Sociology
Sociology is the scientific study of human social life. It focuses on the forces that organize and structure society and smaller groups as well as the forces that disorganize and threaten to dissolve them.
Major in sociology: 27 semester hours, including SOC 130, 373, 435, 436 and 15 hours from SOC 232, 274, 238, 239, 331, 338a, 372, 374, 379, 439.
Major in sociology (criminal justice specialization): 27 semester hours, including SOC 130, 373, 435, 436; CJ 231, 331, SOC 374; plus six hours from POLS 332, 431, CJ 379, 439.
Supporting courses for both sociology majors: 15 semester hours from ID 131, HIST 132, GEOG 234, PSY 131, 235, 332, 374, POLS 232, 336, 435, STAT 374.
Minor in sociology: 18 semester hours in sociology. SOC 130 and 15 hours of sociology, six hours of which must be upper-division.
SOCIOLOGY
SOC 130. Introduction to Sociology (3:3:0)
Sociological principles and concepts, application of research methods, and analysis of modern day issues such as socialization, urban life, deviance and crime, the environment, aging, political culture, and social control.
SOC 231A. Introduction to Criminal Justice (3:3:0)
An overview of the criminal justice system designed to introduce students to the history, organizational components and philosophy of the criminal justice system and the interrelationship of its subsystems, punishment and its alternatives, the court system, prosecution and its corrections. (Also offered as CJ 231.)
SOC 232. Social Problems (3:3:0)
An examination of social policy issues surrounding physical and mental health, sex and sex roles, drugs, crime, violence, poverty, discrimination, aging, family life, education, the workplace and urbanization.
SOC 238. Mexican American Culture in the Southwest (3:3:0)
This course assesses the historical and contemporary context of Chicano culture in the Southwestern United States. It examines, from a revisionist perspective, Chicano cultural history and its manifestations in contemporary forms such as music, food, myths and legends, art, literature, etc. (Also offered as MAS 238.)
SOC 239. Cultural Anthropology (3:3:0)
The study of human societies from the period of cultural beginnings to the present, with special emphasis on primitive religion, art, technology, politics, and social life.
SOC 274. Social Psychology (3:3:0)
A study of how people think about, influence, and relate to one another. Topics include social beliefs, conformity, group influence, persuasion, prejudice, aggression, attraction, altruism, and conflict and peacemaking. (Also offered as PSY 234.)
SOC 331. The Family (3:3:0)
A comparative examination of the family institution, including such structures and processes as marriage, socialization and the family cycle, with emphasis on changing family structures and an aging population.
SOC 331A. Criminal Law and Procedure (3:3:0)
An introduction to criminal law, both substantive and procedural, at the federal and state levels. Prerequisite: SOC 231A. (Also offered as CJ 331.)
SOC 338A. Native Peoples of the Southwest (3:3:0)
The cultural, economic, and social processes of Native Americans of the Southwest from prehistoric societies such as the Anasazi and Hohokam to contemporary Native American society are explored. Special emphasis is placed on colonialism and cultural identity among groups such as the Hopi, Navajo, Apache, and Yaqui.
SOC 372. Sociology of Sport (3:3:0)
An examination of sport around sociological concepts: culture, social organization, deviance, small groups, and collective behavior, and as a social institution and a microcosm of the larger society.
SOC 373. American Minorities (3:3:0)
This course examines the values, beliefs and cultural patterns of identified groups in U.S. society. Topics include race and ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and disabilities. It reviews, within a global context, historical and contemporary relationships of such groups to the dominant society.
SOC 374. Crime in American Society (3:3:0)
Sociological perspectives are used toward the understanding of the phenomenon of crime and punishment in the United States. Emphasis will be placed on the origins and causes of crime and criminal behaviors, prisons and debates about methods of punishment. Focus will be on gangs, drug use, homicide, and rape.
SOC 379. Special Topics (3:3:0)
Designed to address special interests of advanced students, to provide extended examination of particular issues introduced by other departments or programs, or to test the integrity of innovations in sociology. May be repeated for credit when topics are changed. Prerequisite: Department approval.
SOC 410, 420, 430. Independent Study (X:X:X)
An opportunity for students to pursue independent research utilizing advanced research methods. Prerequisite: Departmental approval.
SOC 419, 429, 439. Internship in Sociology (X:X:X)
Opportunity to work in an appropriate setting under close supervision. Prerequisite: Department approval.
SOC 435. Senior Capstone: Sociological Theory (3:3:0)
Origins of the discipline and its leading personalities during its “classical” period, and the imprint left on our contemporary understanding of the social world-confronting timeless issues raised by life in a social context. Prerequisite: junior standing.
SOC 436. Research Methods (3:3:0)
Introduction to the scope and methods of sociological inquiry. Primarily for sociology majors. Prerequisite: 12 hours of sociology. (Also offered as POLS 436.)
