DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY
Professors: Marilyn Fernandez, Alma M. Garcia, Charles H. Powers
Associate Professor: Laura Nichols (Department Chair)
Assistant Professors: Laura Robinson, Anke Schulz
The Department of Sociology offers a degree leading to a Bachelor of Science in Sociology. A solid undergraduate foundation in sociology secures the analytical skills needed to undertake professional degree programs in sociology, business, law, and social services or to embark on a number of careers from management to research. A minor in sociology is available. Honors thesis options also are offered to qualified majors.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR
In addition to fulfilling University Core Curriculum and College of Arts and Sciences requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree, students majoring in sociology must complete the following departmental requirements:
- SOCI 1
- ANTH 3
- SOCI 118, 119, 120
- SOC 121
- SOC 170
- Four other approved upper-division courses in sociology (two each from two of four clusters: criminology/criminal justice; immigrant communities; inequalities; organization/institutions
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MINOR
Students must fulfill the following requirements for a minor in sociology:
- SOCI 1, 33, 117
- Three other approved upper-division sociology courses excluding 118, 119, 120, and 121
LOWER-DIVISION COURSES
1. Principles of Sociology
Introduction to the field of sociology. Emphasis on the major sociological perspectives and the basic elements of sociological analysis. Introductory exposure to research methodology. (4 units)
33. Social Problems in the United States
Overview of contemporary social problems in the United States from a sociological perspective. Topics may include immigration, the economy, poverty, homelessness, and social inequality. (4 units)
49. Computers, the Internet, and Society
Explores the ways that technological and social change interact and affect each other through examination of the development and ramifications of the personal computer and the Internet. In particular, develops a sociological analysis of cyberspace and virtual reality as new social spaces with emerging institutions, practices, and implications for personal identity. (4 units)
65. Crime and Delinquency
Broad survey of major issues surrounding the causes and nature of, and solutions to, the problem of crime and delinquency in the United States. (4 units)
91. Lower-Division Seminar in Sociology
Seminar for freshmen and sophomores on selected issues in sociology. By permission of the instructor and sociology chair only. (4 units)
UPPER-DIVISION COURSES: THEORY, METHODS, AND CAPSTONES
117. Sociology’s Analytical Frameworks and Conceptual Approaches
Considers sociology as an integrated and coherent discipline by reviewing the development of different analytical frameworks which, when considered together, convey much of the conceptual power and rich history of the discipline. Required of all sociology minors. Does not fulfill the SOCI 119 requirement for the major. (5 units)
118. Qualitative Methods
Provides students with an understanding of qualitative methods for social research by focusing on (1) classical and contemporary sociological works employing qualitative methods; and (2) a selection of qualitative methods and techniques in sociology. Students gain hands-on experience by producing a series of qualitative research projects. Prerequisite: SOCI 119 and 120. (5 units)
119. Sociological Theory
Provides an overview of sociological theory stressing the role of theory in the scientific method. This course is required of all majors and will not fulfill the SOCI 117 requirement for the minor. Prerequisites: Concurrent enrollment in SOCI 120. (5 units)
120. Quantitative Methods and Applied Statistics
Application of quantitative research designs and statistics to empirically examine sociologically relevant research questions. Statistical analyses conducted using a statistical package such as SPSS or Microcase. Prerequisites: Concurrent enrollment in SOCI 119. (5 units)
121. Research Practicum
Collaborative research project conducted under the direction of a faculty member. Prerequisites: SOCI 118, 119, and 120. (5 units)
170. Applied Sociology
Demonstrates the application of sociological research and insights to the challenges of modern business, human service, and public sector organizations. Practice components bring students into contact with people who are incorporating sociology to improve the functioning of their organizations. (5 units)
UPPER-DIVISION COURSES: CRIMINOLOGY/CRIMINAL JUSTICE CLUSTER
158. Deviant Behavior
Examination of deviant behavior such as crime, mental disorder, and alcoholism. Social factors in the etiology and control of deviant behavior. (5 units)
159. Sociology of Crime
