Sociology Course Listings

SOCI 1100 Introduction to Sociology (3)

Intended primarily for students who wish to gain a broad, general overview of the field, its area of study, methods of inquiry, and conceptions and analysis of society. Students will learn about core concepts in sociology, including sociological perspectives on culture, social structure, socialization, social institutions, personality and the self, prejudice and discrimination, the significance of race, class, and gender, political and social change, demography, human ecology, and crime and deviance.

SOCI 1800 Careers in Sociology (1-2)

Provides students with career information for the field of sociology, including careers fields such as health care, business, government, the military, the criminal justice system, or law. Students are given guidance on how to search for and apply to graduate programs and internships, create personal statements, develop a resume, and find jobs within the field of sociology. Prerequisite: SOCI 1100 or permission of instructor.

SOCI 2000 Issues in Contemporary Sociology (3)

Introductory level course designed to provide a brief, intensive overview of specific areas of contemporary sociology. Uses a number of approaches to provide students with a chance to explore how sociological principles are applied to a specific topic or area of interest. Topics vary each semester. May be repeated for credit if content differs.

SOCI 2100 Topics in Sex and Gender (3)

Special topics in the study of sex and gender will be offered in this course. Topics include women, femininities, men, masculinities, sexualities (heterosexualities, gay, lesbian or bisexualities), etc. May be repeated for credit if content differs.

SOCI 2175 Social Movements (3)

Explores the general characteristics of classic and modern social movements. Analyzes problems of recruitment, organization, duration, institutionalization, ideology, technology, and innovation. Introduces sociological perspectives on comparative economic and social development, with an emphasis on social and political change.

SOCI 2275 Social Institutions (3)

Provides an introduction to sociological perspectives on social institutions, including family; political systems and the law (including war and peace); education; medicine and science; religion; economic structure, work and occupations; and mass media. Includes major sociological theoretical perspectives on social institutions (such as functionalism, conflict, interactionism, and feminism).

SOCI 2375 Social Problems (3)

Provides an introduction to a wide range of social problems, such as homelessness, crime, and poverty and how these social problems differ by race, class, and gender. Includes major sociological theoretical perspectives on social problems (such as functionalism, conflict, interactionism, and feminism).

SOCI 2475 Sex and Gender (3)

Provides an introduction to sociological perspectives on sex and gender; includes historical and comparative trends, legislative responses to women, social inequality, social mobility, and work and labor force participation. Includes major sociological theoretical perspectives on sex and gender (such as functionalism, conflict, interactionism, and feminism).

SOCI 2575 Cities and Suburbs (3)

Provides an introduction to sociological perspectives on metropolitanization and suburbanization, urban systems and development, residential patterns and housing (including community identity and disorganization) and human ecology. Analyzes how human ecology, population structure and dynamics, and migration impact residential patterns.

SOCI 2750 Introduction to Measurement and Statistics (3)

Designed to aid the student in learning how to “make sense” of a body of numbers; how to summarize and extract information from numbers; how to detect, measure, and use relationships between variables; and how to use statistical aids to the decision-making process.

SOCI 2825 Introduction to Research Methods (3)

Research is at the heart of the behavioral and social sciences. This course will cover the basics of quantitative and qualitative research design. In addition, students will be provided with the means to critically analyze and assess the ethics of research findings. Lastly, students will demonstrate the technical skills required to collect and analyze data. Prerequisites: SOCI 1100 or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 2900 Community Practicum (3)

Students engage in service learning work at a community agency and have an opportunity to experience agency operations firsthand. A variety of field placements are available, depending on the student’s background and interests. Classroom component will include discussion of placement experiences or issues and the ethics of service work. May be repeated for credit if content differs. Prerequisites: SOCI 1100, sophomore standing, permission of the instructor, and approval of placement proposal.

