 21st century. Topics include slavery and medicine, eugenics and racial science, genocide and the rise of medical ethics, disease and distinctiveness, racial disparities in health, and the status of race in the era of genomics.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 2572. Sex & Society. 3 Credit Hours.
Sex is at the forefront of many legislative, cultural and personal debates. This course uses sociological perspectives to examine several key areas of conflict in the sexual culture war, including sex education in American schools, global public health policies and contraception, changing definitions of marriage and family, abortion rights, the personal and national impact of prenatal testing and reproductive technologies, and the growing concern over issues such as sexual violence on college campuses, child pornography, and sex trafficking.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 2575. Science, Technology & Society. 3 Credit Hours.
This course examines the relationships between science, technology, and society, and focuses on the social, historical, and cultural contexts that shape these relationships. Students are introduced to the history of human technological development, how it has been shaped by historical and cultural contexts, and how it has, in turn, influenced the social world. The course will also examine the ways in which scientific facts are established among the public. This course is intended for sociology students interested in better understanding the technological and scientific dimensions of the social world. It is also intended for students in physical and natural sciences and engineering fields interested in the social dimension and implications of their work.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 2922. Honors Global Sports. 3 Credit Hours.
This course centers on the globalization of sports. It views sports as a set of cultural, social, economic and political institutions and practices and asks the following orienting questions: 1) "How have forces of globalization changed the world of sport?" and 2) "What do the changes in sport teach us about globalization processes more generally?" The course will cover the structure, organization, and culture of globalized sport. Topics include: the business of global sports, the flow of labor and capital in global sports, the impact of culture on sport and sport on culture, the role of communication, transportation, and technology in the globalization of sport.
Cohort Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Cohorts: SCHONORS, UHONORS, UHONORSTR.
Course Attributes: HO
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3082. Independent Study. 1 to 4 Credit Hour.
This course involves an intensive study in a specific area of sociology. The proposal outlining the work to be completed must be filed in the department office and with the undergraduate chair before the end of the first two weeks of the semester. NOTE: This class may not be used as a substitute for required sociology courses.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
SOC 3176. Sociology of Education. 3 Credit Hours.
Did you know that SAT scores, and other standardized tests, vary by parents' education? In this course we examine the many ways students' social positions shape educational experiences and educational outcomes. We learn about the ways in which students' race, gender, and social class origins shape school experiences. We also examine an important question: how much does education provide a pathway for social mobility for American children? We will also address a number of other topics including current proposals for improving American education. Students will engage with a local high school by aiding high school seniors with senior graduation projects.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3185. Internship in Sociology. 1 to 4 Credit Hour.
Students spend a semester working in a public or private agency or organization where they gain sociologically relevant experience and participate in applied sociological research. Interns will learn about a substantive sociological issue through reading, writing, and hands-on experience. Students will be required to write a term paper that includes a review of the sociological literature relevant to the internship and an analysis of the data they gathered.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
SOC 3201. Statistical Methods in Sociology. 4 Credit Hours.
Duplicate Course: This course is not open to students who have taken Psychology 2168 (0122). This course introduces students to the basics of social statistics. It covers how to describe data, how to generalize from a tiny sample to an extremely large population, and how to make comparisons. It addresses three major questions for every statistical procedure introduced in this course: What is the basic logic of this procedure? What is this procedure for? How to use this procedure? The lecture part of this course focuses on the first two questions and the lab part of the course on the third question. By the end the semester, students will develop a repertoire of statistical techniques so they know what situations will call for what analysis (t-tests, chi-square, regression) and how to carry out those analyses using statistical software. NOTE: This course can be used to satisfy the university Core Quantitative Reasoning B (QB) requirement. Although it may be usable towards graduation as a major requirement or university elective, it cannot be used to satisfy any of the university GenEd requirements. See your advisor for further information.
Course Attributes: QB
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3208. Globalization, Development, and Labor in East Asia. 3 Credit Hours.
This undergraduate course will introduce students to the major perspectives and debates in social sciences on globalization, development, and labor in East Asia, primarily focusing on China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. We will examine: What is globalization and how is it affecting countries in East Asia? What are different development strategies and paths pursued in those countries? How have workplaces changed and how have workers fared in East Asia under globalization? What roles have different kinds of labor unions played? How have workers responded, economically and politically? We will also discuss the social and political origins of "East Asian Miracle" and the impact of the rise of China on the region and the world. Through lectures, discussions, small group projects, and documentary films, students will be engaged with key theoretical debates and develop their own perspectives and research skills on these themes.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3209. Immigrant America: Belonging and Integration. 3 Credit Hours.
