Return to Sociology | Courses Index

[1] Courses in Sociology (SOC)

1300 PRINCIPLES OF SOCIOLOGY A UCA Core course satisfying three hours of the Inquiry and Analysis requirement as a social science elective, a requirement for all Sociology majors, and a prerequisite for most sociology courses. An introduction to the basic conceptual, theoretical, and methodological principles of sociology as an academic discipline for understanding the structure and patterns of human social life. Lecture and discussion. Fall, spring, summer. [ ACTS: SOCI1013 ]

2321 SOCIAL STATISTICS A requirement for all majors and an elective for minors. This course focuses on developing students’ ability to understand, apply, and interpret basic descriptive and inferential statistics. This course uses both lectures on the logic of statistics and workshops on the analysis of data sets using statistical computer software. No credit will be given in more than one introductory statistics course. Prerequisite: Sociology major or minor or consent of instructor. Fall, spring, summer.

2325 SOCIAL PROBLEMS An elective for majors and minors; satisfies the UCA Core Responsible Living requirement as a social science elective. Examination of contemporary social problems, their causes, and proposed solutions. Emphasizes the application of sociological theories to social problems related to the major systems and institutions in our society. Lecture and discussion. Fall, spring, summer. [ ACTS: SOCI2013 ]

2342 SOCIOLOGY OF YOUTH An elective for majors and minors. A detailed exploration of social issues related to childhood and adolescence. Particular focus will be placed on youth role expectations and socialization processes as regulated by historical events, population trends, and social institutions. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300. Summer, on demand.

2360 SELF AND SOCIETY An elective for majors and minors. An examination of the relationship between the psychology of the self and the social situations in which people act, emphasizing the role that symbols and language play in identity formation and social interaction in everyday life. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300. Fall, spring.

2361 DEVIANCE AND SOCIETY An elective for majors and minors. This course examines the dynamic interaction between society and those who deviate from expected norms, with an emphasis on the subjective nature of that relationship. Integrating texts and films, this course is designed to provide a more complete understanding of how deviant behavior is defined and sanctioned in our society. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300. Fall and summer.

3310 RACIAL AND ETHNIC RELATIONS An elective for majors and minors. A study of racial and ethnic relations in the United States and the dilemmas posed by competing value-systems. Special attention is given to theoretical explanations and empirical evidence accounting for similarities and differences in access to US social resources. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300. Fall, spring.

3320 SOCIAL RESEARCH METHODS A requirement for all majors and an elective for minors. The research methods used in sociology with particular emphasis on student development of a research proposal. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisites: SOC 1300. Fall, spring.

3330 SOCIOLOGY OF SPORTS An elective for majors and minors. The significance of sports in contemporary society and their connection to major spheres of social life; emphasis is placed on the intersection of sports with dominant cultural institutions and related issues of race, class, and gender. Prerequisite: SOC 1300. Fall, and summer on demand.

3340 URBAN SOCIOLOGY An elective for majors and minors. The historical development and importance of cities in modern society, the consequences of rural-urban population movements, and the social problems of contemporary urban life. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300. Summer, on demand.

3350 MARRIAGES AND FAMILIES An elective for majors and minors. An exploration of common family forms and processes. The topical areas cover a range of family events including mate-selection, childrearing, and divorce. Special emphasis will be placed on family demography, history, research methods, theory, and policy evaluation. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300. Fall.

3361 GENDER ROLES An elective for majors and minors. An in-depth look at gender roles in American society. By examining the social processes by which male and female biology is transformed into culture (gender and/or gender roles), this course seeks to make sense of the continuing differences and inequalities between women’s and men’s lives. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300. Fall, spring.

3370 CRIMINOLOGY A requirement for all criminology concentration majors and an elective for other majors and minors. A study of law-breaking behavior in complex social environments. Emphasis is placed on the definition and measurement of crime, methods of crime analysis, and theoretical explanations of crime. Additional emphasis is placed on legal and social policy regarding crime control and prevention. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300 or consent of instructor. Fall, spring, summer.

3371 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY A requirement for all criminology concentration majors and an elective for other majors and minors. A study of juvenile rule/status violating behavior. Emphasis is placed on the definition and measurement of delinquency and theoretical explanations for delinquent behavior. Additional emphasis is given to description and evaluation of delinquency control agencies. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300 or consent of instructor. Fall, spring, summer, on demand.

3381 DEATH AND DYING An elective for majors and minors. An examination of death and dying as social processes, including the rites, practices, and social meanings associated with death and dying in this society as well as cross-cultural observations of death practices. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300 or consent of instructor. Fall.

3398 TRAVEL SEMINAR An elective for majors and minors. Students are immersed in the culture and environment of the locale. Travel sites vary as do the topical areas of focus. Travel seminars include both domestic and international locations. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Summer.

4300 SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION An elective for majors and minors. An examination of religion as a social institution and its relationship to other institutions in American society, emphasizing the social development and consequences of religious beliefs and practices for both groups and individuals. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300 or consent of instructor. Spring.

4301 SOCIAL MOVEMENTS AND SOCIAL CHANGE An elective for majors and minors. An examination of the role played by social movements in bringing about or resisting change in times of social upheaval. Emphasis is placed on those factors that lead to the rise of new movements, as well as those that determine movements’ success or failure in achieving their objectives. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300. Spring.

