Sociology is the study of society and its component parts, groups, cultures, norms, roles and their institutional and organizational relationships. Sociology is a discipline in the social sciences and part of the liberal arts approach to education. This department offers a minor in sociology which requires a minimum of 24 credits including no fewer than 12 credits at the 300 level or above.

Students often minor in sociology if their majors are criminal justice or psychology. Both of these disciplines lead to employment in the criminal justice system, or the social welfare system.

Students of sociology learn important skills in reading, writing, analysis and logic. Students learn to do research and to interpret social, economic, political, cultural and technological change in a variety of contexts.

Sociology Minor (24 credits)

 Sociology Courses Offered:

An introduction to the study of society. This course examines concepts such as group, social interaction, culture, norm, value, status, role, and deviance, and explores how these relate to organizations, institutions, stratification, and social behavior. F S Su GE: SS

SOC 49-113, 3 credits Introductory Anthropology

Brief survey of the four subdisciplines of anthropology: archaeology, linguistics, cultural anthropology and physical anthropology. Using an evolutionary framework, basic concepts and theories of anthropology will be introduced. GE: SS, IE

SOC 49-123, 3 credits Marriage and Family

Dating, courtship, engagement, sexual expression, marriage adjustment and childrearing in American society as related to success and failure in marriage. GE: SS, S

SOC 49-213, 3 credits Cultural Anthropology

General introduction to the methods, theories, concepts and subject matter of cultural anthropology. The nature of culture, the social system, cultural change, cultural evolution, and culture as a symbol system will be considered. GE: SS, IE

SOC 49-223, 3 credits Women, Sex Roles and Society

An investigation of the status of women and how women live their lives in relationship to each other and to men. The course examines women's current conditions in the U.S., alternative conditions in other times and places, and the prospects for change. Different attempts to explain those conditions and relationships are examined. S GE: SS, E/G

SOC 49-233, 3 credits Contemporary Social Problems

An overview of the causes, consequences and potential solutions of modern social issues and problems such as majority-minority relations, sex roles and deviance, population, resources, crime, war and peace, unemployment and economic disruption; consideration of the place of social planning. F GE: SS

SOC 49-313, 3 credits Social Change

A broad overview of social and cultural change. Major theories of social change are presented and selected specific changes occurring in our society and in other cultures are examined. P: SOC 103 GE: SS

SOC 49-323, 3 credits Human Relations

A sociological analysis of selected aspects of human relations that are assumed to be socially structured and primarily group relations. The central focus is on relations between groups of people who are in unequal positions in society, based on the central dimensions of class, race/ethnicity and sex/gender. P: SOC 103. F S GE: SS, E/G

SOC 49-333, 3 credits Crime and Delinquency

A survey of the fields of criminology and juvenile delinquency. The course presents a sociological analysis of criminal and delinquent behavior, examines theory and empirical research on the topic, surveys the historical development of the present systems of dealing with criminals and delinquents, and considers current issues regarding crime and delinquency. P: SOC 103.SGE: SS

SOC 49-343, 3 credits Social Research

A survey of techniques of sociological research, including research design, data collection and data analysis; stress on alternative types of research procedures and their relative strengths and weaknesses. P: SOC 103. GE: SS

SOC 49-353, 3 credits Rural Sociology

An introduction to the nature and consequences of change in contemporary rural society. Current conditions are placed in a historical context, and future directions for agriculture and rural communities are considered. Special attention is paid to socio-economic and environmental impacts resulting from changes in agricultural technology, government policy, population shifts, and changes in the scale of food production. Differing visions regarding the future shape of rural America and the international food system will be considered. GE: SS

SOC 49-363, 3 credits Sociology of the Family

The family as a social system with emphasis on culture, group processes, and institutions interacting with the nuclear and alternate types of family. P: SOC 103. GE: SS

SOC 49-373, 3 credits Communities

Characteristics of urban, suburban and rural communities, especially in the United States; ecological analysis of community and neighborhood structure and organization; sociological aspects of housing and land utilization; human behavior in the community, patterns of community growth and community planning. P: SOC 103.

SOC 49-393, 1-3 credits Topics in Sociology

Designed to present to students specialized topics in the field of sociology; for example, the sociology of medicine, the sociology of aging, sociology and the future as shown through science fiction and other futuristic writings, and studies of utopias might be presented depending upon interest of students and competency and interests of staff. Topics will be announced ahead of time and student reaction will be elicited.

SOC 49-403, 3 credits Social Organizations

The organizations through which society sustains and perpetuates itself and its members; examination will range from the small group to the bureaucratic structure. P: SOC 103. GE: SS

SOC 49-473, 2-3 credits Individual Study

Independent study supervised by a staff member; primarily for sociology minors.