SOCI 3000 Topics in Sociology (3)

An advanced, in-depth analysis of issues and topics in sociology. Topics vary with the semester. May be repeated for credit if content differs. Prerequisites: SOCI 1100 and 6 credit hours of sociology; or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 3175 Social Psychology (3)

Examines how people influence and are influenced by their social setting. The connection between individual and social processes is one of the basic themes in sociology. Three questions emerge: (1) How does a person develop a sense of who he/she is? (2) What are the influences of others, social interaction, and social structures on the individual? (3) How does the individual actively participate in structuring his/her social world? In investigating these questions this course will explore the topics of the development of self and identity and the social influence of others, roles, group and life course processes, and assess topics in social psychology in need of further development. Prerequisite: SOCI 1100, SOCI 2825, and 6 credit hours of sociology; or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 3250 Applied Social Science (3)

Introduces applied anthropology or sociology and employs a comparative perspective to investigate the importance of utilizing anthropological and sociological concepts in dealing with current social and cultural issues. Prerequisites: SOCI 1100, SOCI 2825, and 6 credit hours of sociology; or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 3275 Work and Occupations (3)

Examines sociological perspectives on the economy, work, and occupations, emphasizing organizational forms and change, organizations and their environment, organization theory, and voluntary organizations. Includes sociological theoretical perspectives on work and organizations (such as functionalism, conflict, interactionism, and feminism). Prerequisite: SOCI 1100, SOCI 2825, and 6 credit hours of sociology; or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 3375 Deviance and Social Control (3)

Examines behaviors that deviate from idealized or actual social norms, such as homosexuality, alcoholism and drug addiction, mental illness, prostitution, or sexual violence. Analyzes sociological theories of deviant behavior (such as social control theory, functionalism, interactionism, conflict, and feminism). Prerequisite: SOCI 1100, SOCI 2825, and 6 credit hours of sociology; or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 3475 Race and Ethnicity (3)

Examines sociological perspectives on race and ethnicity, including prejudice and discrimination, historical and comparative trends in intergroup relations, legislative responses to racial or ethnic minorities, social inequality, social mobility, work and labor force participation. Includes sociological theoretical perspectives on race and ethnicity (such as functionalism, conflict, interactionism, and feminism). Prerequisite: SOCI 1100, SOCI 2825, and 6 credit hours of sociology; or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 3550 Sociological Theory (3)

Evaluates the strengths and limitations of classic and contemporary sociological theory from functionalist, conflict, interactionist, and feminist traditions and theorists such as Marx, Weber, and Durkheim to provide students with a framework to explain how society works. Prerequisite: SOCI 1100 and 9 credit hours of sociology; or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 3575 Human Ecology (3)

Examines sociological perspectives on human ecology. A variety of topics illustrating the relationship between humans and the physical environment will be presented, such as consumption and sustainability, globalization, environmental politics and law, urban systems and development, residential patterns and housing, metropolitanization and suburbanization, the environmental impact of population structure, dynamics, and migration. Prerequisite: SOCI 1100, SOCI 2825, and 6 credit hours of sociology; or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 3610 Independent Reading Course (1-5)

Designed for individual student exploration of a given body of knowledge or a specific area of interest. Selected topics agreed upon between student and a member of the departmental faculty. Topic of the course, detailed learning outcomes, and means of evaluation to be negotiated between student and faculty member. Intended for majors. May be repeated for credit if content differs. Prerequisites: Junior standing in sociology and permission of the department.