An examination of the relationship between crime and society with a focus on crimes such as juvenile crime, crimes against women and children, family violence, illegal drug trafficking and use, white collar crime; philosophies of punishment, prisons and prison sub-cultures, the death penalty; theories of criminal behavior. (5 units)
160. Law in a Changing Society
Explores the law in relationship to the changing character of contemporary society. Legal issues raised by technological change (e.g., intellectual property rights, privacy) and general social change (e.g., shifting patterns of family, ethnicity, immigration) receive special attention. Focus on American legal institutions, with attention to other countries for comparative purposes and to highlight legal trends resulting from globalization. (5 units)
161. Sociology of the Criminal Justice System
An examination of the major issues and programs in the criminal justice system in the United States. Focus on the socio-historical context and functioning of adult and juvenile investigation, court system, corrections system, and the restorative justice model; impact of race and class in the functioning of the justice system. (5 units)
UPPER-DIVISION COURSES: IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES CLUSTER
137. Social Change
Significant trends and issues in contemporary U.S. society and in the world. Utility of sociological concepts, principles, and theories for understanding social change. (5 units)
138. Demography: Population and Resources
Global, regional, and national population changes and the effects on people, groups, societies, and their environment. Topics include the dynamics of population change across different regions of the world (the developed versus the developing regions of Asia, Africa, and Latin America), communities, and families. (5 units)
150. Ethnic Enterprises
Examination of economic, historical, cultural, and political factors related to the origins and development of ethnic enterprises in the United States. (5 units)
190. Immigrant Communities
Seminars for juniors and seniors on selected issues in the sociology of immigrant experience and communities. (5 units)
UPPER-DIVISION COURSES: INEQUALITIES CLUSTER
132. Social Stratification
Analysis of the principal lines of social cleavage within U.S. society. Emphasis on the racial, sexual, ethnic, occupational, and class divisions prevalent in the contemporary world. (5 units)
134. Globalization and Inequality
Overview of globalization as a long-term historical process. Focus on the impact in the developing world, on people moving from the developing to the developed world, displacement of some and new opportunities for others during different periods of globalization; long-term implications of privilege and marginality that globalization has produced. Examination of case material based on Latin American, African, and Asian historical experiences; exploration of theoretical models of high rates of poverty in the developing world and practical steps to reduce marginalization on a global scale. (5 units)
135. Gender and Social Change in Latin America
Examination of the relationship between gender and the process of national and international factors related to social change in Latin America. Emphasis on selected case studies such as Mexico, Guatemala, Bolivia, and El Salvador. (5 units)
140. Urban Society and Social Conflict
Critical inquiry into urban sociology and theoretical and practical exposure to urban issues. Explores unresolved paradox in how we understand urban life; role of structural and cultural conditions in creating or adding to urban problems; issues such as poverty, immigration, housing, and the political economy of urban America. (5 units)
153. Race, Class, and Gender in the United States
Examination of the concepts of race, ethnicity, class, and gender to analyze social identities, social relationships, and social institutions. Focus on the major issues and research questions in the specialized sociological field of race, ethnicity, class, and gender research. (5 units)
165. Human Services
Introduction to the field of human services. Topics include the connections between societal understanding of social problems, programs, and policies; work and management issues in public and nonprofit human service agencies; human services in a multicultural context; opportunities to learn from human service professionals. (5 units)
175. Race and Inequality
Analysis of the socioeconomic and political situation of African, Asian, Hispanic, and Native Americans in contemporary U.S. society. Topics include race and class, occupational and economic inequality, racial discrimination, the culture of poverty, cultural stereotyping, and resistance to change. (5 units)
UPPER-DIVISION COURSES: ORGANIZATIONS/INSTITUTIONS CLUSTER
127. Group Dynamics
Explores the structure and social processes that occur in small and large groups. Concepts such as power and prestige, leadership, communication networks, collaboration and conflict, game theory, and distributive justice are examined. (5 units)