This course addresses central questions relating to the new immigrants entering the United States since the 1960s. It examines: 1) why people move and the policies by which foreign "outsiders" become integrated; 2) what determines the economic, political, cultural, linguistic and psychological adaptation processes of different types of immigrants and refugees, and of their children; 3) the changing ethnic and generational composition of the American population; 4) the influence of gender and race on immigrant identities; 5) the struggle of second-generation youth with their backgrounds; and 6) new meanings around sexuality and romance emerging in transnational families that straddle generations and international borders.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3217. The Sociology of Affect and Emotions. 3 Credit Hours.
This course offers students the opportunity for specialized study of one of the most debated issues in sociology and cultural studies nowadays: affect and emotions; while dealing with the latest developments in the sociology of emotions, the cultural study of feelings, and the proposals advanced by the "affective turn." In this course, we will spend a good amount of time on understanding affect and emotions as lived experience in the daily lives of individuals, by exploring the social side of affect and emotions. An important part of the course is dedicated to the so called "affective turn," which refers to a "wilder," more encompassing conceptualization of affect, highlighting difference, process and force in more general terms (affect as "intensities"). While the approach that emphasizes emotions relates affects entirely to human bodies, the so-called "affect studies" tends to address the conceivable relevance of any kind of bodies (organic, inorganic, artificial, imaginary, discursive, etc.). Another major theme of the course is the relationship between race and emotions, and music and emotions.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3219. Understanding Globalization. 3 Credit Hours.
We will explore the debates on the economic, political, cultural, social, and environmental aspects of globalization and the accelerating increase in worldwide social connections. We will pay particular attention to the relationships between globalization and global inequalities by place, social class, race and ethnicity, and gender. Other topics include neoliberal and critical perspectives on globalization, global networks of production and distribution, global capitalism, globalization and the environmental crisis, and resistance to the current form of globalization through global social movements. Note: SOC 3219 was previously taught with the title "Globalization: Causes, Promises and Discontents." Students who have already received credit for this course number under the prior title will not be able to repeat this course for additional credit.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3221. Global Development. 3 Credit Hours.
This course is an introduction to the sociology of economic development and social, political, and cultural change. We will study the concepts, theories, historical processes, and issues regarding the interrelations and transformations of the social groups, economies, political systems, and cultures of developing societies - and their relationships with developed countries - over time. Thus, our focus will be on developing countries, our scope will be global and long-term, our perspective will be sociological but interdisciplinary, and our methodology will be historical-comparative. The primary questions we will address are: What is development? How do "developing societies" differ from "developed societies"? What are the relationships of "developing" and "developed" societies? How can we best approach an understanding of why the historical experiences of "developing" countries seem to differ so much from those of "developed" countries? In the first half of the course, we will focus on understanding, largely through case studies, the main theories of development: modernization theory, dependency, world-system analysis, and neoliberalism. In the second half of the course, we will expand our empirical and theoretical understanding by examining development and globalization, gender, ethnicity, ecology, and global social movements. NOTE: Course formerly called "Sociology of International Development."
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3222. Sociology of Religion. 3 Credit Hours.
This course examines the role of religion in constructing human realities. It emphasizes how human understandings of the world and of reality are constructed socially through collective action with religion playing a prominent role. It looks at how religion influences individual and collective action; the intersection of religion with politics and media; religion's connection to race, gender, class, and sexual orientation; and the connection between religion and science.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3223. East to America: The Sociology of Asian Americans. 3 Credit Hours.
The purpose of this course is to explore contemporary issues for Asian Americans through a sociological lens. To do so, we will place contemporary Asian American experiences within the larger social context by examining the social, political, and economic institutions that have shaped the Asian American experience. As such, students will explore sociological concepts of immigration, adaptation, and assimilation while also examining issues of race, ethnic conflict, education, gender, sexuality, social movements, and media representations. Note: This course is cross-listed with Asian Studies 2107, History 2107, and American Studies 2107. Students may only receive credit for one of these courses: ASST 2107, AMST 2107, HIST 2107, or SOC 3223.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3230. Selected Topic in Sociology. 3 Credit Hours.
The topics will vary and cover areas not covered by the current roster of classes. Please consult with the instructor for details.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
SOC 3240. Selected Topic in Sociology. 3 Credit Hours.
The topics will vary and cover areas not covered by the current roster of classes. Please consult with the instructor for details.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
SOC 3242. Constructing Race and Ethnicity. 3 Credit Hours.
