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Curriculum

Sociology Major

Sociology Minor

Planned Course Offerings in Spring 2012

Course Descriptions

Sociology: Sociology Capstone: Sociology in the Workplace
(Required for Sociology Majors in their Senior Year (Fall)) Taught by Sheila Nelson

This course is designed for Sociology majors who are finishing their coursework and are preparing for graduate studies or the world of work, whether in paid or volunteer positions. It provides an integrative academic experience which engages majors in key debates and issues of concern to sociologists. In addition, the capstone is designed to prepare students for the transition to graduate school and/or to a career by exploring the applicability of sociology in the workplace. Students will reflect on and clearly articulate what sociology is, what it means to think and work like a sociologist, and what unique talents and abilities they bring to organizations, to their careers, and to life because of their education in sociology. Through books, discussions, papers, and explorations of a workplace or career of the student’s choice, we will review key elements of the discipline of sociology, applying and integrating what students have learned in the major.

Sociology: Introduction to Sociology (SS)
(Required for Sociology Majors and Minors)

This course provides an overview of the discipline of sociology. It enables students to better understand human social behavior, how sociologists go about their work, and how the discipline of sociology is organized.  Students will examine the social forces that have shaped and continue to shape society, the social institutions and their impact on the lives of individuals, and the ways in which people interact in various social settings.

Anthropology: Introduction to Anthropology (SS)
Taught by Jessica O'Reilly

This course introduces the four fields of anthropology, but instead of spending a few weeks learning about each field separately, we will instead focus on some of the key problems that the study of anthropology can help to describe and the ways in which anthropological understandings of such problems can help devise solutions. The course units include four-field examinations of culture, race, human evolution, family and kinship, gender and sexuality, social hierarchy, nation-states, politics and violence, progress, and development. Throughout this course, you will engage with materials from all fields of anthropology to 1) understand the approaches, methods, and key questions of each field, 2) analyze human problems across space and time, and 3) integrate interdisciplinary approaches to understand human diversity more completely.

Sociology: Social Statistics
(Required for Sociology Majors and Minors) Taught by Jeff Kamakahi

Conceptualization, measurement and analysis of social scientific variables such as social class, alienation, self-concept. Descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, normal distribution, bivariate correlation and regression, two group testing, ANOVA, MANOVA, nonparametrics, computerized analysis.

Sociology: Contemporary Sociological Theory
(Required for Sociology Majors and Minors (Spring)) Taught by Richard Albares

This survey course is designed to introduce students to some of the major contributions to social theory.  The course begins with a critical assessment of a number of differing definitions that have been offered for the word "theory."  From there, the course moves to an examination of the establishment of sociology as a separate academic discipline in Western Europe in the early 19th century.  The study of individual theorists begins with an extended study of "the big three" (Marx, Durkheim and Weber), followed by a consideration of George Herbert Mead and the symbolic interactionists.  We will then consider the rise of American functionalism and rational choice theory.  The course concludes with overviews of contemporary topics such as feminist social theory and postmodern theory.

Sociology: Criminology and Corrections
Taught by Sheila Nelson

Theoretical causes of criminal behavior. Strengths, limitations, and challenges to the effectiveness of police, judicial, and corrections systems in the U.S. Attention to the role of the media and cultural biases in analyzing the “crime problem.”

Anthropology: Cultural Anthropology
Taught by Jessica O'Reilly

This course explores cultural aspects of humanity by learning about an array of cultural groups, worldviews, and belief systems. We will learn about the diverse cultural forms that people have created to help understand themselves, their homes, their families, their food, and their relationships. We will be asking: how do people shape culture, and how are they shaped by it? Also: what can a nuanced analysis of human culture contribute to our understandings of contemporary problems? While the cultures we read about will be located primarily in non-Western states, we will also be analyzing our cultures in comparison with others.

Anthropology: Environmental Anthropology
Taught by Jessica O'Reilly

This course examines the relationships between human cultures and the environments that they inhabit. We will engage with the ways in which environments are collusions of human knowledge, perspective, histories, and economic and other cultural systems. Many of the course texts grapple with environmental management systems throughout the world, and ways that people plan for, participate in, subvert, and are affected by environment management schemes. Furthermore, this course also emphasizes the ways in which people shape knowledge about the environment and environmental management through historical vantages as well as Western science, particularly conservation biology and ecology.

Sociology: Environmental Perspectives
Taught by James Makepeace

In the recent past, the course has consisted of a study of a variety of attempts by individuals to live lifestyles which depart from the conventional Euro-American mold of materialism and conformity, and, instead, choose lifestyles of adventure and low or minimal environmental impact. The course has also considered issues such as depletion of natural resources, pollution, loss of habitat, global warming (or not), population growth, urban growth and sprawl, biodiversity, toxic waste management, transportation, energy problems and alternatives, meat eating, sustainable community development, and globalization along the way.

Sociology: The Family and Society
(Required for the Family Concentration) Taught by Sheila Nelson

This course is designed to increase your understanding of contemporary American families.  We will look at families as they exist in relation to the larger social world with particular emphasis on how societal structure and change affect them.  We will also consider the impact of inequalities in wealth, race and gender on families and their opportunities.  In addition, we will explore the effects of government and public policy on family life.  We will also focus on the interpersonal relationships existing among family members, especially as they relate to such issues as mate selection, marital satisfaction, parenting, divorce, and alternative family types. 

Sociology: Family Violence
Taught by James Makepeace

Analysis of incidence, causes and treatment of major forms of family violence. Includes abuse, neglect and exploitation in parent-child, courtship and marital relationships.

Sociology: Political Sociology
Taught by Richard Albares

Political participation, power and ideology as expressed in political structures and processes. Voting, political parties, social movements. In the Spring of 2009, the course will highlight the November elections and the dymanics of political stalemate, especially regarding immigration policy and health care in the United States, with frequent international comparisons.

Sociology: Race and Ethnic Groups in the United States
Taught by Richard Albares

The current situation of African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian-Americans, Jews and other races and ethnic groups. Special attention to the dynamics of the US-Mexico migration system and the intense controversy surrounding it. Origins of the so-called “racial” achievement gap in education and possible solutions to it. How fare the newcomers? Are the children of some recent immigrants being “assimilated” into a rainbow underclass? Other special topics will vary from year to year.

Sociology: Social Psychology
Taught by Jeffrey Kamakahi

Micro-sociological analysis of interaction in social settings. Varied topics considered with special emphasis upon research findings as illustrations of theories considered. Perspectives could include symbolic interaction, exchange and phenomenology.

Sociology: Social Problems
Taught by James Makepeace

This course provides an overview of the sociological study of social problems and issues, both in the United States and in global perspective. The course will exam the nature and causes of social problems as well as possible solutions. Theoretical and methodological perspectives used to analyze social problems will also be considered.

Sociology: Urban Studies
Taught by Sheila Nelson

An overview of the development of community forms and life-styles in central cities and suburbs. Disintegration and renewal. Competition and conflict over territory and services. Churches, schools, pressure groups and parties. Selected policy problems. Attention is paid to cultural, structural and ecological components of urban issues.

Sociology: World Populations
Taught by Jeffrey Kamakahi

Analysis of population statistics, population dynamics and social policy. Some topics covered include: immigration policies; the "limits to growth" controversy, analysis of vital statistics.

Sociology: Internship
Contact Sheila Nelson

Supervised field work and experience in a variety of social, administrative and research settings. Subject to approval of faculty advisor and department chair and completion of the pre-internship seminar. S/U grading. No more than 4 credit hours may be applied to the major.