Explores how social structures and social forces shape beliefs, values, and behavior. Applies theoretical frameworks to historical and contemporary social institutions. The course stresses the impact of social class, race, and gender inequalities.

Studies the social structural bases of current social problems with a particular focus on the inequities of socioeconomic condition, race, and gender. Students develop transnational comparisons concerning such areas of social life as employment, the workplace, health care, energy use, environmental imbalances, and crime. Analyzes policies designed to remedy specific problems.

This course provides an introductory exploration of anthropological approaches to society, culture, language, and history. Students are given the opportunity to consider the intellectual and ethical challenges that confront anthropologies in making sense of human difference, experience and complexity.

This course explores sociological perspectives and research on religion. The course is focused upon the study of religion as a social institution. The course considers religion and religious movements as forces that may both resist and encourage social change. Beyond institutional dimensions and group dynamics, this course also seeks to broaden student understanding of religion as a basis for personal adjustment in modern societies characterized by diverse meaning systems.

Studies causes of unconventional youthful behavior, societal reactions to it, specialized agencies, treatment strategies, policy proposals for prevention of juvenile delinquency, and the juvenile justice system with its competing functions and personnel.

Traces the development of the modern American family as a social institution. Stresses the values and problems of the modern family in comparative perspective.

Examines the sociological, economic, and psychological nature of the relationships between racial and ethnic groups with differential access to political and economic power. Focus is on the United States, with some discussion of racism, cultural discrimination, and sexism in other parts of the world.

A variable content course for intermediate students who will study in depth specific topics such as the news media, religion, sociological social psychology, social stratification, social movements, complex organizations, etc.

Studies the sociological methods of research, including their relation to social theory. Examines the main types of research designs, research ethics, the writing of reports, and the evaluation of research information.

This course examines deviance as a sociological concept. Students will gain a theoretical understanding of the ways in which has been defined historically, as well as contemporary definitions. Societal reactions, ranging from informal social control to formal control are also examined.

This course explores the social and institutional contexts of various forms of corporate and governmental deviance and/or crime. A range of cases that constitute elite deviance and/or criminal activity will be examined (e.g., insider trading, political corruption, corporate harm caused to consumers and the environment).Each case will be discussed within its larger political, social and historical context.

This course provides the Sociology major with an intermediate overview of sociological theories and research methods. Students will read original research monographs and journal articles representing both historical and contemporary research and theory within the discipline of Sociology. Finally, the history of the discipline in relation to other social and natural sciences will be explored (i.e., how are the ways in which a sociologist understands the world different or similar to those in other disciplines?).

A broad overview and understanding of the Holocaust from a sociological perspective, this course begins by introducing students to the history of Jews in Europe. Subsequent topics include the following: The Weimar Republic and the rise of fascism in Germany, the political ideology of the Nazis, an overview of the means by which the Holocaust was carried out, and an exploration of selected literature written by Holocaust survivors.

This course surveys a broad range of issues and topics examined by various health-related fields of study, including medical anthropology, epidemiology, health psychology, and health-care policy analysis. In general terms, the course deals with the study of social factors affecting health and health care systems.

While the focus of this course will be theoretical, the class will begin by introducing some general background information on global stratification. We will examine the geography of stratification (i.e. which countries are rich, which countries are poor, etc.). The basic demographics of poverty will also be explored. Particular attention will be paid to infant mortality rates, life expectancy rates, health care quality and access, education, the status of women, and the availability of foreign and domestic assistance. Finally, we will analyze various concepts of poverty, measures of poverty, and different kinds of stratification systems.

Quantitative data analysis is an integral part of the work of sociologists. In this course, students will learn how to use SPSS to analyze data from various secondary data sources. Students will learn common statistical analysis used in Sociology, data base management, and how to summarize and interpret statistical outcomes.

Investigates the development of the sociological understanding of modern societies. Focuses on major classical and contemporary, European and American, social theories. Stresses the application of theoretical concepts to contemporary social realities.

A variable content course for advanced students who will study in depth such specific topics as the news media, religion, sociological social psychology, social stratification, social movements, and complex organizations.

The capstone experience for all majors in the department, the primary emphasis of this course will be writing the senior thesis. An oral presentation of the thesis is required for this course.