148. Diversity Issues in Contemporary American Organizations
Changing form and function of complex organizations in the United States, with particular attention to contemporary racial/ethnic diversity issues. Focus on different ways of running an organization, the need for organizations to be “diversity friendly” to respond to opportunities and challenges during times of rapid change, “culture audit” techniques to gauge realities of life in organizations, particularly as they relate to racial/ethnic inclusiveness. (5 units)
149. Business, Technology, and Society
Examination of the ways that technological and social changes occur within the context of business organizations and strategies. In particular, provides a sociological analysis of how the emergence of the Internet and other new information and communication technologies provide both challenges to and opportunities for effective business strategies in the 21st century. (5 units)
152. Women and Men in the Workplace
Examination of the status and roles of men and women in the labor force. How gender differences are developed through socialization and some of the consequences of these differences: tokenism, sexual harassment, the “glass ceiling,” and the dual-career family. Includes strategies to address gender inequality in the workplace. (5 units)
157. Sociology of Family
Examines how family forms have changed over time in the United States, including the causes and consequences of different family structures and role expectations. Patterns and dynamics of dating, family formation, child rearing, divorce, and extended family support systems are also covered. (5 units)
163. Sociology of Work and Occupation
Ideological and institutional characteristics of modern industrial society and some of its basic problems, such as alienation, affluence and work motivation models, primary group influences, and leadership behavior. (5 units)
164. Collective Behavior
Analytical study of collective behavior principles: typology of crowds, mass behavior, and the characteristics of publics. Introduction to social movements. (5 units)
172. Management of Health Care Organizations
Explores the sociological and practical issues of operations, financing, and management in organizations providing services for people with health problems (organizations such as nursing homes and hospitals) or people with infirmities (organizations such as senior care centers and assisted living facilities). (5 units)
UPPER-DIVISION COURSES: OUTWARD BOUND
125. Honors Thesis
Ordinarily requires an overall GPA of 3.3, a GPA of 3.5 in the major, completion of SOCI 121, and approval of a thesis proposal defining a topic, outlining a theoretically driven research design, and having a timetable for conducting various stages of the research. May be taken only with special permission of the sociology chair. (5 units)
198. Internship
Opportunity for students to employ sociological insights in human service/community, government, or business organizations. Students spend the majority of class time off campus and then reflect on their experiences through discussions in class and papers. May be repeated once for credit, under certain circumstances and with the approval of the sociology chair. Prerequisites: An overall GPA of 2.7 or permission of the sociology chair is necessary. Students must register with the internship coordinator the quarter before they wish to register for the course. (5 units)
199. Directed Reading/ Directed Research
Intensive reading in areas not emphasized by the department. Independent research on specific topics not fully covered in departmental courses. May be repeated once for credit, under certain circumstances and with the approval of the sociology chair. Written departmental approval necessary in the quarter prior to registration. (5 units)
UPPER-DIVISION COURSES: OTHER
133. Politics and Society in Developing Societies
Social and political change in the Third World. Relationship between economic and social development and the emergence of democratic, authoritarian, or revolutionary regimes in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Emphasis on ways in which the international system influences development through investigation of theories of interdependence, dependency, and neoimperialism. (5 units)
162. Political Sociology
Analysis of power relations in the United States. Examination of different dimensions of power. Particular emphasis on the development of social protest movements. (5 units)
176. Elder Law
A survey of public policy issues particularly affecting the elderly. Consideration of the legal aspects of death and dying, involuntary commitment, guardianship and conservatorship, age discrimination, public benefit programs, and nursing homes. (5 units)
193. Advanced Seminars in Sociology
Seminars for juniors and seniors on selected issues in sociology or current problems of social relevance. (5 units)