This course examines the social construction of race and ethnicity in the United States. It investigates the use of race and ethnicity as institutionalized, official categories that shape individual identity and experience, as well as opportunities and resource distribution. The course will analyze the formal procedures and informal interactions that define race and ethnicity as socially meaningful categories for individuals and groups. The course seeks to make the connections between the macro social organization of race and ethnic categories and the micro social interactions that shape race and ethnic experience.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3243. Social Movements and Conflict. 3 Credit Hours.
The central theme of the course is conflict as a basic social process and the organization of mass movements to alter political and social conditions. A variety of social movements are studied: reformist and revolutionary movements; nationalist, messianic, and populist movements; identity politics and issue-oriented movements. Organizational strategies and ideological orientations of the movements are also examined.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3246. Theories of Identity. 3 Credit Hours.
Various developments within the twentieth-century social thought have forced an attention to identity. Particular theoretical developments such as Marxism, psychoanalysis, structuralism, feminism and the "linguistic turn" have not simply highlighted issues of identity, but, more importantly, they have problematized identity as a contingent construction process. In that regard, the theoretical impulse, in general, has moved from a conception of identity as something people have, to processes of identification that people constantly perform. This course offers students the opportunity for specialized study of one of the most debated issues in contemporary sociology: social and cultural identities.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3247. Ideology and Social Change in Japan. 3 Credit Hours.
A sociological look at the conditions which have contributed to Japan's emergence as a world economic force. How do culture, social organization, life style, ideology, and global politics affect Japan's rapid rise to power? Is Japan a closed society? What significance do factors such as racism, religion, education, family, the military, class, and population changes hold for understanding what has happened in Japan and in Japan's relations with outsiders, particularly the U.S.? What significance does this analysis have for the future of Sociology in the U.S.? Duplicate credit warning: This course is regularly cross-listed with ASST 3247. Students may receive credit for only one course from: ASST 3247, ASST 3947, SOC 3247, or SOC 3947.
Course Attributes: SI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3249. Social Inequality. 3 Credit Hours.
In this course, we examine a number of the fundamental dimensions of inequality in our society. Among the questions raised are: 1) How great are the inequalities by class, race and ethnicity, and gender? 2) What is the nature of this inequality? Where does it come from? How deeply does it affect the lives of individuals? 3) How do these dimensions of equality interact? This course stresses participation, group work, and personal research on topics of interest to the student.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3250. Selected Topic in Sociology. 3 Credit Hours.
The topics will vary and cover areas not covered by the current roster of classes. Please consult with the instructor for details.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
SOC 3251. Urban Sociology. 3 Credit Hours.
Urban sociology asks how the physical and built environments, technology, population growth and shifts, governmental policy, and cultural and social organization shape the location and course of the development of urban areas. It focuses on urban America, although there is frequent reference to the development of urban areas elsewhere in the world in order to highlight commonalties and differences in the forces which structure urban life. Students research and write a sociological history of a block and census tract in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. It may be a history of the one in which they grew up, in which they now live, or another in which they have an interest. The objective is to combine quantitative and qualitative data to trace how and why the selected area developed as it did. A student will typically combine data drawn from several censuses with archival records to depict how the area changed in the context of the larger evolution of the community in which it is located.
Course Attributes: SI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3256. Political Sociology. 3 Credit Hours.
This course analyzes the social basis of political institutions and political action, stressing the importance of both in the life of communities and individuals. Our emphasis is on the influence of social classes, professional and occupational groups, political parties, social movement organizations, and other notable interest groups have on the political system. We discuss the formation and organization of political activity and its varied outcomes.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3258. Women and Work. 3 Credit Hours.
Women's work will be defined in the fullest sense. We will examine the gender division of labor in society and changes in women's paid and unpaid work from both historical and cross-cultural perspectives. We will discuss trends in women's employment and the rewards of women's work by race, marital status, etc., and trends in household work and child care. Reasons for women's expanded opportunities and persistent barriers will be explored.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3259. Women and Poverty. 3 Credit Hours.
This course focuses on women's poverty in the U.S. and the social welfare policies designed to address it. We begin with an overview of poverty in the U.S., ways to measure poverty, and how to read census tables on poverty and income. We then dive into the history of the welfare state in America, starting with the Poorhouse Era and moving through 1996's welfare reform legislation. The second part of the course addresses major issues and themes in poverty scholarship: the culture of poverty thesis, low-wage work, teenage motherhood effects, marriage and single motherhood, social capital, and neighborhood effects. We conclude with a comparative analysis of U.S. and international welfare states.
