Sociology (B.A., B.S.)

An introduction to human biological evolution, prehistoric cultural development and nature, and linguistics.
(Normally offered alternate years)

This course reviews the origin and development of culture in preliterate human societies. It focuses on the major social institutions of family, economics, political organization, and religion.
(Normally offered each semester.)

Supervised individual projects for students on topics selected by the student in consultation with the instructor. Special Projects may not duplicate courses described in the catalog.
Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor.

This course offers the opportunity of intensive readings in the discipline based on student and instructor topic of interest.
Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor.

Supervised individual projects for students on topics selected by the student in consultation with the instructor. Special Projects may not duplicate courses described in the catalog.
Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor.

This course is an introduction to using the sociological perspective as a method of social inquiry. Students explore such basic concepts as culture, socialization, social structure, social interaction, and social change. They study and apply the theories and research methodologies used to investigate human social interaction. These concepts are applied to social topics such as race, class, gender, family, crime, population, environment, and others.
(Normally offered each semester.)

See SOC 2330 Race Relations and Minority Groups.

See SOC 2350 Sociology of the Family.

This course uses sociological perspectives to examine the causes and consequences of a society stratified by racial-ethnic diversity. It looks at the way historical decisions made by the dominant group have impacted the current situation for majority-minority relations in the U.S.A structural assessment of current social relations is emphasized although individual prejudice and discrimination is examined. Concepts such as white-privilege, immigration, and institutional discrimination are investigated. The requirements of the 2330 course are the same as the 1330 course EXCEPT that students in the higher course number complete a 20 hour service-learning component which fulfills an exploratory experiential learning requirement of the Archway Curriculum.
(Normally offered each semester.)

This course explores the history and contemporary issues of Latinos in U.S. society. It covers the contributions and experiences of the diverse racial/ethnic/cultural groups from Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean who have become part of the society both as immigrants and as conquered peoples. Topics related to Latino experiences in the U.S. include: identity, language, immigration, population growth, political involvement, education, health, integration, and economics.
(Normally offered each fall semester.)

This course offers an analysis of various interrelationships of men and women with emphasis on love, courtship, marriage, and family. Institutional, social, and policy perspectives are presented in a cross-cultural and historical frame of reference to clarify the dynamic relationship between the family, its members, and broader U.S. society. The requirements of the 2350 course are the same as the 1350 course EXCEPT that students in the higher course number complete a field interview project that involves significant writing and which fulfills the writing instructive designation of Archway.
(Normally offered each semester.)

See SOC 3380 Women and Crime.

This course examines the demographic and social dynamics of population size, composition, and distribution. It addresses the relationships among population, human health, development and the environment. Strong cross-cultural emphasis. A major focus is the development of a semester research paper contrasting the status of the Millennium and Sustainable Development Goals, environmental status, and health in a more- and less- developed country.

In this course students are introduced to descriptive and inferential statistics and their applications to sociological research. Statistical procedures include central tendency measures, variability, t-test, one-way ANOVA, correlation, regression, and chi square. The course also includes specific training in using SPSS for analysis.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 1110 Introduction to Sociology.
(Normally offered each spring semester.)

This course offers an integrated overview of the complex interplay of the shifting realms of law and society. We depart from an analysis of the law as a set of social institutions, a construction of particular historical, cultural, economic and political conditions. We then interrogate the ways that social structures, including race, class, gender, sexuality, and nationality, as well capitalism, modernity and patriarchy influence the construction of law and legal doctrines. In turn, we explore how the resulting definitions of normativity and deviance, social control and liberty, as well as rights and freedoms serve to feed difference, inequality and injustice in society. But while law is often viewed as the realm of status quo and oppression, it is also often mobilized by laypersons, social movements, cause lawyers and public litigants to affect social change. Therefore, in this course, we investigate the complex relationship between law, social control and social change, delving into some of the most transformative moments of American law, and society, simultaneously.

Prerequisite(s): SOC 1110 Introduction to Sociology.