SOCI 3875 Sociology Lab (1-3)

Lab is designed to complement a 3000-level core course allowing the instructor and student to work collaboratively towards the development of a course related project. May be repeated for credit if content differs. Prerequisites: SOCI 1100 and 9 credit hours of sociology; or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 4000 Advanced Studies in Sociology (3)

Designed for in-depth study of a specific area or issue in sociology. Students may petition the department to consider offering the course on specific topics of current concern. May be repeated for credit if content differs. Prerequisite: SOCI 1100 and 12 credit hours of sociology; or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 4175 Globalization and Social Change (3)

Analyzes sociological perspectives on globalization and social change, including a variety of topics, such as comparative economic and social development, political change, technology and innovation, political and social change, how social change factors such as population or urbanization affect social structures and individuals, and examples of specific policy implications using reasoning about social-structural effects. Prerequisite: SOCI 1100, SOCI 2825, and 9 credit hours of sociology; or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 4275 Sociology of Mass Communications (3)

Analyzes sociological perspectives on the social institution of mass media and communications, emphasizing a critical analysis of the social, political, and economic context of mass media and communications. Various topics will be presented, such as the media as an agent of socialization, media ownership and bias, media globalization, media ethics and responsibility, and the ideology, effects, and audience for media messages. Prerequisite: SOCI 1100, SOCI 2825, and 9 credit hours of sociology; or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 4375 Criminology (3)

Analyzes sociological perspectives on criminology, criminal justice, and juvenile delinquency. Course addresses the nature and extent of crime nationally and internationally, evaluating the strengths and limitations of criminological theories developed to explain crime. Prerequisite: SOCI 1100, SOCI 2825, and 9 credit hours of sociology; or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 4475 Class, Status, and Power (3)

Analyzes sociological perspectives on social class, status, power, and stratification. Includes a variety of topics, such as prejudice and discrimination, legislative responses to minorities, social inequality, social mobility, work and labor force participation. Analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of sociological theories to explain stratification (such as functionalism, conflict, interactionism, and feminism). Prerequisite: SOCI 1100, SOCI 2825, and 9 credit hours of sociology; or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 4575 Social Demography (3)

Analyzes sociological perspectives on population structure, dynamics, and migration. Includes a variety of topics, such as population characteristics and aging, basic demographic methods, demographic theory, urban systems and development, residential patterns and housing, metropolitanization and suburbanization, and human ecology. Prerequisite: SOCI 1100, SOCI 2825, and 9 credit hours of sociology; or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 4610 Advanced Independent Reading Course (1-5)

Designed for individual student exploration of a given body of knowledge or a specific area of interest. Selected topics agreed upon between student and a member of the departmental faculty. Topic of the course, detailed learning outcomes, and means of evaluation to be negotiated between student and faculty member. Intended for majors. May be repeated for credit if content differs. Prerequisites: Senior standing in sociology and permission of the department.

SOCI 4750 Advanced Statistics (3)

Examines data analysis techniques for complex research designs, emphasizing the application of advanced statistical techniques, such as complex analysis of variance and multivariate statistics. Introduces the student to the use of statistical software as a tool for data analysis. Prerequisite: SOCI 1100, SOCI 2750, SOCI 2825; or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 4825 Senior Thesis (3)

Students will synthesize material from other sociology courses, emphasizing the central importance of the intersecting impact of race, class, and gender in a final report of an advanced, individual research project (ideally including original data collection or analysis of existing data) which demonstrates advanced writing skills and reports the results of that research in relation to an existing body of knowledge. May be repeated for credit if content differs. Prerequisite: SOCI 1100, SOCI 2825, SOCI 3550, SOCI 4750, and senior status in sociology; or permission of the instructor.

SOCI 4875 Advanced Sociology Lab (1-3)

Lab is designed to complement a 4000-level course allowing the instructor and student to work collaboratively towards the development of a course related project. May be repeated for credit if content differs. Prerequisite: SOCI 1100 and 12 credit hours of sociology; or permission of instructor.

SOCI 4900 Senior Overview (3)

Provides a culminating experience for sociology majors, allowing students to synthesize and apply psychological knowledge in preparation for a career. Students will use their sociology skills and knowledge to become familiar with the research, theories, and methods associated with an area of personal interest. Prerequisite: SOCI 1100, SOCI 2825, and 9 credit hours of sociology; or permission of the instructor.

Copyright © 2008 Webster University