Course Attributes: SI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3261. Research Design and Methods. 4 Credit Hours.
This course is an introduction to the logic and methods of social research. We examine the issues, including internal, external, and construct validity, that arise in doing and evaluating both quantitative and qualitative research. The laboratory time involves both computer applications and instruction in the use of the library for research.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3301. Philadelphia as a Social Laboratory. 3 Credit Hours.
This course uses a community-engaged learning approach that enables direct interaction with the city of Philadelphia and familiarity with Philadelphia-based organizations, activists, and institutions. Each week students are expected to participate in hands-on activities, including site visits and panel discussions, to witness the way various social issues play out in Philadelphia. This includes issues like racial inequality, history and memory, public arts and social justice, neighborhood change, education, public space, homelessness, incarceration and criminal justice, health, and housing. We consider various ways to approach complex social challenges by critically assessing the relationship between "problems" - as they are defined - and "solutions" - as they are developed. The course provides an opportunity for students to familiarize themselves with organizations and institutions working to address the social challenges that face the city of Philadelphia, its people, and its communities.
Course Attributes: SF
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3396. Development of Sociological Thought. 3 Credit Hours.
Theory is the narrative account, the explanatory framework, that underlies and grounds all knowledge. Sociological theories are accounts of the fundamental principles and relationships that organize society. This course focuses on the most successful sociological theories, emphasizing the work of scholars, mostly European and American, who contributed the most influential ideas to modern sociology. Attention is also paid to the social and historical context in which the major theories emerged.
Course Attributes: WI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3430. Selected Topics in Sociology. 3 Credit Hours.
The topics will vary and cover areas not covered by the current roster of classes. Please consult with the instructor for details.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
SOC 3511. Environmental Sociology: The End of the World as We Know It?. 3 Credit Hours.
This course will introduce you to the sociology of the environment - the study of the interrelationships of human social systems and ecosystems - with a primary focus on their social aspects. We will focus on how social systems can be rearranged to ensure environmental justice, sustainability, and human and planetary well-being. Topics may include the ecological footprint, pollution and toxins, and climate change; the limits to growth; the treadmill of production vs. ecological modernization; technology and productivity; corporations, the media and the politics of climate change denial; unequal ecological exchange between developed and developing countries; and the nature and impacts of environmental movements. Duplicate credit warning: This course was previously offered as "Sociology of the Environment"; students who have earned credits under this title will not earn additional credits for this course.
Course Attributes: SF, SS
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3525. Urban Health. 3 Credit Hours.
Cities are home to half the world's population and urban populations are rapidly growing. Yet we know too little about why some urban populations are quite healthy and others quite sick and why some live long and others die young. This course blends medical sociology with population health science to explore these and other important questions in urban health. The focus is on U.S. cities with additional examples drawn from global cities. Attention will also be given to rural and urban and suburban differences in health, disease, and mortality. The goal is to better understand if and how cities might become places where people can live longer, healthier, and happier lives.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3530. Selected Topics in Medical Sociology. 3 Credit Hours.
The topics will vary and cover medical topics not in the current roster of classes. Please consult with the instructor for details. Health Track students can use this course to fulfill the requirement for four health-related courses.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
SOC 3551. Critical Race Feminist Theory. 3 Credit Hours.
Building from the groundbreaking critical race theory texts that emerged within legal academia during the early 1990s this course will consider the historical underpinnings of this literature and its implications for future feminist theory and practice. The course will investigate the limits of liberal legal remedies in addressing the severe social realities faced by many women, men, trans and non-binary people of color of various sexual identities. We will pay particular attention to the persistence of structural, institutional and everyday racism despite the rejection of race as a viable biological human concept, and its intersection with gender, gender identity and sexuality. The course will also consider how core concepts from critical race theory are deployed within transnational feminist thought and activism. Note: Students who earned credit for GSWS 2051 "Critical Race Theory and Feminist Implications", GSWS 2051 "Critical Race Feminist Theory" or GSWS 3551 "Critical Race Feminist Theory" will not receive additional credits for SOC 3551 "Critical Race Feminist Theory."
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3559. Health and Reproduction. 3 Credit Hours.
The course will focus on health and human reproduction in the United States. We will view reproduction as both a biological and social event and will be particularly concerned with the medical and health aspects of reproduction. Decisions about child bearing, the medicalization of child bearing, fecundity, birth control, fetal and neonatal health, maternal health and new reproductive technologies are among the topics that will be considered in this research-intensive course. The course will also cover technical, methodological and statistical issues arising in the study of reproduction.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3565. Sociology of the Body. 3 Credit Hours.