This course is part of the Thinking SocioLogically cluster and is centered on reading, discussing and critically analyzing a wide variety of perspectives on the environment, using environmental sociology as a touchstone for synthesis. The topics range across classical and key debates. Students are encouraged to develop a personal environmental ethic to help frame their personal life choices and societal engagement.

Prerequisite(s): SOC 1110 Introduction to Sociology

This course explores sociological dimensions of health, disease, illness, and the organization/delivery of health care. Challenging the notion that health outcomes are the product of "personal choices" alone, it allows students to investigate the impact of social forces on human health behaviors and outcomes.

Prerequisite(s): SOC 1110 Introduction to Sociology

This course focuses on social privilege and its impact on the meaning and significance of race and ethnicity. It features strong student involvement focused on emerging community issues. Responsibility for classroom activity will be shared by students and instructor. Potential topics covered include such things as minority group-specific studies, white privilege, racism, and intersectional analysis of social identities. This course also serves as a capstone for the American Minority Studies minor.

Prerequisite(s): SOC 1110 Introduction to Sociology

This course introduces students to the scientific study of religion using the theories and methods of sociology. It explores classical and contemporary ideas about the role and functions of religion in societies. It allows students to explore current patterns in religious behavior and belief, religious diversity and inequality, and sources of religious data.

Prerequisite(s): SOC 1110 Introduction to Sociology

Normally offered in alternate years.

This course explores work and occupations through a sociological lens, conceptualizing work as a social construction and a structural reality. Students will explore major topics and conceptual frameworks in the Sociology of works such as classical and contemporary theories, occupations, labor unions, work and social inequality, gendered labor markets, work and family, the changing workforce and contemporary issues of work.

Prerequisite(s): SOC 1110 Introduction to Sociology

This course uses the sociological perspective to explore sex and gender relations as major features of social life. It considers the social construction of gender (including the creation of masculinities and femininities) and examines the impact of gender ideologies on the social positions of gendered individuals. In particular, it emphasizes the way these social positions (such as gender, race, social class, sexualities, etc...) create and perpetuate the inequalities embedded in its social institutions (like the family, economy/work, religion, media, etc...).

Prerequisite(s): SOC 1110 Introduction to Sociology

This course introduces students to applied sociology in a non-profit or agency setting where they will learn about grant-writing, evaluation, and data display. Students will read academic literature on these topics and work with the instructor and a selected non-profit to understand all three components. Students create a final portfolio of information and skills gained from research, data analysis and infographic creation, presenting the data analysis and infographic to agency.

Prerequisite(s): SOC 3930 Quantitative Research Methods or SOC 3940 Qualitative Research Methods and sophomore standing.

This course explores social stratification, the socially created pattern of unequal distribution of social resources that leads to social inequality. It gives particular attention to social class, but also considers how class intersects with other social categories (such as race/ethnicity and gender) to create even further inequality. It also examines the interconnectedness of social inequality and the primary social institutions of U.S. society. It also explores global social inequality.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 1110 Introduction to Sociology.
(Normally offered alternate years.)

This course uses a sociological perspective to explore gendered issues that women face as perpetrators, victims, and workers in the criminal justice system. As such, students will explore theories and empirical studies related to offending, victimization, and employment. This course is cross listed with GEND 3380 and meets with SOC 2380/GEND 2380. The requirements of the 3380 course will be the same as the 2380 course EXCEPT that students in the higher course number conduct an additional major project as determined by the instructor.

Since all social interaction takes place in groups, this course introduces students to the basic principles of small group structure and interaction. Students participate in group activities throughout the semester in order to study and reflect on the way groups function and influence individual behavior and identity. Topics such as goals, cohesiveness, communication, conflict, and leadership are investigated.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 1110 Introduction to Sociology.
(Normally offered every other year.)

This course identifies and explores issues involved in the interaction between humans and the environment. Students are introduced to social impact assessment as a means for identifying the ways resource exploitation leads to both the development and decline of communities. Food production is used to illustrate these impacts because it plays a significant role in community organization, human survival, and environmental resilience.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 1110 Introduction to Sociology or SOC 2530 Population and Environment.
(Normally offered alternate years.)

See SOC 4540 Urban Communities.