4310 GLOBALIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT This course is designed to evoke critical reflection on the economic, political, and social dimensions of globalization. Emphasis is placed on measuring development and identifying patterns of development over time throughout the regions of the world. The course will help students cultivate knowledge of globalization, analyze problems related to globalization, and evaluate policies directed at managing these problems. This is an elective course. Prerequisite: SOC 1300. Fall, and summer on demand.

4320 SOCIOLOGY OF WORK An elective for majors and minors. Work and its organization, with emphasis on sociological factors affecting work motivation and effectiveness as well as the impact of workplace structure on individual behavior. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300. Summer, on demand.

4321 SOCIAL POLICY ANALYSIS An elective for majors and minors. Introduction to the process and product of social policy. Considerable attention is given to understanding the general stages of the policy process, and employing this information to analyze major contemporary social policy issues relating to employment and wages, poverty and welfare, health care, the environment, etc. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300. Summer, on demand.

4322 SOCIOLOGY OF MENTAL ILLNESS An elective for majors and minors. This course compares and contrasts the major theoretical paradigms which account for mental illness, investigates the social factors influencing the genesis, diagnosis and treatment of mental illness, and explores the social consequences of entry into the role of mental patient. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300. Fall, even years.

4330 SOCIAL THEORY A requirement for all majors and an elective for minors. This course examines the theoretical contributions to sociology of selected nineteenth and early twentieth-century scholars and proceeds to the assessment of contemporary theoretical perspectives in sociology including functional theory, conflict theory, and various micro interaction theories. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300 and a minimum of 15 hours in sociology. Fall, spring, summer.

4331 SOCIAL GERONTOLOGY An elective for majors and minors. This course covers the political economy of aging by examining societal-level responses to an aging population and the effects that societal responses have had on the elderly as a group. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300. Spring.

4334 MEDICAL SOCIOLOGY A requirement for all medical concentration majors and an elective for other majors and minors. This course examines the institution of medicine using sociological theories. Topics include social epidemiology, social factors that influence the medical institution, social construction of illness, and the doctor-patient relationship. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300 or consent of instructor. Fall, spring, summer.

4335 HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS A requirement for all medical concentration majors and an elective for other majors and minors. This course examines the development and current state of health care organizations and health care policies in the United States and other countries, focusing on detailed discussions of public and private insurance programs and policies. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300 or consent of instructor. Fall.

4341 POPULATION An elective for majors and minors. This course analyzes population data, trends, and theories from a sociological perspective, using sociological theories. Analysis includes the study of factors influencing fertility, mortality, and migration and the social consequences of these and other demographic variables. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300. Summer, on demand.

4342 STRATIFICATION An elective for majors and minors. This course focuses on explanations of stratification that results in the unequal distribution of wealth and income in society. The course explores recent historical and contemporary research describing the nature of inequality by social classes as it relates to race, ethnicity, and gender. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300. Spring.

4343 HEALTH STRATEGIES FOR MULTICULTURAL POPULATIONS A requirement for all medical concentration majors and an elective for other majors and minors. This course acquaints students with the health culture of various ethnic groups, examines the integration of health programs into their environment, and promotes the application of research skills in selected populations. Cross-listed with H ED 4343/5353. Students will receive credit for only one of the courses. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300 or consent of instructor. Spring.

4351 FAMILY DIVERSITY An elective for majors and minors. An exploration of issues concerning family change in our culture. Emphasis will be placed on family forms other than the “traditional” family. Theoretical causes of structural changes and the consequences these changes bring to society as a whole will also be discussed. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300. Spring.

4355 VICTIMOLOGY A requirement for criminology concentration majors and an elective for other majors and minors. This course focuses on the social and psychological impact of crime and the criminal justice system on crime victims, historical and current status of the crime victim movement, and policy alternatives for interactions between victims and the legal and social service agencies. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300 or consent of instructor. Spring, summer, on demand.

4360 SEMINAR A requirement for all majors. This course assists the student in the completion of a unique research project. Additional emphasis will be placed on research evaluation, resume construction, and career and educational opportunities for sociology graduates. Seminar. Prerequisites: 21 hours of sociology including SOC 2321, 3320 and 4330. Fall, spring.

4370 INTERNSHIP IN SOCIOLOGY An elective for majors and minors. A structured, supervised work experience. The student completes a minimum of 150 hours within the assigned agency during the term enrolled, maintains a log of activities, and provides the internship coordinator with a final paper. Prerequisites: 21 hours of sociology including SOC 2321, 3320, 4330; junior or senior standing; 2.5 GPA or higher; and consent of instructor. Fall, spring, summer.

4395 CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL ISSUES An elective for majors and minors. An in-depth investigation into a significant social issue, emphasizing an examination of competing ideological orientations toward the issue. The topic varies annually but is announced in the course schedule. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: SOC 1300 or consent of instructor. On demand.

4190, 4290, 4390 SELECTED PROBLEMS IN SOCIOLOGY An elective for majors and minors. Independent readings, discussions, and writings will be completed in specific areas of sociology that are of particular interest to the student. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor and department chair. On demand.