What do bodies tell us about ourselves and about others? Does our speaking voice show our class background? Why might someone who is "black" or "white" in the United States not be considered so in another country? Who decides what a healthy body is? In this course, we will look at the body, not simply as a physical object, but as a physical medium that is molded by social forces and interpreted through a cultural lens. Our bodies are simultaneously sites of personal embodiment and subject to external classification and social control. We will examine some of the ways bodies are significant markers of social categories, analyzing the link between the body and personal identity, and consider how identity is enacted through bodily practices and modification.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3571. Methods in Program Evaluation. 3 Credit Hours.
Evaluation research uses standard social science methods to help judge the effectiveness of social programs and policies. The purpose of this course is to develop students' abilities to use evaluation methods to describe real world situations. Students will also learn to make inferences based on evaluations in order to improve policy decisions and service delivery programs in public health and social services. Previous knowledge of social science methods is not required.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3575. Population Studies. 3 Credit Hours.
This course tackles a large and important question: What impact does population growth and change have on our lives? In this class, we examine how populations across the world are studied using censuses and surveys. The class explores three basic demographic processes: fertility, mortality, and migration, and how these processes vary internationally. Further, we focus on how the structure and characteristics of particular populations impact individual members. Finally, we uncover the demographic foundations of international contemporary social issues like the aging of the population in North America, Europe, and Japan, the AIDS epidemic in Thailand and Africa, as well as the U.S., changing household structures in the U.S. and Europe, and environmental change across the globe. Students learn both important concepts in demography and the methods used to study international populations.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
SOC 3582. Independent Study in Medical Sociology. 1 to 4 Credit Hour.
This course involves an intensive study in a specific area of sociology. The proposal outlining the work to be completed must be filed in the department office and with the undergraduate chair before the end of the first two weeks of the semester. NOTE: This class may not be used as a substitute for required sociology courses.
Class Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Classes: Senior 90 to 119 Credits, Senior/Fifth Year 120+ Credits.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
SOC 3585. Internship in Medical Sociology. 1 to 4 Credit Hour.
This course will give students an opportunity to experience working in a health-related setting. Students taking this internship course will be expected to use their sociological skills in understanding and analyzing the setting in which the experiential learning takes place. An internship requires an individual contract with a faculty member in the Department of Sociology.
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
SOC 3930. Honors Special Topics. 3 Credit Hours.
The topics will vary and cover areas not covered by the current roster of classes. Students should consult with the instructor for details.
Cohort Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Cohorts: SCHONORS, UHONORS, UHONORSTR.
Course Attributes: HO
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
SOC 4001. Qualitative Research. 4 Credit Hours.
This course provides students with skills to evaluate qualitative research studies, which deal with the meanings and values that people assign to things in the social world. More importantly, this class teaches students to conduct their own research using a variety of techniques, including participant observation, in-depth interviewing, focus groups, and the careful analysis of text and documents. Each student carries out a qualitative research project during the semester under the direction of the instructor. By the end of the semester, students will have gained skills in qualitative research that will make them competitive for jobs in a variety of different settings, from marketing and research firms to non-profit organizations.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in (SOC 3201 and SOC 3261)
SOC 4002. Data Analysis. 4 Credit Hours.
This course gives students practical experience with the statistical analysis of data. Students will learn how to develop research questions based on a literature review; how to turn research problems into testable hypotheses; how to test hypotheses through statistical analysis; and how to present research findings in oral as well as written form. Statistical topics include: analysis of variance, bivariate and tri-variate cross-tabulation, gk tau, gamma, and Pearson's r.
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in (SOC 3201 and SOC 3261)
SOC 4096. Senior Seminar. 3 Credit Hours.
The goal of this course is to teach you how to use the sociological skills you have learned to make the transition to the next steps of your life. This will involve making decisions about your occupational goals, and collecting evidence on how realistic these are and how you might go about achieving them. We will learn about global and local trends in the economy and the labor market. As part of this, each of you will collect data on the occupation in which you have a particular interest. We will then learn how to do a self-assessment of skills and interests and you will learn how to advertise these on a web site. Finally, you will interview persons working in the occupation of your choice and match your skills with the ones they brought to their job. NOTE: This is the capstone writing intensive course. This course is taken in the semester before graduation, and is open to sociology majors only.
Field of Study Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Majors: Sociology.
Course Attributes: WI
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.