An upper-level course designed to treat subject matter not covered in other departmental courses or to provide study of subject matter introduced in other courses. The title, content, and credit hours will be determined by current mutual interest of faculty and students.

This course offers the opportunity of intensive readings in the discipline based on student and instructor topic of interest.
Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor.

This course explores a broad overview of big ideas about humans, society, change, stability, and chaos that have influenced sociology and other social sciences in the 19th to early 21st centuries. Broad perspectives examined include: Marxism, Functionalism, Weberian rationalization, Symbolic Interactionism, Feminisms, Queer Theory, Critical Theory, Critical Race Theory, Rational Choice, Postmodernism and Poststructuralism, and theories of globalization. This course builds critical thinking, analysis, application, and writing skills essential to majors, minors, and students interested in critically examining society.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 1110 Introduction to Sociology.
(Normally offered each fall semester.)

In this course, students are introduced to quantitative research methods commonly used in social science research: survey research, experimental design, secondary analysis, and evaluation research. Emphasis is on survey research, including project design, questionnaire construction, sampling, data collection, statistical analysis, and formal presentation of results. Key elements of the course are learning to ask researchable questions and formulate testable hypotheses.

Prerequisite(s): SOC 1110 Introduction to Sociology and any Statistics course (SOC 2910 Social Statistics is preferred.)

Normally offered each fall semester.

In this course, students are introduced to qualitative research methods commonly used in social science research. Emphasis is on individualized project design, project construction, data analysis, and formal presentation of results. Course content includes exploration of observation, participant observation, ethnography, in-depth interviewing, focus groups, content analysis, case study, and online qualitative innovations in research.

Prerequisite(s): SOC 1110 Introduction to Sociology.

Normally offered each spring semester.

This course examines urban communities and their historical roots. Topics covered include demographic and ecological trends, cross-cultural variations, and current theories about urban processes and community in order to foster an understanding of this dominant form of human social organization. Students engage in field study in areas such as community development, urban administration, spatial organization, and contemporary social problems. The requirements of the 4540 course are the same as the 3540 course EXCEPT that students in the higher course number complete a semester-length field project relevant to the course material.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 1110 Introduction to Sociology.
(Normally offered alternate years.)

Supervised individual projects in conjunction with departmental research and student interest. Special Projects may not duplicate courses described in the catalog.
Prerequisite(s): Approval of the instructor.

This course is a field placement at an agency/organization that is related to the student's area of career interest. Substantial field contact hours and regular meetings with instructor are required. The course may be repeated for a maximum of 8 credit hours. No Pass/Fail. Cross listed with CRIM 4970.
Prerequisite(s): Approval of the instructor.
(Normally offered every year.)

This seminar enables Sociology, Criminology, and Business-Sociology majors to work collaboratively, to reflect upon and showcase cumulative
disciplinary learning and experiences, skills, and ethics, and to develop individual professional selves.  Students meet weekly to share internship and thesis experiences, develop public speaking skills, reflect upon cumulative learning, and develop a professional portfolio.  The seminar culminates in an Ignite or Pecha Kucha
presentation (or a Pecha Kucha film) at a departmental showcase. 

Prerequisite(s):  Permission of the instructor.
Normally offered every fall semester.

This course is one of two options to fulfill the capstone requirement for all Sociology majors. (Either Thesis or Internship must be taken in combination with the Capstone Seminar to complete the major.) This course requires the completion of an independent sociological research project in a topic area of interest to the student. The completed project should be conference quality scientific article can be presented to the academic community in such formats as the NWU Student Symposium or a discipline related conference. Students are responsible for all phases of the research process, including topic selection, academic literature review, definition of the population; sample selection; methodology, data collection and analysis and preparation of the final report (thesis). The paper and the presentation should give evidence that the student is capable of critical integration, synthesis, and analysis of ideas as well as having gained professional-level written and oral communication skills, thereby showing mastery of the departmental goals and objectives. No Pass/Fail. Cross-listed with CRIM 4990 Thesis.

Prerequisite(s): Approval of the instructor.

(Normally offered each fall semester.)